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The importance of accessibility lies in carefully designing and constructing products and services to ensure they are usable by everyone, regardless of their physical, sensory, or cognitive abilities. It is about removing barriers and providing equal access, whether in physical spaces, communication devices, or digital platforms.
In this article, we will explore the importance and benefits of digital accessibility for businesses and guide you through accessibility testing using assistive technologies to help you uncover accessibility issues.
Benefits of an inclusive digital environment for business
Websites, mobile applications, and other digital tools should be designed with the user, their ability, and their needs in mind. By developing certain principles for creating digital content, developers and designers can ensure that content is available to people with disabilities. Accessibility includes many aspects: from the readability of text and site navigation to compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers for the blind or screen magnifiers for people with vision impairments.
It also considers people with cognitive disabilities or other learning difficulties who need a simpler interface. The importance of inclusivity in the digital environment cannot be overstated. Adapting digital content to the needs of everyone without exception allows everyone to participate in social, educational, and economic life fully. In addition, improving accessibility often improves the overall quality of the product for all users.
Expands market reach
Adopting inclusivity and equality in the digital space enables companies to expand their reach while enhancing the overall user experience. Accessible websites are more intuitive and easier to navigate, leading to a reduction in support requests. This, in turn, minimizes the time and resources required and significantly improves customer satisfaction.
Fosters a positive brand image
A business that demonstrates accessibility concerns creates a positive image in the eyes of consumers. This emphasizes its social responsibility and can improve brand perception. In the era of social media and public opinion, such an approach can play a key role in developing customer loyalty.
Ensures legal and regulatory compliance
In addition to the social component, it is necessary to consider the legal aspect. Many countries adopt laws requiring websites and applications to comply with accessibility standards. Following these standards helps to avoid lawsuits and fines, and increases trust in the business.
Starting June 2025, new accessibility requirements are being enforced in the EU region by the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which mandates stricter compliance with accessibility standards for digital products and services. These regulations cover a broader range of platforms, including e-commerce websites, banking apps, and digital media, ensuring they are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Non-compliance could lead to significant penalties and impact a company's reputation. Therefore, businesses must prioritize accessibility to meet these updated legal obligations while fostering inclusivity and enhancing user experience for all.
Boosts innovation in design and technology
The desire for accessibility also stimulates the development of technology and design solutions. Implementing an inclusive digital environment can lead to innovations that will be meaningful not only for people with disabilities but also for a wider audience.
Investing in digital accessibility is therefore a strategic decision that can bring several long-term benefits to a business, including market expansion, improved customer satisfaction, enhanced reputation, and reduced operational risks.
What are some types of disabilities?
Yale University identifies five types of disabilities that can impact a user's digital experience.
1. Visual impairments
Blindness
People who are blind rely heavily on screen readers like VoiceOver for Mac and Microsoft Narrator for Windows and other assistive devices. Ensuring that websites are compatible with these devices is critical to their ability to navigate the digital world effectively.
Low vision
People with low vision often have difficulty reading web content due to small font sizes, insufficient line spacing (less than 150%), and poor color contrast.
Color blindness
People with color vision deficiencies have difficulty distinguishing between certain colors, which can lead to confusion between green and red, blue and purple, and various other combinations. This makes navigating information presented and highlighted in color for emphasis, especially challenging.
2. Cognitive, learning, and neurological disorders
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
People with ADHD have difficulty focusing on one task or sustaining attention for long periods and are easily distracted. Distractions such as moving content or pop-up ads can be distressing, so it is important to provide clear instructions, avoid time limits, and ensure the user has control over these elements.
Photosensitive epilepsy
This condition is triggered by flashing or high-contrast lights. Flashing lights or multiple GIFs with 3 or more flashes per second can trigger a seizure, so it is important to avoid or limit their use to avoid triggering photosensitive epilepsy.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing that is not related to intelligence or socioeconomic status. Users with dyslexia have difficulty processing italics, underlining, capital letters, small print, and high contrast. Using more readable colors, such as dark gray on white, and avoiding these formatting styles can improve accessibility. Clear, simple text and fonts designed for reading also help.
3. Hearing impairment and auditory dysfunction
Hard of hearing/Hearing loss
A hearing threshold between 20 and 35 decibels (dB), affects people with mild to severe hearing loss. These people typically use spoken language and can benefit from hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other assistive technologies such as closed captioning.
Hearing impairment/Deafness
People with low hearing and hearing impairment may also have difficulty with speech, as hearing loss can affect their ability to process and accurately reproduce speech sounds. This means that they should not be forced to speak commands and should be allowed to avoid voice searches, etc.
4. Mobility issues and physical impairments
People who have difficulty with mobility, coordination, or manipulating devices due to conditions such as tremors, lack of coordination, paralysis, joint disorders, pain, or missing limbs. These impairments may make it difficult to navigate websites with small clickable elements or interfaces that require precise movements.
