Assistive technology (AT) is a range of tools and systems that support individuals with disabilities as they interact with digital products. UX (user experience) designers integrate AT considerations into the design process to ensure users of websites, applications, and other products enjoy maximum accessibility and inclusivity.
“For people without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For people with disabilities, technology makes things possible.”
— IBM Training Manual, 1991
In this video, Frank Spillers, CEO of Experience Dynamics, explains how accessible design helps with usability and Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
Assistive technology is a bridge that enables users with various disabilities to use digital products such as websites and apps and enjoy full access to what the brands behind the products offer them and other users. For UX designers, as well as user interface (UI) designers and the brands designers serve, accessible and inclusive design is a vital consideration. About one in six users worldwide—well over one billion human beings—have a disability, namely in these areas:
Visual disabilities (low vision, blindness, color blindness)
Hearing disabilities (hard of hearing or deafness)
Mobility and motor disabilities
Cognitive, learning, and neurological disabilities
Speech disabilities
Designers have a duty to ensure the products they create are accessible for users with disabilities. This duty is enshrined in the form of laws protecting the rights of people with disabilities in many countries. For example, designers follow guidelines such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure:
Their designs have sufficient color contrast.
That users can navigate with a keyboard as well as a mouse.
That images have descriptive alt text.
When designers include users of assistive technology, they demonstrate empathy on behalf of themselves and their brand. For example, you might design an e-commerce site to be compatible with screen readers.
Watch this video to discover the essential considerations that will impact how you approach accessibility in your designs.
Users with disabilities rely on a wide range of tools and aids to access digital products. The following are the principal categories and examples of assistive technology:
Screen readers such as JAWS and NVDA are software that convert text into spoken words for users who cannot see or read.
Braille displays are devices that raise and lower dots to simulate the Braille code for users to feel and understand what a screen displays.
Screen magnifiers such as Windows Magnifier (a built-in screen magnifier) and ZoomText enlarge the content a screen displays. Fusion is a product that combines the benefits of JAWS with ZoomText to give users the best of both worlds.
Users who know Braille can use a Mantis Q40 Braille display, for example.
© Humanware Europe Limited, Fair Use
Captions and subtitles display spoken content as text during videos, presentations, or meetings. Auto-captioning tools such as YouTube’s captions benefit not only users with hearing disabilities but also those with temporary disabilities—such as loud environments. Captions also help users for whom the video is not in their native language.
Transcription services provide written versions of live or recorded speech, with software including Otter.ai and Google Live Transcribe.
Visual alerts, such as flashing lights or screen notifications, replace or supplement audio alerts such as ringtones and alarms.
Captions support users with audial disabilities—temporary or otherwise—and users who may need extra time to understand what is said in a video.
© Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-SA 4.0
Devices such as on-screen keyboards and adaptive mice and keyboards help users with motion-related disabilities interact with digital products. For example, they can use one-handed keyboards and trackballs or mouth-controlled devices to navigate and interact with websites.
System features such as StickyKeys and FilterKeys help users who cannot press more than one key at once (StickyKeys) and users with tremor-related disabilities such as Parkinson’s who might involuntarily press keys (FilterKeys).
A one-handed keyboard is assistive technology that can help users who have the use of one hand—either as a disability or because they might be working on, for example, a production line and inspect goods with their other hand.
© PCD Maltron, LTD. Fair Use
Assistive tools help users with dyslexia, ADHD, autism spectrum, and memory-related disabilities, particularly for:
Reading support such as text-to-speech, font customization such as Dyslexie or OpenDyslexic, and color overlays.
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools such as Proloquo2Go help non-verbal users communicate via images, symbols, or text-to-speech.
This overview of fringe folders in AssistiveWare Proloquo shows the power of communication in image form.
© AssistiveWare, Fair use
Assistive technologies also serve individuals who cannot speak or have difficulty speaking:
Speech-generating devices (SGDs) or voice output communication aids (VOCAs) such as Tobii I-Series allow users to communicate with their eyes.
Text-to-speech (TTS) software, such as NextUp Talker help users who cannot speak communicate by converting typed text into spoken, natural-sounding words.
