What is Accessibility?

Accessibility

Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments to be usable by disabled people.

Source: Accessibility | Wikipedia

Accessibility, at its core, is about access — the ability to reach, get, use, and understand something. It covers the whole process of getting to, using, and experiencing it.

1. the fact of being able to be reached or obtained easily
2. the quality of being able to be entered and used by everyone, including people who use a wheelchair, people who are blind, etc.
3. the quality of being able to be used by everyone, including people who have a disability
4. the quality of being easy to understand or enjoy

Source: Accessibility | Cambridge Dictionary

Consider a trip to the cinema to watch the latest film. The accessibility of that film would cover the process of you being aware of the film in the first place, purchasing tickets, leaving your home, getting to the cinema, retrieving your tickets from the desk, purchasing drinks and snacks, getting to the correct screen and seat, experiencing the film, getting to the bathroom (if and when you need to), and going home or to your next destination afterwards. An issue with one step in that process could render the entire experience impossible, or inaccessible, to you.

Accessibility affects everyone, but often we talk about accessibility as it applies to disabled people — this is a group of people that are most likely to be excluded from the opportunity and ability to access something.

In order to understand accessibility, we also need to understand disability.

Disability

There are many different ways of conceptualising, understanding, and classifying disability. Often people talk about disability in terms of “theoretical models” (ways of thinking). A few of the most common models are outlined below.

Medical Model

The most popular, or widespread, model of disability is the medical model. This defines disability in terms of biological impairments. Disability is classed as a problem caused by a medically-diagnosed condition, with this condition typically requiring professional medical treatment or intervention.

This model considers that the cause of disability, or “problem”, is a medical condition — and if you fix the medical condition, this person is no longer disabled. Essentially, a disabled person needs to be made into a non-disabled person.

The medical model is typically used in legal definitions of disability, such as to determine if a person can receive state benefits, or whether someone is eligible for certain accommodations at work or at school.

[The medical model] looks at what is ‘wrong’ with the person, not what the person needs. We believe it creates low expectations and leads to people losing independence, choice and control in their lives

Source: Social model of disability | Scope UK

Social Model

a disabled person is simply a person whose needs society doesn’t meet by default

Source: Lucy Webster, Why are some access needs harder to talk about than others? | The View From Down Here

The social model is very common in disability communities. While it doesn’t deny the biological component of disability, it describes disability as a condition caused by society and poor design. According to this model, the “cause” of disability, or “problem”, is the environment.

The social model is still considered problematic by some disabled people due to criticisms that it ignores the biological realities of disability.

people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or condition. Barriers can be physical, like buildings not having accessible toilets. Or they can be caused by people’s attitudes to difference, like assuming disabled people can’t do certain things

Source: Scope UK, Social Model of Disability — https://www.scope.org.uk/social-model-of-disability

Imagine the following scenario: Sarah is paralysed from the waist down and uses a wheelchair to get around. Her friends have invited her to dinner at a restaurant, but the restaurant is on the first floor of a building. This building has stairs, but no lift. Sarah cannot get into the restaurant, and so cannot go.

If we were to apply the medical model to this scenario, the reason Sarah cannot get to the restaurant is because of her paralysis. Sarah’s paralysis is the problem.

If we were to apply the social model to this scenario, the reason Sarah cannot get to the restaurant is because the building doesn’t have a lift. The building is the problem, not Sarah.

Biopsychosocial Model

The biopsychosocial model is an attempt to recognise disability as a more complex, holistic concept by incorporating aspects of both the medical and social models. It forms the basis of the The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Using this model, “disability and functioning are viewed as outcomes of interactions between health conditions (diseases, disorders, and injuries) and contextual factors.” (Towards a Common Language for Functioning, Disability and Health | ICF).

Cultural / Social Identity Model

In contrast to the medical model, where disability is framed as something bad that requires fixing, the social identity, or cultural affiliation, model of disability is a perspective predominantly associated with the Deaf community.

Communities can build a sense of shared culture and identity through shared life experiences based on their disability.

For example, deaf people who use sign language tend to spend time with people they can communicate with in their own language, typically other deaf signers, as well as family members who learn sign language, CODA (children of deaf adults), and hearing signers who have learned sign language.

Sign languages are a type of language with their own grammar and vocabulary, similar to spoken or written languages, whereby people are able to converse without sound, using hand shapes and gestures, facial expressions, and body positioning. Sign languages can vary widely and often developed and grew out of Deaf schools and households. As the development of sign languages was not tied to specific spoken or written languages, the likes of American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL) are significantly different, despite hearing people of their respective countries communicating using the same spoken and written language. This community-based origin has also resulted in diverse regional variations within individual sign languages.

Out of the Deaf community has grown a proliferation of art, films, television programmes, and theatre shows where sign language is not an add-on, but is part of the art itself. Deaf culture has its own history, with its own associated values, social behaviours, and traditions.

