ACM US Public Policy Council Releases Statement on Accessibility, Usability, and Digital Inclusiveness
New York, NY, September 26, 2017—The Association for Computing Machinery’s US Public Policy Council (USACM) today reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to accessibility by releasing a statement and set of principles on accessibility, usability, and digital inclusiveness. Promoting digital inclusiveness for people with disabilities, as well as policies, regulations, and guidelines that ensure fair access to the opportunities that arise from digital innovations, has been an ongoing priority for USACM.
This set of principles builds upon earlier USACM policy statements by broadening the scope of issues that are addressed to include information and communication technologies (ICT). These principles can be used as a tool that web designers, software developers, and policymakers can use to assure that the promise of computing can be enjoyed to the maximum extent possible by all members of society.
Harry Hochheiser, Chair of USACM’s Accessibility Committee, said that “it is crucial to consider and build accessibility in from the beginning. These devices should be accessible and usable from conception. Designers and developers can avoid costly and difficult retrofitting by ensuring accessibility and usability before deployment.”
“The Council and its Accessibility Committee strive to advance public policies, practices, and research in usability, accessibility, and accessible technologies. ACM’s Special Interest Groups on Computer-Human Interaction (SIGCHI), Accessible Computing (SIGACCESS), and Hypertext, Hypermedia and the Web (SIGWEB) also work to promote accessibility and usability in the computing field,” said Stuart Shapiro, Chair of USACM.
The Statement on Accessibility, Usability and Digital Inclusiveness was designed to be consistent with ACM’s Code of Ethics.
About the ACM US Public Policy Council
The ACM US Public Policy Council (USACM) serves as the focal point for ACM's interactions with the US government in matters of US public policy related to information technology. ACM US Public Policy Council statements represent the views of the Council and do not necessarily represent the views of the Association.
About ACM
ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.
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