The most important advice is to factor accessible design in early in the process. The following are general guidelines for designers to implement assistive technology UX from discovery through delivery.
Research is a vital place to begin in any case, both to identify real user needs and challenge assumptions you might not even realize you have. In this video, William Hudson, User Experience Strategist and Founder of Syntagm Ltd, explains important points about user research.
Recruit diverse participants, including those who use screen readers, voice input, switch controls, or other assistive technology.
Conduct contextual inquiries to observe how users interact with devices and environments.
Ask about workarounds and pain points—they reveal what your design should fix.
Align your project goals with WCAG 2.x (with WCAG 3 under development) Level AA (or applicable regional standards).
Create journey maps that explicitly include assistive tech users.
Write accessibility acceptance criteria for key features.
Once you and your design team have ideated to determine what seems like the best design solution, it’s time to prototype it so you can test it with real test users. Start with low-fidelity prototypes. They are cheap and quick to produce and reveal usability and accessibility issues early before it’s too late or costly to fix them. Then, build interactive prototypes that support keyboard navigation and include the following essentials:
Clear semantic structure (headings, landmarks, form labels).
Keyboard and screen reader support.
Clear focus states and visible feedback.
Text alternatives for media, icons, and audio.
Accessible color contrast and readable typography (Tools like Stark or WCAG Color Contrast Checker can help you meet design standards in real time.)
When you build interactive prototypes that support keyboard navigation, use tools like Figma’s accessibility plugins to label buttons and check alt text.
Watch as Author and Human-Computer Interaction Expert, Professor Alan Dix explains important points about prototyping:
Only real users can validate whether your design truly works for their tools and contexts. Users encounter digital products in a wide range of use cases and scenarios. Note: this is typically a task to leave to, for example, a specialist agency, due to the wide variety of specialist knowledge and skills needed to test effectively with users of assistive technology.
The specialist agency conducts usability testing with participants using:
Screen readers such as NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver.
Voice control tools such as Dragon or Voice Access.
Switch or eye-tracking devices.
They combine this with automated and manual accessibility audits such as Axe, WAVE, or Lighthouse.
From the pain points and opportunites they document, you then can iterate.
Designers define the intent—but developers build the reality. So, you’ll need to:
Provide design specs with accessibility notes such as button labels, ARIA roles, and keyboard behavior.
Review implementation with QA or accessibility engineers.
Encourage developers to use semantic HTML and test with real assistive technology.
Brands cannot fix what they don’t measure. Accessibility must be part of launch criteria, too, to ensure a digital product serves users with disabilities as well as users of other ability levels. Note that users with disabilities may or may not be using assistive technology to access and interact with the product.
Run final accessibility audits.
Create a VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) if needed.
Offer support documentation and user guides in accessible formats.
New features can break accessibility unless it’s part of your design culture. Therefore:
Include accessibility in every sprint and backlog refinement.
Track accessibility bugs like you would any other issue.
Regularly retest with assistive tech users, especially after UI changes.
Educate your team through training, playbooks, and design reviews.
Overall, remember that an accessibility-aware design process isn’t about extra work—it’s about better work. When you design to accommodate assistive technology users and provide them with the same seamless experience you intend for other users, you improve experiences for everyone. You also prove your brand cares about all users.
The Word Wildlife Fund, which works well with such ATs as screen readers and alternative input devices, is a prime example of an AT-friendly site for users.
© World Wildlife Fund, Fair Use
Accessible design has come a long way, and smartphones offer many AT-friendly conveniences to bring digital products and services closer to users with disabilities. However, it’s vital to consider several key points:
1. Factor a spirit of accessible design into your brand’s design process and maintain it long after a product launch. Designers and the brands they work for can overlook the needs of users of assistive technology if they approach accessibility as an “edge case” or an afterthought. Unfortunately, this happens all too often. Everyone wins with designs that are accessible and AT-friendly.
2. All users will experience some form of disability during their lives. Temporary disabilities—such as injuries or inconvenient situations like using a phone in bright sunlight or holding a rail on public transit—demand mindful designs, too.
