It's All About that Label: How the Term Compliant Does Not Always Mean Equal

My family was recently in the market for a new range. Rather than purchasing a typical range, my parents decided to purchase one that is ADA compliant. This means all the buttons and knobs are on the front of the range, right above the oven door. Even though the ADA range would still not allow me to cook most things -- due to lack of strength -- we decided that it would still be a suitable choice. If needed, I would now be able to turn the oven on or off; if someone was on the way, I could preheat the oven, and if someone left while something was cooking, I could turn the oven off. The knobs on the front would also allow me to have access to the stove top. I can cook a few simple things -- like an egg; it takes me a while, but I can do it (however, the pan needs to be out, the egg needs to be in reach, and I need a table knife and a dish as well)!

This all sounds nice, but there is a catch! The ADA compliant range that my parents purchased cost almost $400.00 more than the typical version of the SAME range. Just because an appliance is ADA compliant does not mean it should cost more; accommodations that are supposed to make things equal should not in turn put an extra hardship on the person it is supposed to be for. It does not matter if the ADA compliant range has a lower demand than the typical one; all people should have access to an equal opportunity to buy the same range -- cost included. A range should not be bumped out of someone's price range because it is ADA compliant; it is not fancier or more high tech, it is just accessible. In fact, the ADA compliant range that my parents purchased is LESS fancy and LESS high tech than the same typical range. The ADA compliant range is lacking the clock and the timer that comes on that typical range. And, the manual that we received is not for the ADA compliant range, but for the typical one; the diagrams for the buttons and knobs do not match up at all. Good thing we have operated a range before!

Another ironic thing about this ADA compliant range is that the diagrams next to the knobs are not raised and Braille is not present next to the words to provide accessibility to people who are blind or visually impaired and read Braille. So, would the stove my parents purchased be considered ADA compliant for just people who use wheelchairs? And, is there a separate range that is ADA compliant just for people who are blind? And, how much would that range cost? Why can't all ovens just be created to accommodate all people for the same price? 

I am blessed to have parents that have the ability to afford a range that is $400.00 more than the typical version. But, if I was purchasing this range on my own, there is no way -- at this point in my life -- that I could have afforded the luxury of having an accessible range. This also goes for many other people with disabilities. 

Extra costs do not stop at ranges, but extend to so many other things that many people use on a daily basis; the extra cost for accessible ranges is just a scratch on the surface of what people who use wheelchairs typically face. However, they are not the same for all people with disabilities, but no extra costs for the SAME things should exist for any of us. Accessibility should not be a luxury, it should instead make things equal.