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8 Essentials to Know About Website Accessibility Overlays
Why overlays do not make a website accessible or compliant
Accessibility overlays often promise quick fixes for making websites accessible, but they fail to address deeper issues and can create more problems than they solve. Here’s why relying on overlays is not the solution your users—or your business—deserve.
- Overlays are a band-aid
- Website accessibility overlays attempt to provide an accessible website without ensuring the foundation is inclusive. They address surface-level issues while leaving structural barriers intact, offering a false sense of progress.
- One size does not fit all
- User’s needs are unique, both those with disabilities and those without. Overlays try to solve everyone’s needs, but they end up falling short for all. Accessibility solutions must be tailored to individual needs to be truly effective.
- Heavily dependent on automation
- Automated scans are estimated to catch 40-60% of website accessibility issues. Overlays, which rely heavily on automation, leave many problems unaddressed, undermining their effectiveness.
- Usher in a false sense of compliance
- Providers who push overlays often claim they meet standards like WCAG. However, the goal is usability, not just checking the compliance box.
- Overlays bring potential legal implications
- Multiple companies relying only on overlays have faced accessibility lawsuits. Overlays can’t offer legal protection and may draw unwanted legal attention.
- They mess with users’ assistive technology
- Overlays often clash, rather than mesh, with the assistive technologies that people with disabilities rely on daily. This creates a frustrating user experience and diminishes accessibility.
- Missing out on chances for innovation
- Designing products and services with accessibility from the start often results in a better outcome for everyone. Overlays overlook these opportunities, limiting the potential for inclusive innovation.
- Elevate privacy concerns
- Overlay software can keep track of highly personal data, such as if someone has a disability. This tracking not only raises ethical concerns but can also violate privacy laws.
There is an alternative solution: creating accessible websites and documents by addressing accessibility at any stage of your process. For more support in building truly accessible websites and documents, and creating an inclusive digital experience, contact our partner, Chax Training & Consulting. We’re here to help you do it right—wherever you are in your journey.
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