3. Colorblindness is a common disability, especially among men. For example, designers can check their websites’ contrast with WebAim to ensure that users with color blindness can enjoy interacting with the brand. Effective contrast also benefits users who don’t have vision disabilities when they encounter the screen in bright sunlight.
4. A common misconception is that if a design works with a screen reader, it’s accessible. However, remember that users with disabilities have needs that extend to hearing, motion, speech, and cognitive dimensions as well. Plus, users who have vision disabilities can also have other disabilities. Therefore, designers should cater to accessibility needs of all types from early in the design process and not as an afterthought.
5. If you’re working in web design, accessibility also goes hand in hand with search engine optimization (SEO). When you design an accessible website, you also empower users who rely on assistive technology, as the technology will relay information to users appropriately.
Watch as William Hudson explains important points about web design for usability.
6. Be mindful of seizure-related disabilities such as photosensitive epilepsy—particularly important if you intend to include flashing light in a notification, for example. So, limit color contrast flickers or patterns that could trigger seizures.
7. A strong grasp of design principles goes a long way in accessible design, too. Clean minimalist designs and clear information architecture, as well as consistent interactive elements and navigation menus are great assets to implement. You can help users of all abilities with them.
8. Users of assistive technology may be adapting to that technology and its intricacies. For example, users who have recently lost their sight may be getting used to screen readers. You can help them by keeping your alt text appropriately simple. Think of it as a double opportunity to access users of assistive technology and give them the seamless experiences they deserve. When you practice good UX for assistive technology, you assist them, other users, and your brand in making truly empathic design a reality.
Learn how to research and build digital solutions that promote accessibility-centered design in our course, Accessibility: How to Design for All.
Enjoy our How to Design for Neurodiversity: Inclusive Content and UX Master Class with Katrin Suetterlin, UX Content Strategist, Architect and Consultant, to discover more about the needs of neurodiverse and other users.
Enjoy our Accessible and Inclusive Design Patterns Master Class with Vitaly Friedman, Senior UX Consultant, European Parliament, and Creative Lead, Smashing Magazine.
Find important considerations about accessible design in our article, Understand the Social Needs for Accessibility in UX Design.
Discover valuable insights about accessibility research in Smashing Magazine’s article, Conducting Accessibility Research In An Inaccessible Ecosystem.
Explore areas of user testing with assistive technologies in UXPin’s article, Inclusive UX – Testing Designs with Assistive Technologies.
Assistive technologies (ATs) in digital products make digital spaces more accessible and easier to use for everyone. Examples of ATs include screen readers like JAWS and VoiceOver, which convert text into speech or braille for users with visual disabilities. Screen magnifiers help users enlarge content, while speech recognition tools like Dragon enable people to control devices with their voice. Closed captions and subtitles make videos accessible to deaf or hard-of-hearing audiences.
Keyboard navigation and alternative input devices, such as eye-tracking systems, also support users who can’t operate a mouse. Color contrast tools and customizable text settings improve accessibility for people with visual or cognitive disabilities.
Learn how to research and build digital solutions that promote accessibility-centered design in our course, Accessibility: How to Design for All.
Watch as Frank Spillers, CEO of Experience Dynamics, explains how accessible design helps with usability and Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
Assistive technology (AT) greatly influences UX (user experience) and UI (user interface) design by pushing designers to create more inclusive, flexible, and user-centered experiences. Tools like screen readers, voice recognition software, and alternative input devices reveal where interfaces need clearer structure, better labeling, and intuitive navigation. Designers must ensure that all users—including those with disabilities—can interact easily with digital products. This involves activities such as following accessibility standards like WCAG, designing with semantic HTML, providing keyboard-friendly navigation, and supporting screen reader compatibility. By addressing these needs early, designers not only meet legal requirements but build products that feel better for everyone too. Designing for assistive technologies transforms user experience from “usable by some” to “usable by all” and proves a brand is truly mindful that they need to serve every user as best as possible.
Learn how to research and build digital solutions that promote accessibility-centered design in our course, Accessibility: How to Design for All.
