Although accessibility is currently a pressing issue as the broadband Internet world is becoming more and more essential to our daily lives, the importance of keeping the Internet accessible is only going to grow.  As one attendee pointed out, as the baby boomer generation ages, this highly independent population will definitely drive consumer demand for assistive technologies and an accessible web.

So in preparing for the accessible Internet of today and tomorrow, here are some of my key takeaways:

• An accessible Internet benefits everyone, not just the disabled community.  People often end up embracing the assistive technology for other uses (think about how people now use wheelchair access on sidewalks for strollers, bikes, etc.).
• People can rate and review the accessibility of apps at http://Applevis.com
• Designing websites for mobile browsing can help design for assistive technologies and will scale appropriately.
• Some issues can be usability, not accessibility.

So why are “apps” so important to the disability community?  Paul Schroeder of the American Foundation for the Blind explained that the entire world is talking about apps and people with disabilities also want to participate in this revolution.  Furthermore, these apps are often incredibly useful.  Panelists from organizations like American Association of People with Disabilities, Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and Alzheimer’s Association, added that apps are being used for things like speech to text, calendar reminders, visual communication, and so much more.  These apps benefit not only the consumers themselves, but also families, businesses, and others, seeking to improve interaction and communication with the disability community.

NextGenWeb will be posting footage of the panel in its entirety, but in the meanwhile, check out these interviews with leaders in the world of accessibility innovation, including a demo of the latest in Braille technology.

Karen Peltz Strauss – Deputy Chief of the Consumer Information Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Anita Aaron of the World Institute on Disability (WID) and Susan Mazrui of AT&T

Demo of the Alva Braille Controller from President and Founder of Flying Blind, LLC, Larry Lewis Jr.

Brian Fontes, PhD, the Chief Executive Officer for the National Emergency Number Association