Universalist, user-centred and proactive approaches in media accessibility. The way forward

The question of accessibility has become a driver of radical change in many aspects of society and produced paradigmatic revolutions in many research fields. Common to these fields is a series of theoretical, epistemological and methodological shifts (Greco 2018). First, accessibility usually entered these fields through an initial focus on some specific group, often persons with disabilities. Over time, the focus was progressively widened to include other groups, until finally reaching the widest scope. That is, these fields have shifted from various particularist accounts that frame access as exclusively or mainly related to some groups of people, towards a universalist account, where access concerns all. Second, the creation and implementation of accessibility artefacts and services has long been based on the assumption that makers know best, leaving limited room, if any, for users. The constraints posed by this stance have progressively given way to the adoption of user-centred approaches, according to which users bear knowledge that is fundamental for the investigation of access issues and the design of accessibility solutions. Third, and for a long time, access issues were addressed through reactive approaches, that is, through devising addon solutions after the creation of an artefact. Yet, addressing accessibility as an afterthought drastically limits both the range of actions one can take to make that artefact accessible and their efficacy. This has resulted in a shift towards proactive approaches, which make access concerns an integral part of the design process of products and services, from its very initial phases and through the active participation of users and experts.