When used as a cultural label, instead of a label for the audiological condition, the word “deaf” is often written with a capital D, also referred to as “big D Deaf”.

Charity or Tragedy

The charity, or tragedy, model of disability views disabilities as unfortunate conditions worthy of special treatment. Non-disabled people may take pity on disabled people and set up fundraisers, interventions, or assistance programs to, in their view, improve the lives of disabled people.

Many disabled people find this extremely offensive and patronising, even if the end objective benefits disabled people. It can set up an unequal power balance and unhealthy social relationship between disabled and non-disabled people, where “unfortunate” disabled people are passively “gifted” things from “fortunate” non-disabled people who are “generous” givers of aid.

Functional Solutions

The Functional Solutions model sees disability as “a functional limitation that can be addressed through targeted technical or practical solutions”. (Functional Solutions Model of Disability | A11ying with Sanna).

This model can be incredibly powerful, it focuses on finding real-world solutions to improve accessibility for disabled people. It focuses on action, driving energy into coming up with new ideas and innovations. Often working at the level of the individual, it is concerned with creating aids that put the onus on individual disabled people to discover, purchase, and use these tools in an attempt to “overcome” the challenges in their environment.

It is important to note that this does not always make the most impact, or have the most value at a societal level. Not everything can or will be fixed in the immediate or short-term future through technological innovation. It can be expensive for disabled people to purchase tools designed with them in mind. Businesses focused on creating these solutions can also forget to design with the communities they intend to serve.

While focusing on these solutions can be useful, sometimes people using this model can lead people to forget about the broader social and political issues that, while slower and more complex to change, also need addressing and may make these technological solutions obsolete (for example, is it more impactful to create a wheelchair that can go up stairs, or to push for building regulations to require the installation of lifts for wheelchair access?).

Statistics

It is estimated that there are 16.8 million disabled people in the UK (based on 2023/24 data), equating to 25% of the population (12% of children, 24% of working-age adults, 45% of adults over State Pension age, 64% of people aged 85 or over).

UK definition of disability to align with the Equality Act 2010 and Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (applies to Northern Ireland). A person is considered to be disabled if both of the following are true:

1. They have a physical or mental health condition or illness that has lasted or is expected to last 12 months or more
2. The condition and/or illness reduces their ability to carry out day-to-day activities

Source of UK disability statistics: Prevalence and life experiences | UK Parliament House of Commons Library.

A Note on Language

Disabled people are not a monolith. Within communities, as well as across cultures, people can have their own perspectives on the best use of language when talking about disability and disabled people, and it is important to centre disabled people’s preferences when talking about them and their communities.

Broadly, there are two structures of talking about disabled people, using identity-first language, and using person-first language.

The social model of disability typically uses identity-first language, the “identity” (disability) comes first, so you would describe someone as a “disabled person”.

Alternatively, using person-first language, the “person” comes first and the “identity” second, so you would describe someone as a “person with a disability”.

Both government and many disability organisations in the UK use identity-first language. The disability charity Scope UK has published How we speak about disability, and the UK Government has published Inclusive language: words to use and avoid when writing about disability, with both recommending this identity-first approach.

In the US, the ADA National Network’s Guidelines for Writing About People With Disabilities promote the use of person-first language.

Wherever you are in the world, broad social norms of talking about disability may not align with how the disabled community talks about themselves and how they would like to be discussed or spoken about. Even within these communities, it is inevitable that people will also disagree. If in doubt, just ask.

It’s also really important to note that feeling awkward about talking about disability, means some people just don’t talk about it altogether.

Two thirds of Brits say they feel awkward around disabled people. Some people feel so awkward they avoid disabled people all together.

Source: End the awkward | Scope UK

Scope UK’s “End the awkward” campaign “[aims] to help people feel more comfortable about disability”.

Related Concepts

So to return to what accessibility is, it is “the suitability of a product regardless of the user’s physical, cognitive, or perceptual abilities” (Annie Jean Baptiste (2020). Building for Everyone, p.), or to quote Microsoft’s definition of accessibility “the qualities that make an experience open to all [and] a professional discipline aimed at achieving [this]” (Kat Holmes (2018). Mismatch, p.55).

So now we understand accessibility a little better, we can explore some related concepts to understand how it sits in the broader field of design.

Accessible solutions aren’t always designed to consider human diversity or emotional qualities like beauty or dignity. They simply need to provide access.

Source: Kat Holmes (2018). Mismatch, p.56.

Usability

how easy user interfaces are to use

Source: Usability 101: Introduction to Usability | NN Group

Universal Design

Often referred to as “one-size-fits-all”, universal design in “the design of an environment so that it might be accessed and used in the widest possible range of situations without the need for adaptation.” (Kat Holmes (2018). Mismatch, p.55).

In universal design, the intent is not to provide separate, or add-on, accommodations. It is to bake accessibility into the design of something from day one. Instead of a separate wheelchair lift beside of a set of stairs, the building may have a ramp instead.

