Community Perspectives
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5 simple fixes that make digital spaces calmer—for neurodivergent and all users.
By Lē Silveus — When we talk about accessibility, most engineers think of screen readers, alt text, and color contrast. These are essential, but they’re only part of the picture. Digital spaces must also support people whose minds process information differently—people who are autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, or otherwise neurodivergent. In… continue reading
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Product managers have a pivotal role in accessibility implementation.
By Jonee Meiser — Anyone and everyone who is an accessibility professional or expert will say everyone on a software development team has a role to play in embedding accessibility successfully. Admittedly, I struggled with what that looked like for me in terms of supporting every role in the development… continue reading
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Those who have been marginalized get it.
By Jonee Meiser — All too often, I run into development teams that continuously treat accessibility solely as technical bugs that they will address whenever they get to them. The impact of those existing bugs is perceived as minimal. And that is when I have been known to lose my… continue reading
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You can’t rely on testing tools. They can test only 20%–30%.
By Makoto Ueki — We need to clarify the accessibility requirements that the content should ensure in the requirements definition phase. Then we design and develop the content following the requirements. Once the content is developed, we need to verify that it meets the requirements set forth in the final… continue reading
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Everyone should know about neuro‑inclusive digital accessibility.
By Lē Silveus — In the ever‑evolving world of web development, crafting online experiences that are accessible and user‑centered is vital. However, the concept of accessibility extends beyond complying with WCAG guidelines. We’re going to dive into an important aspect that often gets overlooked: neurodiversity. As product creators, understanding and embracing… continue reading
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Custom UI components need extra information to be accessible.
By Kate Kalcevich — Interactions on the web are notorious for being inaccessible to people with disabilities and are often part of the most critical functions, such as: When you use HTML form elements like <input>, <select>, and <button>, information about the element is passed to the DOM (Document Object… continue reading
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Content and functionality must be machine readable.
By Makoto Ueki — An important keyword for making digital content more accessible is “machine readability.” In this context, “machine” means the user agents such as browsers, assistive technologies like screen readers, search robots, and so on. Take a website, as an example. A web page has several headings: a… continue reading
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People with disabilities use a variety of assistive technologies and accessibility strategies.
By Jonathan Avila — Engineers should know how assistive technologies operate and how users with disabilities interact with them. People with disabilities may use various techniques, accessibility features, and assistive technologies throughout the day and may switch to different ways of using technology in different contexts. Familiarize yourself with the… continue reading
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Disabled people are digital creators and consumers. We need accessibility in design and development tools.
By Yasmine Elglaly — People with disabilities are not solely end‑users of software; they also create software and digital content. Therefore, it is crucial to consider accessibility during the development of all types of software, including software development tools like integrated development environments (IDEs), version control systems, build tools, and… continue reading
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Accessibility is a team effort. It is not exclusive to user research or front‑end development.
By Yasmine Elglaly — Accessibility is still often viewed as a niche area in software development, where only a select few individuals—such as user researchers and front‑end developers—are expected to have knowledge and expertise in this field. These individuals may be tasked with not only identifying and addressing accessibility issues… continue reading
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Everyone should know accessibility requirements for neurodivergent people.
By Lē Silveus — While adhering to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is a significant step, it’s not the whole picture. Neurodivergent individuals often face unique challenges when interacting with websites and applications. Some common issues include: Next steps for advancing support for neurodivergent people include: The principles of simplicity,… continue reading
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You need to bake layers of accessibility testing into your process.
By Kate Kalcevich — Accessibility testing is critical to ensure that what you build will work for all users. This includes people with disabilities and people with temporary and situational limitations. For example, both having low vision or being outdoors on a sunny day makes color contrast more important. Layering… continue reading
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Inaccessible design is the problem, not the user who raises the issue.
By Erich Manser — Another thing I’d encourage engineers who are concerned with digital accessibility to understand is that when barriers exist, the issue lies with the design, and not with the person experiencing the barrier. This may seem obvious, but too often when someone reports an inability to access something,… continue reading
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People with disabilities have a wide and diverse range of user needs.
By Jonathan Avila — It is essential for people who design, create, and validate technology to understand the needs of people with disabilities, get feedback from users with disabilities, and understand the technology and settings people with disabilities use to access various types of experiences. You should engage diverse users,… continue reading
Know About Accessibility 