Watch as Frank Spillers, CEO of Experience Dynamics, explains how accessible design helps with usability and Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
Screen readers convert digital interfaces’ on-screen text and elements into speech or braille output, allowing visually impaired users to interact with content. These tools scan the code of a webpage or app and interpret the information based on the structure provided by HTML, ARIA roles, and metadata. When users navigate with keyboards or gestures, the screen reader announces headings, links, buttons, and form fields in the order they appear. A screen reader depends heavily on semantic HTML, proper labeling, and logical navigation flows to make sense of the interface. Without these mindful design elements, users may experience confusion or miss vital information. Understanding how screen readers process digital content and deliver it to users helps UX/UI designers create accessible, well-organized interfaces that work for everyone.
Learn how to research and build digital solutions that promote accessibility-centered design in our course, Accessibility: How to Design for All.
Watch as Frank Spillers explains how accessible design helps with usability and Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
To adapt UI elements for screen readers, create clear, structured, and meaningful content that assistive technologies can interpret easily. Always use semantic HTML elements like <button>, <nav>, and <form>, because screen readers rely on these to convey structure and purpose. Label interactive elements properly using ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes when needed. Ensure that every image has a descriptive alt text that communicates its function or meaning. Avoid using icons or visuals without accompanying text, as screen readers can’t interpret images unless properly labeled. Maintain a logical tab order, so users can navigate the interface smoothly. Bear in mind that users who use screen readers often must absorb a lot of information quickly; so, help them with effective and straightforward content that makes sense and maximizes value to them. They will appreciate that your brand cares about all its users regardless of their ability levels.
Learn how to research and build digital solutions that promote accessibility-centered design in our course, Accessibility: How to Design for All.
Watch as Frank Spillers explains how accessible design helps with usability and Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
When designing for users with hearing disabilities, prioritize providing information visually rather than relying on audio alone. Always include captions for videos, transcripts for audio content, and visual alerts for notifications or warnings. Make sure captions are synchronized, accurate, and easy to read. Use clear, simple language and reinforce important information with text or imagery. Avoid relying solely on sound cues to signal actions or errors—pair them with visual indicators like icons or pop-up messages. Also, offer options for video calls, like real-time text chats or sign language interpretation. Following these practices not only supports users with hearing disabilities but also improves comprehension and usability for a broader audience—such as benefitting users in noisy or sound-sensitive environments.
Learn how to research and build digital solutions that promote accessibility-centered design in our course, Accessibility: How to Design for All.
Watch as Frank Spillers explains how accessible design helps with usability and Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
When designing for users with motor disabilities, focus on minimizing the need for precise movements and offering flexible interaction options. Create large, easily clickable buttons and ensure generous amounts of space between interactive elements. Allow users to navigate interfaces entirely via keyboard or adaptive devices like mouth sticks or eye-trackers. Support alternative input methods such as voice commands and customizable shortcuts. Avoid timed interactions that pressure users to act quickly; offer adjustable time limits instead. Design forms with auto-fill, error prevention, and easy-to-reach submission buttons.
Users with motor disabilities will encounter your design with a variety of needs. Some may experience tremor-related disabilities and involuntary movements; others may only be able to move the eyes and mouth to interact with your digital product. So, make it accommodate the needs of these users and others—that empowerment will speak well for your brand in everyone’s eyes.
Learn how to research and build digital solutions that promote accessibility-centered design in our course, Accessibility: How to Design for All.
Watch as Frank Spillers explains how accessible design helps with usability and Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
Designers face several common challenges when working with assistive technology. A major hurdle is the lack of firsthand experience using tools like screen readers, magnifiers, or alternative input devices. That lack can lead to assumptions about how users interact with designs—assumptions that can translate to oversights that can exclude many users.
Designers also often struggle with keeping up-to-date on evolving accessibility standards such as WCAG. Ensuring compatibility across multiple assistive technologies and browsers also adds complexity. Misunderstanding how semantic code, ARIA labels, and keyboard navigation impact usability can create barriers for users.
Another challenge for designers is the oversight that many users have more than one disability—such as users with visual and hearing disabilities or users with motor and cognitive disabilities—so designers need a more realistic sense of empathy to cater to these users. A further challenge lies in balancing aesthetics with accessibility—some fear accessible designs will limit creative expression. However, accessibility can enhance innovation, and accessible designs perform better in usability tests since they accommodate and include users in so many ways.
