The Importance of May for Your Business – unlocking digital opportunities by investing in accessibility

The Importance of May for Your Business – unlocking digital opportunities by investing in accessibility

May is a busy month for awareness, with several important initiatives raising awareness about issues affecting different groups. This year, May is designated as Better Speech and Hearing Month, Mobility Awareness Month, Older Americans Month, and Global Accessibility Awareness Day. Although these initiatives might seem unrelated, they all share a common theme of inclusivity and accessibility. In this article, we’ll explore how these events are connected and related to each other and why enterprises should invest in making their digital assets accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities and the elderly.

Better Speech and Hearing Month is a campaign that aims to raise awareness about communication disorders and promote access to speech and hearing services. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing. This statistic highlights the importance of making media accessible by adding captions and transcriptions so that people with hearing difficulties can understand the content.

Mobility Awareness Month, on the other hand, is a campaign that aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by people with mobility impairments, such as those who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 61 million adults in the United States (25%) live with a disability, with mobility impairments being the most common type of disability. Making digital assets accessible to people with mobility impairments means they can access information and services, such as online shopping or e-learning, without physical barriers.

Older Americans Month is an initiative that celebrates the contributions of older Americans and raises awareness about their needs and challenges. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans aged 65 and over is projected to nearly double from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2060. This demographic group often experiences age-related hearing and vision loss, making it essential to make media accessible with captions and transcriptions, but not only is also important to invest to provide equal access to all kinds of digital forms, so these people can keep being independent regardless of their limitations.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day – #GAAD also takes place in the month of May. GAAD is an annual event that aims to raise awareness about digital accessibility and inclusion. The event is an opportunity to promote accessible design, development, and content creation, focusing on ensuring that people with disabilities can access and use digital content and services.

All these events share a common goal of promoting inclusivity and accessibility, especiA11y for people with disabilities but also for the elderly. Making digital assets accessible to everyone is a moral imperative and makes good business sense. According to a report by the Return on Disability Group, the global market for people with disabilities, their families, and caregivers is estimated to be worth $8 trillion.

Enterprises that invest in making their digital assets accessible to people with disabilities can tap into this vast market and gain a competitive advantage. Making digital assets accessible also promotes customer loyalty and employee satisfaction, as people with disabilities and their families feel valued and included.

Allyable™ can help enterprises achieve digital accessibility. Allyable™ provides a suite of tools to make digital assets accessible, including the A11yCaption™ component in the A11y360™ digital accessibility hub. The A11yCaption™ component uses AI and machine learning to automate the captioning process, making it faster and more accurate than traditional manual captioning services for post-production and live broadcast.

Using A11y360™ to achieve digital accessibility means that enterprises can manage all their accessibility projects in one place and achieve consistent and high-quality results. Enterprises that use A11y360™ can also benefit from a more efficient and cost-effective approach to digital accessibility and gain a competitive advantage.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the pace of digital transformation, with many businesses shifting to online operations. This shift has highlighted the importance of digital accessibility, as many people with disabilities rely on online services for daily tasks. In fact, according to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO), people with disabilities are more likely to report using the Internet for health-related information and communication.

In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses to make their websites and other digital assets, such as applications, documents, and media, accessible to people with disabilities and the elderly. Failure to comply with ADA regulations can result in lawsuits, fines, and damage to the business’s reputation. By investing in digital accessibility, businesses can comply with ADA regulations and gain a competitive advantage by attracting and retaining customers with disabilities.

Allyable also provides other tools to make digital assets accessible, such as a screen reader simulator, a color contrast checker, and an accessibility checklist. These tools enable businesses to identify and fix accessibility issues quickly and efficiently, reducing the risk of legal liabilities and improving the user experience for people with disabilities.

In conclusion, May is important for raising awareness about inclusivity and accessibility. Better Speech and Hearing Month, Mobility Awareness Month, Older Americans Month, and Global Accessibility Awareness Day all promote the importance of making digital assets accessible to everyone, especiA11y people with disabilities. By investing in digital accessibility, businesses can tap into a vast market, comply with ADA regulations, and improve the user experience for people with disabilities. Allyable provides a comprehensive suite of tools to achieve digital accessibility, making it an excellent solution for businesses looking to improve accessibility and inclusivity.