Tech Notes
Implementing accessibility can seem like an overwhelming challenge, especially when resources are limited. Whether you're part of a small independent team trying to make a big impact or an individual in a large organization, achieving perfect accessibility standards can appear nearly impossible. The sheer volume of guidelines, technical requirements, and best practices can leave even the most well-intentioned developers feeling defeated before they begin.
However, we don't need to reinvent the wheel or command massive resources to make significant accessibility improvements. By examining how major technology companies have successfully implemented accessibility features at scale, we can extract practical approaches that work for teams of any size and take advantage of the tools that have been created for us. Companies like Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have blazed trails in digital accessibility— not just because they had the resources, but because they developed smart, systematic approaches to the challenge.
In this article, I'll distill these "Big Tech" accessibility successes into actionable tips and strategies that don't require enterprise-level budgets or dedicated accessibility teams. You'll learn how small changes can make substantial differences in user experience, and how following certain key principles can help you prioritize your accessibility efforts for maximum impact with minimal resources.
Case Study 1: Learning from Apple's Approach
Apple’s VoiceOver platform has been a cornerstone of their accessibility strategy since its introduction in OS X in 2005. Over the past two decades, Apple has continuously refined and expanded VoiceOver, integrating it not just into their operating systems but also into their physical hardware. This includes support for devices like refreshable Braille displays, which have enabled millions of users to interact with Apple products more effectively. VoiceOver has become one of the most widely used screen readers globally, a testament to Apple’s commitment to accessibility.
VoiceOver’s impact extends beyond desktop devices— Apple also made significant strides in mobile accessibility with the introduction of VoiceOver on iOS. On iPhones and iPads, VoiceOver provides a touch-based screen reader that allows users to navigate the device using gestures and taps, empowering those with visual impairments to fully interact with mobile apps and features. This seamless integration of accessibility into both desktop and mobile platforms showcases Apple’s commitment to providing an inclusive experience across all devices.
For developers, Apple’s approach highlights the importance of making accessibility a core part of product design from the outset. Many common accessibility issues—like missing page language tags, improper HTML nesting, or lack of semantic elements—can be easily detected by modern browsers. By following best practices and testing with accessibility tools like VoiceOver throughout development, developers can ensure that their platforms are accessible from day one.
Practical Takeaways:
- Use built-in validation tools that modern browsers and development environments provide to catch accessibility issues early. Tools like axe DevTools or the WAVE browser extension can identify many common issues automatically.
- Develop with VoiceOver compatibility in mind by testing your products with screen readers throughout development. Apple's Accessibility Developer Guidelines provide specific recommendations for making your content VoiceOver-friendly.
- Implement proper semantic HTML5 elements (
<nav>,<main>,<article>, etc.) instead of generic<div>tags to provide structural information that assistive technologies can interpret correctly.
Case Study 2: Microsoft's Accessibility Lessons
Microsoft has made significant strides with accessibility tools like Narrator for screen reading and the revolutionary Xbox Adaptive Controller for gaming. Their approach emphasizes flexibility in how users interact with technology, recognizing that accessibility needs vary greatly among users.
Narrator, Microsoft's built-in screen reader, has evolved substantially since its introduction in Windows 2000. Recent versions offer more natural-sounding voices, better language support, and improved navigation capabilities that allow users to scan headings, links, and landmarks efficiently. Similarly, the Xbox Adaptive Controller represents a breakthrough in gaming accessibility, featuring large programmable buttons and multiple ports for connecting specialized joysticks, switches, and other assistive devices.
What makes Microsoft's approach particularly instructive is their commitment to customization. Windows' settings include numerous accessibility features that can be adjusted to individual needs— from text size and color filters to keyboard shortcuts and mouse pointer options. The Microsoft Accessibility API also provides developers with tools to ensure their applications work seamlessly with assistive technologies.
Practical Takeaways:
- Design for flexibility by offering interface customization options. Allow users to adjust text size, spacing, and contrast ratios. Implement settings that persist between sessions, saving users from repeatedly configuring their preferred experience. Microsoft's Inclusive Design principles offer excellent guidance on this approach.
- Implement robust keyboard navigation. One of the simplest yet most effective ways to improve accessibility is supporting thorough keyboard controls. Not everyone can use a mouse, and many assistive technologies rely on keyboard commands. Ensure all interactive elements can be accessed, operated, and exited using only a keyboard. This includes:
- Maintaining a visible focus indicator.
- Creating logical tab order that follows content flow.
- Providing keyboard shortcuts for common actions.
- Ensuring that no keyboard traps exist where users can tab into but not out of an element.
- Follow established patterns. Microsoft's success partly comes from consistency. Users familiar with one Microsoft product can often navigate others because of similar patterns and keyboard shortcuts. Similarly, your interfaces should follow conventional design patterns that users already understand.
