While many large corporations contribute millions of dollars to charities and take their social responsibilities very seriously, there are other ways they can make contributions to the good of society that will make them quite a nice profit in return. This win-win proposition has to do with a huge, yet untapped market in technology.
There are over 54 million American citizens affected with some form of disability. This number, which includes people with cerebral palsy, is expected to double in size over the course of the next decade and a half. This represents an enormous opportunity for tech companies to capitalize on the needs of these individuals. On a global scale the opportunities to provide disabled students, workers and other professionals with direct access to technology is even greater in number. With millions of disabled people in need of accessible tech products, the opportunity to increase profits for tech companies is huge.
This subject was recently explored by Anthony Tusler in his book, How to Create Disability Access to Technology: Best Practices in Electronic and Information Technology Companies, published by the World Institute on Disability. Tulser’s book is a guide for tech companies on how to take advantage of this increasing demand, and to profit from it while serving an often overlooked market segment. The book features the advice of tech experts who share their experiences in the creation of accessible products, from phones to computers. It is also cautions corporations of the downside of not providing accessibility and violating the Americans with Disabilities Act which prohibits discrimination based on disability. Corporations who can serve this growing market, will certainly see their bottom line grow as well.
