” The power of the Web is in its universality ” – Tim Berner’s Lee
As the inventor of World Wide Web has quoted that the power of the Web is in its universality and access by everyone regardless of various abilities is an essential aspect. So the Web is fundamentally designed to work for all people irrespective of their ability, language, hardware and software. When the digital product is created with accessibility in mind, then it is accessible to people with diverse range of abilities.
In Norway, the government has been promoting a society where everyone can participate. Hence, under the § 18 in the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act, regulation of universal design of information and communication technology (ICT) has been legislated in Norway. Thus making digital services accessible to all is a legal requirement for both public and private sector.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), over 1 billion (15 %) of total population in the world live in some form of disability and this trend is increasing yearly due to demographic trends and increase in chronic health conditions, among other causes. According to Bufdir, approximately 15-20% of Norwegians live with disability. Almost everyone is likely to experience some form of disability, temporary or permanent at some point in life. So the solutions created keeping accessibility in mind benefits not only a specific user group but everyone who experience the solutions.
Bikram Awale 