Legal and Ethical Considerations in Accessible Design
By Maya Sellon
When you turn on captions to watch your favorite program on Netflix, you’re benefiting from the results of accessibility laws in action. These legal protections don’t just ensure compliance; they drive the creation of more inclusive experiences for everyone. But accessibility isn’t just about compliance – it’s also about ethics. A product that merely meets the legal minimum might still be unusable for many, whereas an ethically driven approach ensures an experience that feels as seamless as magic. Inclusive design should be baked into the process, not sprinkled on top.
Certain regulatory frameworks, such as the US Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), have established legal requirements for accessibility and set the foundation for ensuring digital spaces are inclusive. Yet, laws alone are only...
