I recently read 9 Accessibility Myths and Pushbacks (And How to Answer Them) by Stephanie Walter. In this blog post, Ms. Walter identifies nine reasons people give for not doing accessibility well or, even worse, not doing accessibility at all.
The reason Disabled people don’t use our website brought back a memory from long ago, when I was still working in higher education. In this blog post, I’ll share that unexpected memory and explore the misconception that brought it to the surface.
In 2016, I moved from website administrator to accessibility program manager, the first-ever digital-accessibility-focused position on campus. After pivoting, restructuring, and building a strategic plan for the accessibility program, I launched an accessibility awareness survey for faculty, staff, and students. Before shaping the program, I needed a clear understanding of the community’s existing knowledge, awareness, and perceptions around accessibility. That insight would ultimately guide the program's framework.
The survey had a single prompt: Digital accessibility should be a priority on the university campus.
I’ll share my favorite and least favorite responses, in that order:
- I recall when I first heard the voice box posted on the stoplight on the pathway that goes across Warwick from the Freeman area to East campus. It used to annoy me until one day, I stood at the crosswalk with a young lady who was blind. I finally understood how necessary it was once I took the time to think outside of my own experiences.
- It probably should be a priority, but in my opinion, it is more of a pain in the butt than it is worth, costing more in time and effort than is gained from catering to a small subset of our intended audience.
As you can read or hear from the least favorite response, I had my work cut out for me. That same sentiment was echoed in many responses, though few were as harsh. A significant portion of the university community believed that disabled people either did not access or use digital Information and Communications Technology (ICT), or that the number of users was so small that it was not worth worrying about accessibility.
Thinking that disabled people do not visit your website is akin to removing captions from a video and then deciding that Deaf users were never part of your audience.
That mindset fuels the familiar myth that we don’t have disabled users, which often becomes the justification for skipping the accessibility work. The result is a website that shuts people out. Not only people with disabilities, but anyone who relies on accessible design to get the information they need.
Fact Check: According to the World Health Organization, roughly 16% of the global population lives with a significant disability. That is not a niche audience. That is one in six people. In addition, a widely cited national analysis from the American Institutes for Research estimates that the total discretionary income (money remaining after deducting taxes and living expenses such as food and housing) for working-age people with disabilities is approximately $21 billion.
That makes up quite a large potential customer base that’s being excluded by organizations that don’t think people with disabilities use their website. 🤦🏼♀️
People using assistive tools such as screen readers, magnification software, voice control, captions, or keyboard navigation don’t announce themselves before they try to use your website. If your site is difficult or impossible to navigate, most users won’t file a complaint or open a support ticket. They’ll just leave and share that frustrating experience with friends and family, shaping your reputation in the process.
Some folks assume accessibility isn’t necessary because no one has complained. But an inaccessible website prevents users from reaching the point where they can complain. A classic catch-22.
Accessibility is more than designing for permanent disabilities. It is about creating user experiences that recognize the full spectrum of human ability and circumstance.
For example, captions help people in noisy environments. Clear headings help users scan content faster. Good color contrast helps people using a phone in bright sunlight. Accessible design improves access and usability for everyone, kind of like curb cuts, which are useful for strollers, carts, luggage, and bicycles, too.
Having an accessible website provides several other benefits as well. It strengthens your site’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). An accessible website can also save you money and save your organization’s reputation.
Accessibility is about creating inclusive user experiences that acknowledge real people with different needs who really do use your website every day.
Resources
- Accessible websites only benefit a small minority of users
- 9 Accessibility Myths and Pushbacks (And How to Answer Them)
- How to Convince People to Care and Invest in Accessibility | Axe-con 2026 (YouTube)
A human author creates the DubBlog posts. The AI tools Gemini and ChatGPT are sometimes used to brainstorm subject ideas, generate blog post outlines, and rephrase specific sections of content. Our marketing team carefully reviews all final drafts for accuracy and authenticity. The opinions and perspectives expressed remain the sole responsibility of the human author.