5. Speech impairments
People with speech disorders such as muteness, dysarthria, and stuttering. They may have difficulty articulating sounds, pronouncing words, or speaking fluently. Therefore, they need the ability to type instead of talk, use voice commands, or use vocal communication in any context. They also need the ability to communicate via instant messaging rather than calling a helpline.
Examples of assistive technology
| Assistive technology type | Name | Functionality | Testing use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen readers | JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver (macOS/iOS), TalkBack (Android), Typeahead AI(macOS) | Convert text and other on-screen elements into synthesized speech or braille output, which enables users to navigate and interact with content | Testers use screen readers to verify whether all content, including text, images, buttons, and forms, is properly announced and navigable. Issues like missing alt text, improper heading structure, or unlabeled form fields often become apparent through this testing. |
| Screen magnifiers | ZoomText, MAGic, Magnifier (Windows), Zoom (macOS/iOS) | Enlarge on-screen content for users with low vision | Using screen magnifiers, testers can identify issues like pixelated images, poor color contrast, or content that becomes inaccessible when zoomed in, ensuring that users with low vision can still engage with the interface effectively. |
| Voice recognition software | Dragon NaturallySpeaking,Google Assistant, Siri, Cortana, Apple Voice Control, Android Voice Access | Voice recognition software allows users to control devices and input text using voice commands, often serving individuals with mobility impairments or conditions like repetitive strain injury (RSI). | Testers can simulate interactions using voice commands to identify problems with voice navigation, such as unresponsive buttons or poorly labeled elements that make it difficult for the software to interpret commands correctly |
| Alternative input devices | Switch devices, eye-tracking systems, adaptive keyboards | These devices provide alternative methods of input for users with severe motor impairments. | Used to uncover inaccessible form fields or time-sensitive interactions that users cannot complete. |
Nearly all modern digital devices have a screen reader, magnifier, and voice control functions built in. Some new alternatives are emerging on the market, now with ChatGPT and other AI technologies becoming widely available.
How to perform accessibility testing with assistive technologies
While assistive technologies play a significant role in accessibility testing, it’s essential to follow a structured approach to maximize their effectiveness:
1. Understand accessibility standards. Before testing, familiarize yourself with relevant standards, e.g. WCAG. These WCAG guidelines provide specific criteria for ensuring digital content is accessible.
2. Plan the testing scope. Determine which assistive technologies to use based on the target audience. For example, if the product is a mobile application, focus on screen readers like TalkBack and VoiceOver.
3. Set up the testing environment. Ensure you have access to the necessary devices, software, and tools for testing. It’s important to simulate real-world conditions, such as using AT with default settings or testing in different browsers.
4. Perform manual testing. Use assistive technologies to manually navigate the digital product, paying close attention to:
- Logical focus order for keyboard navigation;
- Proper labeling and description of form fields, buttons, and links;
- Compatibility with screen readers for dynamic content and alerts;
- Adequate color contrast and scalable text for low-vision users.
5. Engage users with disabilities. Including users who rely on assistive technologies in your testing process offers invaluable insights. Their feedback often highlights issues that may not be apparent through simulation alone.
6. Document and prioritize issues. Record identified accessibility issues, categorizing them based on severity and impact. For example, a missing alt attribute for a decorative image may be less critical than an unlabeled form field required for user input.
7. Iterate and validate. Once issues are addressed, re-test to ensure fixes are effective and do not introduce new problems. Iterative testing helps maintain high accessibility standards as the product evolves.
Challenges and limitations for accessibility testing
While using assistive technologies for accessibility testing offers significant benefits, it also presents certain challenges:
1. Learning curve. Testers need to become familiar with the nuances of each assistive technology, which can require time and training.
2. Technology variability. Different assistive technologies may interpret the same content differently. A screen reader’s behavior may vary based on the browser or OS.
3. Complex scenarios. Dynamic content, such as modals, dropdowns, or single-page applications, can be challenging to test comprehensively with assistive technologies alone.
4. Resource constraints. Not all organizations have the resources to purchase or train staff to use a wide range of assistive technologies.
Conclusion
Accessibility testing using assistive devices is significant to ensure that digital products and services are usable by all people, regardless of their capabilities. The use of assistive tools like screen readers, magnifiers, and even voice technology can help in pinpointing the obstacles that make digital content inaccessible. Testing for accessibility also helps in covering the legal requirements, boosts the brand image, and inspires innovation. There may be challenges such as technological variability, but the benefits like increased future customers and overall satisfaction will benefit in the end. In moving toward a more digitally innovative society, accessibility must be the top priority so that no one is overlooked in the technology world.
Are your digital products truly accessible to everyone? Reach out to us to learn how our accessibility testing services can help you become more inclusive.
