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Increase Your User Base

Millions of people have a disability or special need. These include visual and hearing impairments, physical disabilities, and cognitive and learning challenges. Access to computers is vitally important for this population, because computers can provide a level of independence that is difficult to attain any other way.

As populations around the world age, an increasing number of people will experience age-related disabilities, such as vision or hearing loss. Unlike earlier generations, members of the currently aging population are more accustomed to using computers in their daily lives. They are more likely to store a large portion of their meaningful data in digital form and to embrace digital communication. Current and future generations of the elderly will expect to be able to continue using their computers and accessing their data, regardless of the state of their vision and hearing. Applications that support customizable text displays, access by a screen reader, or the replacement of visual cues by audible ones can serve this population well.

Even people who don’t necessarily identify themselves as disabled can benefit from alternate ways of interacting with applications. Think of a person suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome (a painful condition caused by the compression of a nerve in the wrist) who prefers an application that provides keyboard alternatives to its mouse-driven user interface. By providing alternate ways of using your application, you allow users to choose their own ways to work and express themselves, which ultimately broadens your user base.

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