The Apps That Are Redefining Accessibility
For people with disabilities, the digital divide predates the pandemic. But new tools are opening new pathways for participation.
Last year, Google introduced a virtual Braille keyboard for Android to allow the visually impaired to read and write on smartphones.
Photographer: Hakan Nural / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
When Covid-19 catapulted society into a new age of remote work, school and life, educators, economists and activists warned of a widening divide in access to the digital tools that enable participation.
Those gaps are often more extreme for people with visual impairments. For example, it’s estimated that fewer than 10% of websites are accessible, meaning they don’t come with audio assistance or display settings that allow people with certain disabilities to use them. The consequences can be measured in the 64% increase in lawsuits filed last year against U.S. companies alleging that websites and apps are inaccessible, according to UsableNet, a company that provides web accessibility best practices.