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When we think accessibility, we usually think about doors that open automatically, or ramps that lead up to buildings.

But what about accessibility online?

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Ottawa tech leaders say web development needs to catch up and improve online accessibility for people with disabilities.

“I think we have a long way to go,” says Mike Gifford, president of the web accessibility consultant company OpenConcept Consulting Inc. Gifford helped organize a11yYOW’s third annual Accessibility Camp Ottawa for techies to discuss online accessibility on Thursday.

“I think there are ways to accommodate all kinds of people (online),” he says. “The Internet should be accessible for everyone.”

With an increasing amount of our lives happening online, inaccessible websites prevent people with disabilities from fully engaging in society.

Malia Bender, 56, has been blind since she was 16. She uses a screen reader, which reads out on-screen text, to navigate the web. She often has difficulty when trying to change her address on government forms, or renewing a passport.