Mobility Impairment
Summary
A mobility impairment is a person’s reduced ability to exercise motor control. This can result from a neurological impact, such as paralysis, or a physical impact, such as an amputation.
A mobility impairment tends to mean that a person cannot perform physical tasks as well as or in the same fashion as someone who does not have a mobility impairment. Mobility impairments can stem from neurological causes, like paralysis and palsy, or physical causes, like amputation or birth defects.
Mobility impairments as they apply to websites are addressed by Section 508 1194.22 and 1194.23. To summarize, any required timed responses must provide the user with a method for requesting more time, all tasks must be able to be performed with the use of only one hand, and no task should require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist.
Remember
Disabilities are not mutually exclusive. Someone with a mobility impairment may also have audio, cognitive, and visual impairments.
Examples
- Alert the user when the site requires a timed response and allow the user to extend the time available to make the response.
- Allow plenty of time for the user to respond to new information. Avoid slideshows or rotating images that move too quickly.
- Provide as much space as possible for clickable targets, such as navigation links and buttons.