American Foundation for the Blind Releases Barriers to Digital Inclusion

The American Foundation for the Blind has recently released a report that details some of the barriers faced by those who are blind, have low vision, or are deafblind as they try to access various digital platforms. Based on a survey of 398 participants conducted in November and December 2022, the report concludes that “access barriers limit independence, influence consumer decision-making, and lead to frustration, exclusion, and lost productivity.” Barriers measured included everyday functions such as: booking travel, ordering food, applying for jobs, accessing information about a child’s school, online shopping, and locating job opportunities.

“Overall, 21% of participants said they dealt with access barriers on the Web at least once a day while 28% of participants said they dealt with an inaccessible app at least once a day.” As a consequence, users report that they feel frustrated, experience limited choices, and switch to other businesses when encountering barriers.

The AFB recommends that the federal government “vigorously enforce regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requiring covered entities to make all of their websites and software applications accessible to customers, clients, and employees with disabilities.” Beyond enforcement of current laws and regulations, the AFB also recommends passage of the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act, modernizing the requirements for accessibility so that vendors make their products accessible.

Access the report here.