Modern website accessibility focuses not only on the legal aspects but also covers the offering of accessible and inclusive learner experiences. While ensuring that the web content is accessible to a large audience covering people with visual, auditory, motor, cognitive, and other impairments. The key focus of the businesses here is to adhere their websites to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
This article focuses on the role of modern technology- artificial intelligence in the effectiveness of website accessibility solutions. We’ll focus on the limitations of the traditional accessibility solutions followed by the benefits of the AI in these solutions.
Traditional website accessibility solutions- Key limitations
To start with, web accessibility refers to the accessibility of web content and applications for people with visual, audio, motor, cognitive, and other impairments. The focus here is to ensure that people with impairments can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the web content like a general audience.
The traditional methods used in website accessibility services focus on regular audits by experts, the use of accessible design principles, and manual coding practices. It is a resource-intensive process and slowly becomes challenging when businesses deal with evolving accessibility standards. The key limitations of these solutions cover:
- Specialized knowledge
Traditional web accessibility solutions require dedicated knowledge of the accessibility concerns due to the unavailability of the required sources.
- Consistent maintenance
Maintaining web accessibility with consistent changes in the web content leads to consistent monitoring and improvements.
- Manual efforts
The manual process of website accessibility evaluation and offering remediation solutions is time-consuming.
Advantages of AI-powered accessibility solutions
After having a quick overview of the traditional website accessibility solutions, here are the key points highlighting the benefits of using AI-powered solutions:
- Automating the web accessibility audits
Firstly, web accessibility audits are empowered with the use of artificial intelligence. It is easy to identify the common accessibility issues like color contrast, improper heading structure, and missing alternative text. This use of advanced tools helps focus on the web page analysis and report the key accessibility problems.
The top tools used here cover the Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool (WAVE) and Axe by Deque. WAVE uses AI to evaluate the web content and offer quick feedback on accessibility issues while Axe uses AI to analyze web applications for adhering to WCAG compliances and other accessibility guidelines.
- Offering real-time content adaptation
The website accessibility solutions can now offer real-time content adaptation by using AI-powered tools. The ability of AI to dynamically adapt to web accessibility needs helps in quick text size, contrast, and layout modifications. It is based on user preferences adding to the availability of personalized content.
Tools like UserWay help offer AI-driven widgets that can be quickly added to the websites to offer real-time adjustments for different accessibility needs. It covers customizable text size options and text-to-speech conversion.
- Improved screen readers
The screen readers when powered by AI offer sophisticated results in interpreting and vocalizing the web content. Powered by machine learning algorithms, these tools offer a better understanding of the web structure and content for meaningful and accurate descriptions.
The top tools here refer to NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) and Job Access With Speech (JAWS). NVDA is an open-source screen reader using AI to improve the user experience and JAWS uses advanced artificial intelligence to improve content interpretation and navigation.
- Voice recognition and control
The use of AI in web accessibility services focuses on the need of people with motor impairments to offer them voice recognition and control. It covers easy website navigation and interaction with the web content using voice commands only.
The top technologies used are Dragon NaturallySpeaking Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. Dragon NaturallySpeaking uses AI to convert voice commands into quick actions allowing the users to control the overall web experience hands-free for people with impairments. Technologies like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa offer voice-controlled web browsing and interaction capacities enhancing the overall website content adaptation and interaction.
- Predictive text and autocomplete
The use of the AI-powered predictive text and autocomplete feature helps businesses facilitate easy website content communication and interaction. These systems are empowered to promote easy and efficient communication for people with impairments. The overall cognitive load on users decreases while it is easy for these systems to predict the user input and offer suggestions.
The top examples are Gboard by Google and Grammarly. Gboard by Google uses AI to offer predictive text and suggestions for helping users in communication and typing. Grammarly promotes writing by offering real-time suggestions and corrections based on AI analysis.
- Image recognition and alternative text creation
Last but not least AI is helping in quick image recognition and making it accessible for people with impairments.
Tools like Microsoft Azure’s Computer Vision and Google Cloud Vision API help in easy image recognition and automatic alternative text creation for catering to web users with impairments.
Final thoughts
AI is the transformative factor when it comes to adhering to modern website accessibility solutions. It is easy to understand the key challenges in traditional web accessibility solutions followed by the benefits of AI in maintaining the accessibility of modern websites.
Not to miss is that the future of AI in web accessibility holds immense importance with the consistent developments in emerging technologies and research.