Creating a new digital accessibility app has been an interesting journey for two Rotorua lawyers whose iaccess app is designed to provide greater accessibility choices for website users who are impaired in some way.
Lawyers Danielle Caudwell and Ros Morshead set up the app when they were seeking some challenges beyond their legal work.
The iaccess solution confronts a major issue as the world goes increasingly online and the app built by the lawyers addresses a “void” they found within the New Zealand web universe.
Speaking to the Law Society’s News, they said New Zealand had lagged well behind other countries to the point where disability access for the disabled and impaired web users was largely non-existent.
Web accessability for those with disabilities has become an increasingly important focus for many countries. The US has implemented the Online Accessability Act (OAA), which the drafters recognize that, like physical premises, websites should be accessible to the disabled and their owners should have effective defenses to predatory litigation available to them just like any other web user.
New Zealand, however, has lagged well behind in the digital accessibility area.
“In fact, most New Zealand businesses and organisations don’t address digital accessibility at any level and have a long way to go when it comes to addressing the human right to equal access to online content and information for everyone,” says Danielle Caudwell.
“Covid-19 has forced a fundamental shift from human-first interaction to a digital-first society that drives home existing accessibility disadvantages. Yet even before the arrival of Covid. digital accessibility is a wider-society conversation New Zealand just doesn’t seem to have had.”
Using an Irish developer for the software development, the software is artificially intelligent and permits website owners to integrate web accessibility via an interface without altering the underlying site and with no downloads required.
Digital accessibility has at least now taken a step forward in New Zealand for website owners, thanks to two innovative lawyers who stepped into the digital legal space with a smart idea and a smart app.
- Jude’s Jobs: Unreal Weather and Unreal Law JobsIt’s been soo hot and I’m just soo excited to be diving into my new job in Wellington.Even the capital, so often the butt (excuse me) of bad jokes about… Read more: Jude’s Jobs: Unreal Weather and Unreal Law Jobs
- Breaking the Mold: ‘One Dollar Lawyer’ Redefines Legal Drama with Wit and HeartOne Dollar Lawyer is a compelling and entertaining Korean tv series of interest to lawyers and others seeking quality entertainment with modern themes
- Natalie Coates: The Tikanga, Treaty and Te Reo Debate 2023 Lawyer of the Year Natalie Coates discussed with LawFuel publisher John Bowie some of the key issues around recent political and legal challenges to issues involving Māori language and… Read more: Natalie Coates: The Tikanga, Treaty and Te Reo Debate
- 2023 LawFuel Power List Index: 11 – 202023 LawFuel Power List
- 2023 Power List – 11 – 20The 2023 Law Power List: Numbers 11 – 20 11 Adrienne Meikle New Entry Adrienne Meikle has built a solid career as a go-to operator with Government ranging across some… Read more: 2023 Power List – 11 – 20
- How are Leading New Zealand Law firms performing online?New Zealand law firm digital marketing report showing digital footprint for New Zealand law firms
- LawFuel Power List Index: 21 – 30index of the power lawyers on the LawFuel Power List 2023 from 21 to 30