Ways Technology Can Be Made More Accessible

Written by Kar Reh 

“So these are some of the features that, if you design for your apps to be accessible, will allow greater access for people with disabilities. But don’t stop there, keep innovating, keep thinking of new ways for people to access your information” (Girma 292). This is a quote taken from Girma, a deafblind advocate, who works with the disability act movement to make sure that technology can be innovated to help those in need or with disability. Like many others, she relies on technology with accessibility features to assist her in life. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 15% of the world’s population lives with some form of disability, of whom 2-4% experience significant difficulties in functioning. Their disability has already made their life significantly harder already, and with the lack of accessible features in our modern technology, it’s even harder for them to access their information than everyone else. That’s why developers should work on ways to make their technology more accessible.

[A picture of the Google App Store showing the WHO app. An app made to inform people about WHO (World Health Organization)]

How Apple’s Technology Assists Those With Disability

Apple’s most popular product, iPhone, was first launched in June 2007, and many innovative features were implanted throughout the years that went by. Before the release of the iPhone, Apple released a screen reader in 2005 called “VoiceOver.” This feature made it possible to produce information in speech or digital Braille for users of the app. It was essentially converting graphical information to speech or digital Braille. This helped people who had trouble navigating or receiving information digitally. As Xuejiao Zhang from the article “Assistive Technology: Apple’s VoiceOver” argues, “This feature is designed to increase accessibility for people with visual impairments.” Years later, Apple’s innovative features were implanted into the iPhone, specially called the “Accessibility” settings. In this feature, users can choose from various features such as; Vision. VoiceOver. Zoom. Display and text size. Motion. Spoken content. Audio descriptions. Physical and motor. AssistiveTouch, etc.

[Apple’s logo for the VoiceOver feature. Credit: Apple]

Why Apps Should Be Made More Accessible

     All apps aren’t made to be compatible with accessibility features, or they may not even have one at all implanted. If app developers reconsider the decision to embed these features for easier access and assist those with a disability, their app will reach a broader range of audience. This idea benefits the experience of all users and improves user retention. Users’ experience should be their number one priority for all app developers. The Bureau of Internet Accessibility, in their recent article “What Is Accessibility in Mobile Apps?” proclaims that “If an app doesn’t have consistent navigation elements, users might become confused when interacting with it.” Even if long-term cost is an issue, it’s a decision worth reconsidering as it will bring more users into the platform. The article also states, “From the first stages of development, users with disabilities should be a shared priority — and designers and developers should understand how each decision affects the app’s intended audience.” With the ever-growing users and technology, it’s only logical that to attract everyone and make their apps fair, ensuring every user can efficiently access their app is a significant start. 

[The left keyboard shows an enlarged keyboard while the right shows a regular keyboard size. On the bottom text, it says “Adjust the size of your keys.”]