As an enthusiast for open source software who is also disabled, I get frustrated at how inaccessible a lot of open source software is. When there are accessibility options, they're usually bolted-on additions that don't work very well. Disabled users are forced into ad-hoc compromises that are laborious to install and labyrinthine to operate. The frustration often drives us back to corporate software. OSS is high friction and low benefit for many disabled users.

Open source developers would gain a lot from integrating accessible design into their products from the ground up (like TTS! My kingdom for fully integrated neural TTS on my browser and operating system). Accessibility features don't just help disabled people. More than half of all people using a phone use accessibility features. Do you really want to exclude half your users?

Accessibility also requires you to think about things like simplicity of design and ease of access for all your users. It can provide redundancy for errors (for example: alt text can be helpful when an image doesn't load, captions can provide a backup if their audio drops out, alternate input methods can allow people to continue using an app if they have keyboard or mouse issues). It can improve design (example: clearer instructions, easier to read text, simple consistent navigation). In short: it makes your software better.

Making the world more accessible for one group improves access for all: this is a basic principle of universal design. Stop excluding us and start making us the core of what you do — you will be a better developer for it.

#opensource #disability #universaldesign #softwaredevelopment