Usability Versus Accessibility is a False Dichotomy
This is a false dichotomy that has been bothering me for a while. Obviously it has been bothering Matthew Oliphant as well.
In my opinion, this can be answered pretty easily: Accessibility is usability for persons with disabilities.
When accessiblity is improved for one user group, usability is simultaneously improved for that group. In turn, usability is improved most others users as well. When the ocean of usability improvements rises, all boats are lifted.
Why sayeth WebWord readers?
September 1st, 2006 at 1:42 am
I’m just speculating but if some usability features are not available to users with disabilities, then do they gain from the usability improvement?
Also, I’ve rarely paid attention to accessibility features because I’ve not needed to. However, recently, I’d upgraded my OS and found that when I used KDE with that version of the OS, I could not use a left-handed mouse.
I’m using GNOME now and I’m able to use a left-handed mouse. It’s not like I’m unable to use the mouse with my right hand, I prefer not to because of problems I’ve had with my hand in the past. Left-handers are still a minority correct? Also, right-handed people wouldn’t care if there was an option to use the mouse as a left-handed one.
Now, in this situation, would you call making the “feature” available on KDE a general usability problem or an accessibilty problem?