By Akashdeep Bansal, Founder and CEO – SaralX Accessibility Pvt. Ltd.


When organizations begin their accessibility journey, one of the most common questions we hear is:

“There are already screen readers, voice control tools, captions, magnifiers, keyboards, and many other assistive technologies available. If these tools exist, what exactly is expected from developers?”

The answer becomes much clearer when we compare the digital world with the physical world.

 

The Wheelchair and Ramp Analogy

Imagine a person who cannot walk independently and uses a wheelchair for mobility.

The wheelchair is an assistive technology. It enables the individual to move around and participate in everyday activities.

However, the wheelchair alone is not enough.

If a building has only stairs and no ramp or lift, the wheelchair becomes ineffective. The user still cannot enter the building.

For the wheelchair to work as intended, the physical environment must be designed appropriately. Buildings need ramps with proper inclination, accessible entrances, sufficient space for movement, and other accessibility features.

In other words:

• The wheelchair is the user’s tool.
• The accessible infrastructure is the responsibility of the building designer and developer.

Both are required for accessibility to work.

 

The Same Principle Applies to Digital Accessibility

The digital world operates in exactly the same way.

Persons with disabilities use a wide range of assistive technologies to access digital products:

• Screen readers for people with visual impairments
• Screen magnifiers for users with low vision
• Voice access tools for users with mobility impairments
• Keyboard navigation for users who cannot use a mouse
• Captions, sign language interpretation, and transcripts for users who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Alternative input devices and switches for users with complex accessibility needs

These technologies are the digital equivalent of a wheelchair.

But just like a wheelchair cannot climb inaccessible stairs, assistive technologies cannot access poorly designed digital products.

A screen reader cannot interpret a button that has no accessible label.

Voice access tools cannot activate controls that are not properly coded.

Keyboard users cannot navigate a website if focus management is broken.

Captions cannot help if video content is published without them.

The assistive technology may be functioning perfectly, but the digital infrastructure prevents access.

 

What Is Expected from Developers and Designers?

Developers are not expected to build screen readers.

Designers are not expected to create voice control software.

Organizations are not expected to invent new assistive technologies for every disability.

Their responsibility is to ensure that digital products are built according to recognized accessibility standards.

When accessibility standards are followed correctly, assistive technologies can interact with digital content as intended.

Think of it as building the digital equivalent of ramps, elevators, tactile pathways, and accessible entrances.

 

Accessibility Standards Provide the Blueprint

Fortunately, organizations do not have to guess what an accessible digital experience looks like.

Several globally recognized standards provide clear guidance:

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
• BIS IS 17802, India’s digital accessibility standard
• European Accessibility Act (EAA)
• Section 508 in the United States
• EN 301 549 in Europe
• Other regional accessibility regulations and standards

These standards define how websites, mobile applications, documents, and digital services should be designed and developed so that they work seamlessly with assistive technologies.

 

One Standard, Many Disabilities

Another common misconception is that organizations must build separate solutions for every disability.

In reality, accessibility standards are designed to support a wide range of user needs through a single inclusive approach.

For example:

• Proper semantic structure helps screen reader users.
• Keyboard accessibility helps users with mobility impairments.
• Sufficient color contrast helps users with low vision.
• Captions support users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Clear navigation benefits users with cognitive disabilities.

By following accessibility standards, organizations create a foundation that enables different assistive technologies to work effectively.

This means developers do not need to optimize separately for every screen reader, keyboard, voice control application, or assistive device.

The focus should be on building standards-compliant digital experiences.

 

Accessibility Is a Shared Responsibility

Assistive technologies and accessible digital design are partners.

Neither can achieve inclusion alone.

Users bring their preferred assistive technologies.

Organizations must provide digital products that are compatible with those technologies.

Just as a wheelchair requires accessible infrastructure to unlock mobility, assistive technologies require accessible digital products to unlock access to information, services, education, employment, healthcare, banking, travel, and countless other aspects of modern life.

 

Final Thoughts

The goal of digital accessibility is not to create assistive technologies. Those tools already exist and continue to evolve.

The real responsibility of designers, developers, product teams, and organizations is to ensure that their digital products follow recognized accessibility standards.

When standards such as WCAG, BIS IS 17802, EAA, and Section 508 are implemented correctly, people with disabilities can use the assistive technologies of their choice to access digital content independently and effectively.

Accessibility is not about building the wheelchair.

Accessibility is about building the ramp.

About the Author

Akashdeep Bansal is the Founder & CEO of SaralX Accessibility Private Limited and is passionate about advancing digital accessibility and inclusive design through standards-compliant digital experiences.