UC Irvine

For people with disabilities, substantial barriers exist to accessing technologies ranging from mainstream web browsers and public websites to individual pieces of media content. Despite decades of research investigating the magnitude and causes of this problem, software often fails to meet basic accessibility benchmarks and requires expensive retrofitting. Prior research has largely fallen into three categories: (1) evaluating the quality of current accessibility guidelines, (2) assessing the compliance of technology products with accessibility guidelines and standards, and (3) surveying the individual perspectives of technology development professionals. Yet, few if any studies have sought to understand more systemic causes of inaccessible technology development in industry. This thesis presents a qualitative interview study of the organizational aspects of (in)accessible technology development from the perspective of 10 technology professionals situated in different roles at a mid-sized technology company. Through our discussions of workplace policies, individuals’ familiarity with accessibility, implementation of accessibility before and after design, and challenges with this implementation, I identified organizational factors that would undermine even the best guidelines or efforts of accessibility-minded individuals. Specifically, I found a lack of formalized accessibility roles, lack of software accessibility accountability, as well as a lack of infrastructure for integrating disabled users into the design process. My work suggests that, until we approach accessibility at an organizational level, we may continue to see retrofit accessibility solutions that leave people with disabilities behind.