lesson 2.8 - the importance of equal access
A synoptic lesson on the legal and ethical importance of providing equal access to digital services and information.
Imagine you built a shop, but you put a giant wall in front of the door so half the town couldn't get in. That would be a terrible business idea, right? Well, building a website that ignores accessibility is exactly the same thing. Today, we are putting down the design tools for a moment to put on our "Business Manager" and "Lawyer" hats. We are going to explore the laws that say the internet must be open to everyone, and discover why making your app accessible isn't just nice - it's the law, and it makes money!
Learning Outcomes
The Building Blocks (Factual Knowledge)
The Connections and Theories (Conceptual Knowledge)
The Skills and Methods (Procedural Knowledge)
State that the Equality Act 2010 is the UK legislation that requires organisations to make 'reasonable adjustments' for accessibility.
Identify professional guidelines (such as WCAG) as the accepted standard for web accessibility.
List three benefits to an organisation of providing equal access (e.g., increased market reach, positive reputation, legal compliance).
The Connections and Theories (Conceptual Knowledge)
Explain the concept of the digital divide and how unequal access contributes to social exclusion.
Discuss the commercial impact of the 'Purple Pound' (the spending power of disabled households) on a digital business.
Analyse the reputational and financial risks faced by a company that fails to provide equal access.
The Skills and Methods (Procedural Knowledge)
Apply knowledge of legal and ethical requirements to audit a business scenario for compliance.
Evaluate a non-compliant digital service and propose specific 'reasonable adjustments' to meet legal standards.
Digital Skill Focus: Critically evaluating the credibility and compliance of a digital product against established legal frameworks.
Why Accessibility Matters
We often think of accessibility as a technical task (adding code), but for a business, it is a strategic necessity. It stands on three pillars: Legal, Ethical, and Commercial.
1
The Legal Framework
In the UK, the Equality Act 2010I have no idea what this means is the law that protects people from discrimination. It identifies nine protected characteristicsI have no idea what this means, including disability. For digital creators, this means we have a legal duty to anticipate the needs of disabled users and make reasonable adjustmentsI have no idea what this means to our services. A reasonable adjustment might be adding subtitles to a video or ensuring a website works with a screen reader. If a business fails to do this, they can face lawsuits and heavy fines.
2
The Ethical Imperative
Technology is now essential for modern life (banking, shopping, health). When we design inaccessible products, we contribute to the digital divideI have no idea what this means - the gap between those who can use technology and those who cannot. This leads to social exclusionI have no idea what this means, where people are shut out of participating fully in society. As creators, we have an ethical responsibility to build an inclusive digital world.
3
The Commercial Case
Accessibility is also about money. The Purple PoundI have no idea what this means refers to the collective spending power of disabled households in the UK (estimated at over £270 billion per year!). If a website is inaccessible, these customers will simply click away to a competitor (the "Click-Away Pound"). Furthermore, ignoring accessibility can cause severe reputational damageI have no idea what this means if users complain on social media, while being inclusive boosts your brand image. To ensure we get this right, professionals follow the WCAGWeb Content Accessibility Guidelines (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards.
Task The Billion Pound Blunder
You are the Chief Digital Officer for "StreamLine", a new video streaming startup. You have just received this worrying memo from the Finance Director:
URGENT: To save costs on the launch, I am cancelling the accessibility budget. We don't need subtitles or screen-reader testing right now. It's too expensive and only affects a few people. - Dave, Finance.
Dave is wrong. Dangerousy wrong. You need to write a Business Case to stop him.
1
The Legal Risk
Open a new word processed document. Title it "Project StreamLine: Accessibility Business Case".
Write a paragraph explaining why Dave's plan might be illegal.
Which Act is he ignoring?
What are Protected Characteristics?
What are Reasonable Adjustments?
2
The Financial Risk (The Math)
Dave thinks it "only affects a few people". Prove him wrong.
Fact: Approximately 20% of the UK population has a disability.
Fact: StreamLine predicts £5,000,000 total revenue in Year 1.
Calculation: Calculate the value of the Purple Pound share of that revenue. Show your working. This is the money Dave is throwing away!
3
The Reputational Risk
Write a final paragraph explaining what happens to the brand if you launch an inaccessible product. Use the terms Social Exclusion and Reputational Damage.
4
The Recommendation
Finish with a single clear sentence: "My professional recommendation is..."
Outcome: A persuasive business document justifying the importance of equal access using legal, financial, and ethical arguments.
Application to the Component Sample PSA
Component 1: The Majestic Cinema
The project brief explicitly states the audience includes "customers with accessibility needs". This lesson provides the legal justification for your design choices in Task 2 and Task 3. When writing your Task 4 Review, you can now argue that your inclusion of features like alt-textA brief, descriptive phrase added to images and other visual elements online to explain their content and context for users who can't see them. and high-contrastI have no idea what this means colours is not just for usability, but to comply with the Equality Act 2010 and protect the cinema from legal action.
Component 2: Pedal Power Cycles
In Task 2c (Dashboard Creation) and Task 3 (Review), you must present data clearly. If you use a colour scheme that is illegible to a colour-blind user (e.g., red/green indicators without text), you are failing to provide equal access to the information. This lesson helps you critique the provided dashboard in Task 3 by identifying where poor design choices might exclude users with visual impairments, leading to misinterpretationI have no idea what this means of the data.
Out of Lesson Learning
⭐ The "Click-Away" Detective
Visit the website of a major UK supermarket or high-street retailer. Find their "Accessibility" link (usually in the footer). List three specific "reasonable adjustments" they claim to make for their customers online (e.g., "Screen reader compatible", "Zoom functionality").
Visit the website of a major UK supermarket or high-street retailer. Find their "Accessibility" link (usually in the footer). List three specific "reasonable adjustments" they claim to make for their customers online (e.g., "Screen reader compatible", "Zoom functionality").
⭐⭐ The Compliance Officer
Imagine the Majestic Cinema has released an app that only uses voice commands for navigation. Write a short email to the manager explaining why this discriminates against a specific group of users (identify the Protected Characteristic) and creates a "Digital Divide". Suggest one fix.
Imagine the Majestic Cinema has released an app that only uses voice commands for navigation. Write a short email to the manager explaining why this discriminates against a specific group of users (identify the Protected Characteristic) and creates a "Digital Divide". Suggest one fix.
⭐⭐⭐ The Legal Defence
"Pedal Power Cycles" has been accused of discrimination because their job application form is a PDF image that cannot be read by screen readers. Write a 150-word statement defending the rights of a blind applicant. You must cite the Equality Act 2010, the concept of Protected Characteristics, and the failure to make Reasonable Adjustments.
"Pedal Power Cycles" has been accused of discrimination because their job application form is a PDF image that cannot be read by screen readers. Write a 150-word statement defending the rights of a blind applicant. You must cite the Equality Act 2010, the concept of Protected Characteristics, and the failure to make Reasonable Adjustments.
Last modified: December 12th, 2025
