In a world where technology plays a central role in daily life, accessibility ensures that digital products can be used by everyone, including individuals with disabilities. It transforms technology into a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.
From a business perspective, accessibility is not just about doing the right thing, it is a smart strategy. Prioritizing accessibility opens doors to a wider audience, enhances user experiences, and fosters deeper customer loyalty. It also gives businesses a competitive edge as leaders in innovation and inclusion.
Additionally, many regions now have legal requirements mandating accessibility in digital products, such as the European Accessibility Act and the updated accessibility ruling in the US. Compliance with these regulations has become a critical factor for businesses. However, the most compelling reason to focus on accessibility goes beyond legal obligations. It is about the ethical responsibility we all share to create products that work for everyone, regardless of their abilities.
Manual vs AI assisted accessibility testing
Traditionally, accessibility testing has relied heavily on manual efforts. Developers, designers, and accessibility specialists review products to identify barriers such as missing alt text, poor color contrast, and improper keyboard navigation. While manual testing is thorough and insightful, it can be time-consuming, resource-intensive, and prone to human error, particularly for large or complex digital products.
Artificial intelligence(AI) addresses these challenges by bringing speed and scale to accessibility testing. It can analyze entire websites or applications, identifying issues such as missing alt attributes, poor contrast ratios, and broken ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) labels much faster. Additionally, AI tools often integrate directly into design and development workflows, providing real-time feedback and reducing the need for lengthy post-development reviews.
By automating repetitive tasks, artificial intelligence allows teams to focus on creating a process rather than just applying a series of fixes. This proactive approach ensures that accessibility is built into the product from the start, rather than being treated as an afterthought.
The limitations of relying solely on AI
While artificial intelligence has transformed accessibility efforts with its speed and efficiency, it is not a stand alone solution. Relying solely on artificial intelligence can lead to incomplete or ineffective outcomes due to several inherent limitations.
First, artificial intelligence often struggles with nuances, leading to false positives or negatives. It may flag issues that aren’t actual problems or fail to identify critical barriers entirely. For example, Artificial Intelligence may not accurately interpret the context of alt text or assess whether a website’s design offers a meaningful and user-friendly experience.
Second, artificial intelligence lacks empathy. It cannot understand the lived experiences of people with disabilities or consider the practical and emotional aspects of accessibility, which are just as important as technical compliance.
Finally, there is the risk of over-reliance on automation. Companies may use artificial intelligence as a sole solution, neglecting manual testing by accessibility experts. This approach can result in solutions that meet technical standards but fail to address the real needs of users.
Recognizing these limitations is essential to ensure artificial intelligence is used effectively as part of a comprehensive accessibility strategy.
Why collaboration is essential
A more effective approach to accessibility combines a broader, collaborative effort to create truly inclusive experiences. artificial intelligence works best as a tool to enhance human efforts, not replace them. People with lived experiences of disabilities bring unique perspectives that artificial intelligence cannot replicate, ensuring that solutions address real-world challenges.
Accessibility cannot be solved by a single team or role. Designers, developers, testers, and accessibility advocates must work together, sharing their expertise to identify and resolve barriers effectively. Moreover, accessibility is not a one-time task but an ongoing process. Collaboration helps teams adapt to changing technologies and evolving user needs, ensuring that accessibility solutions remain relevant and effective over time.
By combining the strengths of artificial intelligence with human expertise and fostering a collaborative approach, teams can create digital products that are not only accessible but also meaningful and empowering for all users.
Some AI powered platforms and tools you can begin using today
If you’re looking to get started with accessibility testing, several AI-powered tools and platforms can help simplify the process. I have curated tools that are designed to integrate easily into your workflows, making it easier to identify and resolve accessibility issues. Here are a few you can explore:
- Level Access: This platform offers managed accessibility services, training solutions, and tools to help organizations design, build, and maintain digital experiences that comply with accessibility standards while delivering a great user experience.
- axe-core: An open source accessibility engine that integrates with browsers and development tools to identify accessibility issues in websites and applications. It provides developers with detailed insights and recommendations to fix issues, ensuring compliance with accessibility standards like WCAG.
- Lighthouse: An open source, automated tool by Google that evaluates web pages for performance, SEO, accessibility, and more. It generates comprehensive reports and scores to help developers improve website quality, including fixing accessibility barriers.
- AccessLint: A GitHub based tool that reviews code changes for potential accessibility issues. It integrates into your development workflow, providing real-time feedback during pull requests to help developers catch and address accessibility concerns early in the process.
- Microsoft’s Accessibility Insights: A simple Chrome extension that helps developers identify and fix accessibility issues in webpages and web applications.
- Google Lighthouse: An open-source tool for analyzing webpages, providing scores for performance, accessibility, SEO, and more to help improve overall quality.
These tools are a great starting point, but remember, when it comes to accessibility, AI works best when combined with human expertise. That way you can ensure a truly accessible and inclusive experiences for your products.
Whether you’re building a new product or improving an existing one, making accessibility a priority ensures your products are usable by everyone. Reach out to thoughtbot today to begin integrating accessibility into your strategy.