Enjoy our How to Design for Neurodiversity: Inclusive Content and UX Master Class with Katrin Suetterlin, UX Content Strategist, Architect and Consultant, to discover more about the needs of neurodiverse and other users.
Watch as Frank Spillers explains how accessible design helps with usability and Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
While UX designers shouldn’t ignore “uncommon” assistive technologies, they can prioritize designing for common assistive technologies to ensure digital products are accessible to all users. Screen readers like JAWS and NVDA help visually impaired users by reading text aloud or converting it into braille. Screen magnifiers enlarge content for users with low vision. Voice recognition software, such as Dragon, lets users navigate and interact with interfaces through spoken commands. Alternative input devices, including eye-tracking systems and adaptive keyboards, enable users with mobility impairments to control computers. Closed captioning tools and transcripts support users who are deaf or hard of hearing. By understanding and designing for these technologies, designers create experiences that not only include users with disabilities—including users with temporary disabilities or who are in “inconvenient” environments (such as loud ones and they need captions)—but also meet accessibility standards.
Learn how to research and build digital solutions that promote accessibility-centered design in our course, Accessibility: How to Design for All.
Watch as Frank Spillers explains how accessible design helps with usability and Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
Oishi, M. M. K., Mitchell, I. M., & Van der Loos, H. F. M. (Eds.). (2010). Design and Use of Assistive Technology: Social, Technical, Ethical, and Economic Challenges. Springer.
This interdisciplinary volume delves into the multifaceted challenges associated with the design and implementation of assistive technologies. Edited by Oishi, Mitchell, and Van der Loos, the book brings together perspectives from engineering, computer science, occupational therapy, and neurology to address issues such as user-centered design, ethical considerations, and economic factors influencing assistive technology development. By examining the entire lifecycle—from conception to user adoption—it offers valuable insights for UX designers, policymakers, and technologists aiming to create inclusive solutions that effectively meet the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities. The book serves as a critical resource for understanding the complexities and responsibilities inherent in assistive technology design.
Bryant, D. P., & Bryant, B. R. (2012). Assistive Technology for People with Disabilities (2nd ed.). Pearson.
This widely used textbook by Diane P. Bryant and Brian R. Bryant offers a foundational overview of assistive technology (AT) solutions for people with disabilities. Focused especially on educational settings, it covers assessment, selection, and integration of AT tools to enhance learning, communication, mobility, and independent living. Its structured, accessible presentation and emphasis on practical strategies make it crucial for UX designers, educators, and rehabilitation specialists who need to create or recommend inclusive technologies. It helps bridge the gap between technological innovation and user needs, ensuring that assistive devices are effective, usable, and truly supportive of their intended audiences.
Schulz, T., & Fuglerud, K. S. (2020). Creating personas with disabilities. arXiv preprint arXiv:2003.11875.
This paper discusses the challenges and methodologies for creating personas that include users with disabilities in design processes. Schulz and Fuglerud argue that traditional persona creation often overlooks the diverse experiences of disabled individuals, leading to exclusionary design outcomes. The authors propose specific strategies for integrating insights about assistive technology usage and disability-specific experiences into persona development. Their work is critical because it pushes the design field toward greater inclusivity from the early stages of product development. It equips UX and accessibility practitioners with practical methods to better represent all users, ensuring that products and services meet a wider range of real-world needs.
Harris, N. (2017). The design and development of assistive technology. IEEE Potentials, 36(1), 24–28.
In this article, Harris explores the principles behind designing and developing assistive technology (AT), focusing particularly on user-centered and participatory design methods. The paper stresses that the success of AT products heavily depends on involving users—especially people with disabilities—throughout the development process. Harris also discusses the technical and ethical challenges of creating devices that genuinely meet users' needs. This work is important because it bridges technical engineering approaches with human-centered design principles, offering practical insights for developers. It serves as a foundational reference for understanding how inclusive, responsive AT solutions can be achieved, leading to more effective and widely adopted technologies.
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Here's the entire UX literature on Assistive Technology by the Interaction Design Foundation, collated in one place:
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