Barriers to Digital Access

In a world that is increasingly digital, technology has promised connection, independence, and equal access to opportunities. For people with disabilities, this should have been revolutionary, breaking down barriers that exist in the physical world.

Digital Connection may not always look the same

As a blind person, I experience technology through a very specific lens, relying on screen readers and other assistive tools to navigate websites and apps. I can only speak from that vantage point. I don’t know what accessibility looks like for people with other disabilities — physical, cognitive, or otherwise — but I suspect they, too, face their own unique challenges and moments of exclusion.

On paper, the internet should be a great equalizer. Many companies proudly claim that their websites and apps are “accessible,” often pointing to their compliance with established standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). While these guidelines are necessary and important, meeting them is just the beginning. Accessibility is not a checklist to complete but a lived experience to create.

A website can have perfectly labeled buttons and meet every requirement, yet still be confusing, illogical, or exhausting to use with a screen reader. Imagine trying to order food online when the menu items read out of order, or trying to complete a form when you can’t tell which field triggered an error message. These frustrations aren’t always visible to the people who build these systems, but for those of us on the receiving end, they can be the difference between independence and exclusion.

Innovation, while exciting, often leaves certain users behind. New trends like visual-only verification methods — think CAPTCHA puzzles where you must click all the pictures with traffic lights, or QR codes with no alternative instructions — can completely block access for blind users. Even streaming platforms that claim to be accessible sometimes hide audio description settings deep in menus or make their playback controls impossible to navigate without sight. These may seem like small oversights to developers or designers, but they have a profound impact on someone trying to watch a movie, manage their banking, or simply shop online.

Everyday tasks that many people take for granted can become minefields of digital barriers. Inaccessible forms with unlabeled fields or dropdown menus that don’t work with a keyboard can make applying for a job or paying a bill an exercise in frustration. Pop-ups and dynamic content that appear without warning can completely throw off a screen reader, leaving the user stranded on a page with no clear way forward. Even basic design choices, like fixed font sizes or unchangeable color schemes, can make it impossible for low-vision users to adjust things to meet their needs. These issues may seem minor to those who don’t experience them, but for the people who do, they can represent significant roadblocks to participating fully in society.

The cost of digital exclusion is not just inconvenience; it’s a loss of autonomy, opportunity, and equality. When an online banking platform isn’t accessible, it limits financial independence. When job portals can’t be navigated with assistive technology, it reinforces employment gaps. When telehealth services don’t consider accessibility, health care becomes harder to manage. These are not abstract problems — they affect real lives every single day.

While I can only speak with certainty about the blind community, I strongly suspect that people with other types of disabilities face similar, if different, struggles. Someone with limited mobility might struggle with apps that require precise gestures, while a person with a cognitive disability might find complex navigation overwhelming. Their barriers may not look exactly like mine, but the result is the same: exclusion from the digital spaces that so many others move through effortlessly.

Creating a truly inclusive digital world requires more than technical compliance. It takes empathy, education, and a willingness to listen. Companies need to involve people with disabilities from the very start of the design process instead of treating accessibility as an afterthought. They need to think beyond the minimum requirements and focus on how the experience actually feels for someone using assistive technology. Accessibility should not be seen as a special feature or a side project. It is a fundamental part of good design — one that benefits everyone, not just those with disabilities.

The digital world has incredible potential to empower people like me, but until we address the hidden barriers and commit to meaningful change, that potential will remain unfulfilled. The next time you use a website or app, consider who might be excluded from that experience and what could be done to make it better. Because true accessibility isn’t about checking boxes — it’s about making sure everyone, no matter their abilities, has a place at the table.

Written By Michelle Friedman

Michelle Friedman is the board chair of Keshet in Chicago, a member of Disability Lead and has been a disability advocate for 40 years. She has written two children’s books and is a frequent speaker for elementary and high school-age students. #AllInForAllAbilities