Dr Kelly Fleming

My fight for accessibility actually began with my parents who fought for the right for me to go to a local school when no other Deaf kid had ever been in our school board system. Then after my accident at the age of 9, they fought for the right for me to stay in the same school system. They fought for access and the school board and most of the teachers fought against them. They did not want to change their system and make accommodations for a Disabled kid.

As an adult, my fight for accessibility continued. This included accessibility to buildings, accessibility for my service dogs and educating people about the importance of service dogs. I didn’t simply want to bring my pet into their establishments, I was bringing my right hand man who helped me do so many things.

One of the most frustrating things I encountered was the law that said an establishment must have ONE accessible door. On the surface that sounds reasonable, but what about stores or offices that have double doors?

The first door was accessible, then you are stranded between the two doors and no way to actually enter the building. Where did common sense go when they put into effect the ONE door accessibility law?

I will never stop fighting for accessibility. Physical access to buildings and activities. Sign Language interpreters (that a doctor or director of a program should pay for, not me!). Accessibility for people with low vision. Ok, yes I can “see” with my glasses but not clearly. I can’t shop on my own because I can’t see different colours, I can’t feel textures because if my spinal cord injury, I get lost in stores when they move things, I can’t see details of food packages.

Shopping alone can be so frustrating in so many ways. Access to things when I’m using a wheelchair and my physical movement is limited. Not being able to see like the average person. Being Deaf and needing to communicate using an app on my phone.

Yes, accessibility has improved but not enough. People who work in stores have a tendency of not wanting to help. So many places are touch screen check out now. How does that help a Disabled person who has limited use of their hands or is both Deaf and legally blind. The screen may talk to you but if you’re Dead, that doesn’t help!

My friend pointed out that there is sometimes a wheelchair sign on the screen to lower the touch screen. That’s awesome but how do I reach it in the first place? The obvious answer is ask the person who is monitoring the touch screen checkouts, but if you can’t see very well, you’re never going to find that person!

Accessibility comes in every shape and form and sadly, it’s not part of general training of staff in restaurants, stores, doctor offices or even in hospitals.

Every voice counts to fight for accessibility to everything. We may be disabled, but we are not discards. We have a right to access everything that others access.

When finances are brought up (which happens a lot) as excuses for not being able to provide accessibility, I counter them when there’s renovations. If they can afford to put in new technology or expand a section of their office or store, then first take some money and put it into accessibility. They will benefit more in the long run since more and more people are using scooters, walkers, wheelchairs, etc. More adults are facing vision loss due to age. More adults are facing hearing loss since ear protection wasn’t mandatory in factories and construction sites back in the ’70s, ’80s and early’ 90s. Now these people are 40 years and over and facing disabilities that require accessibility.

Accessibility should no longer be on the back shelf or on the bottom of the “to do” list. It needs to be a priority.

Not just physical accessibility but attitudinal changes, educating employees right up to CEOs about appropriate language, dignity and empowering disabled people.

To everyone or there, disabled or not, voice your concerns relating to accessibility. If you aren’t disabled, try to place yourself in the position of a Disabled person and ask yourself “could I do this alone of I couldn’t hear or couldn’t walk or used some assistive device?” This is the question everyone needs to ask themselves.

You may become disabled, you may have a child or grandchild at some point who will be disabled.

Accessibility must become a priority in every community.