Bridging another digital divide: Accessibility for blind and low-vision consumers
Undoubtedly, digital channels have made everyday tasks, from depositing checks to buying tonight’s dinner ingredients, easier and more convenient for many people. But digitization has not always led to an optimal customer experience for everyone. The more than two billion people worldwide who are blind or low vision are often left behind. Companies have an opportunity to build lasting relationships with consumers who are blind or low vision, but doing so requires a proactive, inclusive approach to digital.
The Language of Vision Disabilities
The language of “disability” continues to evolve as society grows increasingly aware of its impact on the equality of traditionally marginalized communities. There is much debate among those with lived experiences over what language is “best” and “appropriate.” One such debate centers on whether to use people-first language (for example, a person with blindness) or identity-first language (a blind person). In the area of vision specifically, there are a wide range of terms used to describe blindness and vision loss, including visually impaired, low vision, and partially sighted. In this article, we predominantly use the terms blind and low vision.
The Business and Social Case for Inclusion
The social case for improving the digital experiences of those with blindness or low vision is clear: improvements can provide them equal access to digital products and services and reinforce their independence. The business case also is compelling: companies can build loyal, valuable relationships with these consumers. It’s estimated that consumer companies with inaccessible websites and digital strategies lose $6.9 billion annually as frustrated disabled consumers take their business to competitors. We expect the cost to companies to increase by 2030 as demand for accessible products and services rises due to a rapidly aging global population.
Statistics on Visual Impairment
To understand the scale of the challenge, consider the following data based on research from Prevent Blindness America and global estimates:
- Globally visually impaired: Approximately 285 million people
- Blind population worldwide: 39 million people
- Low vision population worldwide: 246 million people
- Color blindness (Male): 8 percent of the population
- Color blindness (Female): 0.5 percent of the population
- Legally blind (US aged 45+): 18 percent of the 53.2 million with impairments
Defining Digital Accessibility and UX Design
Plainly put, web accessibility enables people with disabilities to perceive, understand, navigate, interact with, and contribute to the web. User experience (UX) designers should ensure equal accessibility for all users by designing web-based experiences that can be used, understood, and accessed by people with a diverse range of visual, auditory, cognitive, and physical abilities. Because web experiences are inherently visual, the web is fraught with sites, tools, and apps that are practically unusable for people with visual impairments. For example, it’s not uncommon to see websites that use combinations of background and foreground colors that make pages virtually unreadable for colorblind users.
Assistive Technologies and Improvements
Individuals we spoke with highlighted some helpful technological advances in recent years that have aided their digital experiences. For example, screen-reading software—the primary way most of our research participants engage with digital technologies—is available on most devices. Braille displays and notetakers to access digital content and technologies were also popular with research group participants in Europe. They also pointed to accessibility improvements that some companies have made to their websites and digital content. Inaccessibility equals exclusion, and good web design should accommodate the needs of all users, including people with visual impairments.