Case Study 3: Amazon's Inclusive Approach
Amazon demonstrates inclusive design principles through multiple avenues, not just their voice-first interfaces like Alexa and services like Audible. Their approach to accessibility encompasses both their hardware and digital platforms, making content and shopping experiences accessible to users with diverse needs.
On the Amazon shopping platform, they've implemented numerous accessibility features including:
- Alternative text for product images to provide screen reader users with relevant details, enabling them to make informed decisions.
- Skip navigation links allowing keyboard users to bypass repetitive elements
- Accessible form controls with proper labeling and error messaging.
- Kindle accessibility features including dyslexia-friendly fonts (OpenDyslexic), adjustable text spacing, and background color options.
- Prime Video enhancements such as the ability to increase only dialogue volume without affecting background sounds, which helps users with hearing impairments or auditory processing disorders.
Amazon's approach demonstrates how accessibility can be integrated into both content consumption (Kindle, Prime Video, Audible) and task completion (shopping, account management) contexts.
Practical Takeaways:
- Offer alternative formats for content. This could be as straightforward as creating audio versions of written content or providing transcripts of audio content. Different users consume information in different ways, and providing these alternatives ensures your content reaches the widest possible audience.
- Consider multiple sensory channels when designing experiences. According to the WebAIM Screen Reader User Survey, providing information through multiple channels (visual, auditory, tactile) helps ensure users can access content in their preferred way.
- Design for variable environments and contexts. Amazon's Prime Video dialogue enhancement feature reminds us that users may be accessing content in noisy environments or have situational limitations. Features that allow users to customize their experience based on context can benefit everyone.
Case Study 4: Google's Accessibility Innovations
Google has pioneered accessibility features like TalkBack for Android and Live Transcribe for real-time speech-to-text conversion. Their approach to accessibility often focuses on creating clear structure and enhancing readability across their wide range of products.
Google has also developed the Lighthouse tool, which helps developers automatically test their websites for accessibility issues alongside performance metrics. Their Material Design guidelines emphasize accessible design practices, including proper color contrast, touch target size, and text legibility.
Additionally, Google's Chrome browser includes built-in accessibility features like automatic image descriptions and the ability to navigate pages by headings or landmarks, making web content more accessible to all users.
Practical Takeaways:
- Implement clear navigation structure through proper heading hierarchy, ARIA landmarks, and intuitive page organization. Simple navigation improvements like breadcrumbs and descriptive page titles significantly improve content navigability for all users, especially those using screen readers. According to the WebAIM Million report, nearly 60% of home pages had empty links or missing alternative text, while over 50% had low contrast text. These simple structural issues create major barriers for users with disabilities.
- Focus on readability by using color contrast checkers and implementing simple readability improvements. If the function of your page is to provide text-based content that you want users to read, then make it as readable as possible. The importance of minimizing distractions and following recognizable layout standards is more than just talk—if implemented correctly, it might be the most important factor in keeping users engaged with your content. Tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker or Google's Material Design Color Tool can help ensure your text meets WCAG contrast requirements.
Conclusion: Small Changes, Big Impact
As we've seen through examining these major tech companies' approaches to accessibility, you don't need enterprise-level resources to make significant improvements. The most effective accessibility enhancements often come from implementing existing best practices and taking advantage of tools already at your disposal.
You can make substantial accessibility improvements with relatively small changes:
- Implement multiple navigation options like breadcrumbs, search functionality, and site maps to help users find content in different ways.
- Look into more accessible file standards like DAISY for digital publications, PDF/UA for documents, and create Section 508 compliant presentations. These standards exist to make content accessible, and following them often involves simple adjustments to how you create and format documents.
- Give all your media alternative representations through alt-text, captioning, or alternative formats. This simple step ensures that users with visual or hearing impairments can still access your content effectively.
By adopting these approaches, accessibility becomes less of a daunting technical challenge and more of an integrated design philosophy— one that improves the experience for all users, not just those with disabilities. The techniques we've explored from Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google demonstrate that accessibility isn't just about compliance; it's about creating better digital experiences for everyone.
About the Author
Nathan Race is an intern at the American Foundation for the Blind’s Talent Lab program, and a Computer Science graduate from Wayne State University. With a background in full-stack development, Nathan is passionate about finding practical solutions to improve digital accessibility. In his spare time, he works on small projects aimed at enhancing the usability of popular websites. Nathan is dedicated to making the digital world more inclusive and user-friendly through engaging learning content, and exciting new technologies.
About AFB Talent Lab
The AFB Talent Lab aims to meet the accessibility needs of the tech industry – and millions of people living with disabilities – through a unique combination of hands-on training, mentorship, and consulting services, created and developed by our own digital inclusion experts. To learn more about our internship and apprenticeship programs or our client services, please visit our website at www.afb.org/talentlab.
