About
Who are you?
Hi, I'm ela! I'm a disabled student studying web development. My aim is to learn how to make modern, accessible websites. When I graduate, I'd like to work in web dev or web accessibility.
Why did you make this website?
I'm really interested in accessibility, but I know I still have a lot to learn. This website is my excuse to research accessibility and have fun implementing it.
Also, as a disabled person I know what it's like to not be able to access something because people couldn't be bothered to provide accommodations. It's upsetting and frustrating to be left out because someone deemed you too difficult to include. I want to help make accessible websites and share what I learn so that fellow disabled folks won't have to experience that.
Why should I care about website accessibility?
At its core, the internet is actually a really accessible place. But a lot of the ways we make it exciting as content creators (such as pictures, videos, colors) can make it inaccessible to disabled people — if we don't use them properly. But it's easy to change that! Alt text makes images accessible to people using screen readers or braille displays, captions make videos accessible to d/Deaf and hard of hearing folks, and careful use of colors can make sure colorblind people don't miss out on important information.
A lot of these things might sound like "extras," but they're the basic minimum so that everyone can access your content. And while the most important reason for accessibility is that it's the right thing to do, it also increases your reach. If you're writing about a hobby, some folks interested in it will be disabled. And if you're selling a product, you don't want to limit your potential customers to only abled people!
If you learn about the basics and start implementing them as you create content, instead of rushing to add accessibility at the end, it'll be much easier and a lot less overwhelming. And you'll create some good habits!
Why do you say "disabled people" instead of "people with disabilities?"
This was a conscious choice on my part. "Disabled people" is known as identity-first language (IFL), while "people with disabilities" is known as person-first language (PFL). You might have heard people say you should use "people with disabilities" because you should see the person first, before their disability.
The truth is, if you're talking about a specific person you should use whatever language they prefer. And when talking about us as a group, many disabled folks actually prefer identity-first language for various reasons. For some of us, our disability is a core part of our identity. Others prefer "disabled person" because we don't like the implication that people need to be reminded to see us as a person.
I chose to go with identity-first language on this website in most cases because it's the wording I prefer and it's what is used in my online communities. However, there are some communities (such as people with intellectual disabilities), who prefer person-first language, so in those cases I use PFL.
Can I contact you?
Sure! You can reach me at contact@eladnarra.com, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
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