Universal design pursues equality of use and access as much as possible, and answers the question: how can we accommodate everyones needs in one unified solution?

Inclusive Design

A methodology that enables and draws on the full range of human diversity. Most importantly, this means including and learning from people with a range of perspectives.

Source: Kat Holmes (2018). Mismatch, p.54.

While universal design is often used to describe a principle or value at the start of a design, or to describe the overall effect of a design, often inclusive design “focuses on how a designer arrived at that design” (Kat Holmes (2018). Mismatch, p.54.).

It involves consideration of the diverse range of human abilities, experiences, and backgrounds. It covers not only disability but race, sex, ethnicity, class, and culture. It encourages collaboration and inclusion of different people within the design process.

Equality and Equity

Equality is about treating people the same, it means “everyone has the same amount of something despite their existing needs or assets” (What the heck does equity mean? | Stanford Social Innovation Review). Equity is about treating people fairly, and means “each of us getting what we need… based on where we are and where we want to go” (What the heck does equity mean? | Stanford Social Innovation Review).

As humans, we often need different things, in different amounts, at different times. Equity is more aware and understanding of these differences, concerned itself with ensuring people have what they need, in the amount they need it, at the time they need it. It may often be the case that providing an equal experience is not possible, but we can often provide an equitable experience. Disabled people may receive accommodations in school or the workplace to ensure they have an equitable experience — such as being provided with assistive technology, interpreters, or other support, that they are provided with based on their individual needs.

Equity means promoting just and fair inclusion throughout society and creating the conditions in which everyone can participate, prosper, and reach his or her full potential

Source: Angela Glover Blackwell, The Curb-Cut Effect | Stanford Social Innovation Review

The Curb-Cut Effect

The curb-cut effect is “the phenomenon of disability-friendly features being used and appreciated by a larger group than the people they were designed for”. (Curb cut effect | Wikipedia).

The phrase “curb-cut effect” is based on the idea that actions taken to improve the lives of disabled people, often inadvertently benefit non-disabled people too. A curb-cut is a part of a pavement that slopes down to meet the road, making it possible for wheelchair users to move on and off the pavement easily. This didn’t just benefit wheelchair users though — it benefited people with a pram, suitcase, or bike too.

Often when we design for disabled people, we are forced to explore new ways of doing things — we have to innovate. Many times these innovations have resulted in the production of tools or technologies that have not only benefited disabled people, they’ve also benefited non-disabled people too.

Inventions such as automatic doors, electric toothbrushes, audiobooks, and voice recognition, originated as supportive tools for disabled people, but are now widespread improvements to how we move about in public spaces, interact with content, and clean our teeth.

In the 2000s, Wayne Westerman and John Elias, cofounders of FingerWorks created the Touchstream keyboard — this keyboard contained sensors that was able to track scrolling, swiping, and pinching gestures. It originated out of Westerman’s aim to replace a keyboard with a touchpad as a result of his experience with pain in his hands. While initially pitched as a product for people with hand disabilities, FingerWorks sold their invention to Apple, with the functionality integrated into the first touchscreen iPhone. (ref: 1 Aug, V&A exhibition).

Even features such as closed captions on videos, that make content accessible to deaf people, are also used by many hearing people. It means we can watch and understand videos while sat on a bus (not wanting to be that person), we can follow the action in a film when the volume on the TV is turned down low so as not to wake up the baby sleeping in the next room, and we can follow along with the dialogue in our favourite TV show when we’re munching on a packet of crisps.

Sometimes though, this doesn’t happen. Sometimes an accessibility improvement just benefits disabled people, or a subset of disabled people. This is no bad thing. This is not doing accessibility wrong. Accessibility can have some happy accidents, or positive side-effects, for other people, but oftentimes it can just improve the experience of people it was designed to help — this is exactly what accessibility is all about — ensuring disabled people have equitable access.

Improvements to some people’s experiences doesn’t diminish the experience of others who already had access. It brings people up to ensure we can all access and enjoy things together.

Summary, and the Curb-Cut Effect

Accessibility is about ensuring everyone can access (discover, purchase, interact with) something, whether it’s a tool, product, service, or piece of information. It is particularly focused on ensuring disabled people have equitable access to something, compared to the level of access non-disabled people have.

Along with ensuring something is accessible, we can explore universal design, inclusive design principles, and usability best practices, to ensure everyone has a fair opportunity and ability to engage with our services, products, tools and technologies, and participate equitably in public life.

Disabled people should be considered, and designed for, from day one, but where this hasn’t happened in the past, we need to fix or remediate the problem, and open up access to those who until now have been excluded and ignored. This can involve small quick fixes, cultural and structural changes, or new innovations.

Sometimes these fixes, changes, and innovations can directly benefit us all, and even if they don’t. We all benefit from a society where everyone is empowered and able to participate in, and contribute to, society wherever it congregates.