Setting the Stage
Pearson developed a passion for accessibility practices while working at a nonprofit theater company in downtown Chicago. A trip to the theater, she found, presents a host of potential roadblocks for people. Website access. ASL interpretation for the hearing-impaired. Audio descriptions for those who are blind or low vision. Straightforward ways for people to communicate their access concerns.
“It’s thinking about being able to offer a slate of options,” she said. “Because you don’t know what the experiences are of people coming through the doors—what they navigated through and what barriers they encountered.”
In her first six months at ALA, much of her work has involved listening to the association’s different departments and their work processes. Regardless of the department, she prompts them with the same question.
“In every organization, you want to ask: How does accessibility play a role in my job?” she said. “If it’s content, it’s making sure that content is accessible, whether that’s in print, or email, or for folks who are using screen readers.”
Because the impact of accessibility is so wide-ranging, Pearson dedicates much of her attention to staff training and onboarding, so employees are educated on relevant trends and concerns.
“You want to look at what everybody’s onboarding experience is,” she said. “What are the required trainings that introduce your culture to new staff members? Does it include disability etiquette and an introduction to disability culture? One in four people in the United States have a disability. Look around your space: Whether your team is virtual and you’re looking at Zoom squares or you’re looking at cubicles, it’s one in four. So, creating a foundation of disability training is really important.”
First Steps
Pearson recommends that any association looking to address accessibility first get past any feelings of intimidation. “I think a lot of times, fear is still a huge barrier—not knowing where to start or thinking that if you don’t get it 100 percent right the first time, it’s a failure,” she said. “You’re making incremental change. What can you do now? What can you do in five years?”
To help with that, associations can partner with groups that are focused on particular disabilities. Don’t guess about what people need, she cautions—reach out to them to learn what barriers they may face in your workplace. ALA, for instance, invites a Chicago disability advocacy group to deliver trainings.
Beyond that, she says, be ambitious and as open as possible. “Accessibility is about going past compliance and thinking about services beyond just what has been baked into civil rights laws and standards,” she said. “Look at where the opportunities are to build beyond and above compliance. The ADA is the floor, not the ceiling.”
