Ensuring Digital Inclusion: The Importance of Online Accessibility
The above picture is of a woman who is sitting in a chair working on her laptop.
Ensuring Digital Inclusion: The Importance of Online Accessibility
How can our business be more inclusive? It’s a question that many employers often pose, whether to themselves or senior leadership teams. In fact, it’s such an important facet of the corporate world that some companies have created entirely new roles solely focused on ensuring the highest levels of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
We can all agree that any measure that promotes inclusion in the workplace is a force for good. Whether it’s revamping HR policies to include everyone in the holiday season or investing in renovations to improve disabled access, the corporate world as a whole seems keen to make positive changes wherever possible.
However, with many employees still working from home, and people spending more time online than ever before, the significance of digital inclusion has never been more apparent. Below, we’ll break down what digital inclusion is, why it’s important, and the steps your business can take to ensure online accessibility.
What is digital inclusion?
Before we begin, let’s go over what we mean by digital inclusion. Digital inclusion refers to the equitable distribution of and access to digital technologies. As a wider whole, digital inclusion covers:
Skills — many of us (especially those born in the 80s and later) may take our digital skills for granted. Being able to use digital devices (such as smartphones, laptops, or the internet) is an important but often overlooked factor.
Connectivity — is the infrastructure in place and fit for purpose? Does the user have access to the internet via WiFi, broadband, and mobile? Connectivity varies massively across the US, for example — New Jersey boasts an average web speed of 52 Mbps, while Montana averages a sluggish 20 Mbps.
Accessibility — digital services must be created with the needs of all users in mind, including those who require assistive technology (more on this later).
Digital inclusion is built on the idea that everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status, physical ability, age, race, or geographic location, should have the opportunity to participate in the digital world — from having access to the necessary hardware, software, and internet connectivity, to possessing the skills and knowledge needed to effectively use these technologies.
Digital inclusion also focuses on addressing the digital divide, which is the unequal distribution of digital resources and opportunities between different communities. By promoting digital inclusion, the goal is to enhance social and economic opportunities for all individuals, as well as to improve their quality of life. It’s all about bridging the digital divide.
What are the barriers to digital inclusion?
There are a variety of obstacles that may affect a person’s ability to access the digital world. These include:
Skills, knowledge, and confidence — not everyone has the know-how needed to connect to the web, participate in video calls, or send an instant message. Some may fear online crime or avoid accessing the internet altogether to protect their device from malware and viruses.
Motivation — a lot of people feel they've missed out on learning about certain technologies, such as the internet or smartphones. Some may even fail to see the relevance of modern tech, as they’ve managed without it for so long.
Awareness — not everyone is aware of the digital services and products available to them, possibly due to a lack of interest or education.
Design — digital products and services can often present a steep learning curve or may work on the assumption that users already have a certain level of knowledge. Some users may not recognize the hamburger icon, for example.
When thinking about digital inclusion, it’s often tempting to focus on the experiences of the elderly and disabled. While it’s fair to say that these demographics are more likely to be digitally excluded, it’s crucial to recognize all of the factors that can affect a person’s experience of the digital world. These include:
Income status
Employment status
Housing status
Housing location
Level of education
Language ability
The digital divide is often used as a way of describing the gap between those who have access to (and know how to use) technology, and those who do not. This divide affects an extremely wide range of people. Let’s take a look at some of the most prominent groups affected.
Workforce and employers — the use of technology within the corporate sector is increasing at a rapid pace, especially since the pandemic.
Children in education — the ‘homework gap’ occurs when children are assigned homework requiring internet access but aren’t able to access the web from their homes.
Patients — with telehealth services like PlushCare becoming ever more popular, people lacking internet access are excluded from using these tools.
The elderly and disabled — a lack of digital inclusion may lead to social isolation, and create barriers to education and employment opportunities.
How to plan for digital inclusion in the workplace
So how do you, as a business leader, ensure digital inclusion in your organization? We’ve boiled it down to 3 key considerations.
Consult your team
Where does your organization aspire to be concerning digital inclusion and accessibility? Develop a shared concept of the desired outcome by consulting your employees. Are there any elderly or disabled staff members who could help you to develop a more inclusive vision for the future?
Map it out
Create a detailed blueprint of your digital inclusion and accessibility vision. Think about how you’re going to bring it to life — what will it look like in reality? This could involve:
Budgeting for investments in training, specialized hardware, or software
Creating a mission statement for your organization confirming your dedication to digital inclusion
Making a company announcement and inviting company-wide feedback
Consulting other businesses to gain insight into how they approach digital inclusion
Use third-party expertise
Struggling to hash out a concrete plan? Consider using a digital inclusion and accessibility consultancy. They’ll be able to offer a helping hand and provide personalized recommendations for your company.
How technology can help
How can technology be used to promote digital inclusion? We’ve outlined three key areas below.
Assistive technology
Assistive technology refers to devices, software, and other tools that help people with disabilities overcome barriers and participate in various activities, including accessing and using digital technology. Some examples of assistive technology include:
Screen readers — by reading text aloud and announcing on-screen elements, screen readers help the visually impaired to browse the web, use applications and communicate online. Some screen readers may also be able to provide information through a refreshable Braille display unit.
Alternative input devices — eye-tracking, head-mounted mice, and ergonomic keyboards can all help individuals with disabilities to access and use digital technology more easily. These devices provide alternative means of inputting commands and navigating software, allowing individuals with disabilities to overcome barriers posed by standard computer keyboards and mice.
Closed captioning and audio description tools — these tools help those with hearing and visual impairments to better understand audio and visual content by providing written captions and verbal descriptions.
Cloud technology
While the technology does rely on internet access, the cloud can still play a significant role in promoting digital inclusion in several ways.
Accessibility — Google Docs, Airtable, Canva: these types of apps are hosted in the cloud (typically via a SaaS hosting provider) and so provided that the user is connected to the internet, they can be accessed from anywhere on the planet.
Affordability — cloud computing can reduce the cost of technology and infrastructure, making digital services more affordable for individuals and organizations with limited budgets.
Scalability — cloud computing can provide on-demand access to scalable computing resources, enabling small businesses and individuals to access the same level of technology and services as large corporations.
Skill development — cloud-based services can provide access to educational resources, such as online training programs, that can help individuals develop the skills they need to effectively use digital technologies.
Collaboration — the cloud can support collaboration and information-sharing among individuals and organizations, regardless of their physical location, helping to break down barriers to digital participation.
E-learning platforms
E-learning platforms make it possible for anyone to access education and training materials and are an effective solution for closing the skills gap when it comes to digital technology. These platforms are:
Flexible and accessible — e-learning platforms can be accessed from anywhere and at any time, making it easier for individuals with disabilities or mobility challenges to participate in learning and training activities.
Suitable for a wide range of learning styles — e-learning platforms often provide a variety of multimedia resources and interactive features that cater to different learning styles, helping to ensure that all individuals, including those with disabilities, can learn and engage effectively.
Designed for a global user base — e-learning platforms can be designed to support multiple languages, making it possible for individuals who are non-native speakers or who have difficulty with reading or writing to participate in learning and training activities.
Cost-effective and efficient — e-learning platforms can save organizations money on training costs and can prove to be more efficient than traditional in-person training methods, helping to ensure that all employees, regardless of their abilities, have access to the education and training opportunities they need to succeed.
As the world becomes increasingly digitized, focusing on digital inclusion becomes more important than ever, enabling everyone to access and benefit from online technologies regardless of their physical ability, economic status, level of education, geographic location, age, or race. It’s important to understand the need to bridge the digital divide and provide accessible digital solutions for all users.