With advancements in artificial intelligence and adherence to accessibility standards, innovative accessibility practices are transforming higher education, ensuring that all students, have equal opportunities to succeed and thrive.  

At AbilityNet’s TechShare Pro 2024 conference, I hosted a spotlight panel on Teach Access. The event brought together thought leaders, accessibility champions, and innovators to exchange strategies, stories, and solutions shaping the future of a more inclusive digital world. 

I had the privilege of speaking with the panel featuring: Kate Sonka, Executive Director of Teach Access, and Regine Gilbert, a faculty member at New York University and trustee of Teach Access. Both have been leading the charge in embedding accessibility within higher education. It was an opportunity to explore how their collaborative and practical approaches could serve as a blueprint for others - and to dream of a world where this work becomes the norm, not the exception.

You can still get an archived ticket to access all TechShare Pro 2024 recordings on the European Accesibility Act, Inclusive advertising and more. 

What Is Teach Access? 

Kate kicked off the conversation by explaining the heart of Teach Access’s mission: bridging the accessibility skills gap. This collaborative initiative brings together industry, academia, disability organisations, and government to ensure that graduates enter the workforce equipped with a foundational understanding of accessibility. 

“We’re not trying to create experts,” Kate noted. “We will always need experts but imagine the impact if new hires simply knew that accessibility existed, that it was critical, and that it needed to be part of every design or development process. That alone would be transformative.” 

Real-World Impact: Regine’s Classroom 

Regine’s perspective as a UX design educator added a dynamic, practical layer to the discussion. Her students don’t just learn about accessibility—they live it through real-world projects. 

For example, Regine’s classes have collaborated with organisations like NASA to develop accessible solutions for blind and partially sighted users. Recently, her students even learned to use a screen reader, guided by someone who relies on it daily. 

“You should’ve seen their faces,” Regine said with a laugh. “At first, they were overwhelmed, but as they got the hang of it, they began to realise the profound challenges—and the immense impact—they could have by designing with accessibility in mind.” 

The feedback Regine receives highlights how this immersive approach changes perspectives. Many of her students carry these lessons into their careers, where they speak up and take action to improve accessibility in their workplaces.

AbilityNet’s Higher Education Maturity Model 

Closer to home, AbilityNet’s Higher Education Maturity Model is playing a critical role in supporting accessibility within UK universities. This framework helps institutions evaluate their current accessibility practices and identify areas for growth. 

The model provides a structured way to assess how accessibility is embedded across various aspects of university operations, from digital services to teaching and learning practices. By identifying strengths and gaps, the model empowers universities to take targeted actions toward creating more inclusive environments. 

The maturity model aligns with the vision of Teach Access by emphasising the importance of making accessibility a natural and integral part of education - whether that’s in faculty training, course design, or the digital tools students and staff rely on every day. 

Many UK institutions are already making fantastic progress using this approach, supported by AbilityNet’s expertise, and are beginning to see tangible results in their accessibility journeys. 

Check out our HE and FE Accessibility Maturity Model, a guided accessibility maturity evaluation session with AbilityNet and McNaught Consultancy where we will evaluate your current maturity using an evidence-based scoring framework and provide you with a detailed roadmap of recommendations.  As an accessibility consultant, I can work with you to support you with the planned next steps in your accessibility journey. 

Speak to our experts

Key Takeaways from the Panel 

The session was packed with valuable insights, but here are a few standout points: 

Start early: 

Embedding accessibility into education at all levels ensures students see it as a natural, essential part of their learning - and equips them to become advocates in the future.  

Move beyond awareness: 

Awareness is just the beginning. Practical action is what drives change, and that’s exactly what Teach Access is empowering students to take into their careers. 

Small steps, big impact:  

Kate emphasised the importance of incremental improvements. Tackling one aspect of accessibility, like colour contrast, can build confidence and create a ripple effect across departments and institutions. 

Student Feedback and Cultural Shifts 

The impact of Teach Access extends far beyond the classroom. Students leave empowered to identify and address accessibility gaps in their professional environments. Over time, this growing base of accessibility-aware professionals contributes to larger cultural shifts within organisations and industries. 

As Regine put it, “It’s not just about knowing something isn’t accessible - it’s about doing something to fix it.” 

A Vision for the UK and beyond

One of my favourite parts of the discussion was imagining how Teach Access’s collaborative model could take root in the UK. Combined with tools like AbilityNet’s Higher Education Maturity Model, there’s immense potential to make accessibility a cornerstone of education. 

The message was clear: accessibility isn’t a daunting mountain to climb all at once - it’s a journey of consistent progress. 

A Community of Changemakers 

As the panel wrapped up, I couldn’t help but feel energised by the wealth of ideas and experiences shared - not just by our speakers but by the audience at TechShare Pro. Many attendees have already started their accessibility journeys, supported by initiatives like AbilityNet, and are making fantastic progress. 

Events like these remind us that we’re part of a vibrant, passionate community working toward the same goal: creating a more accessible digital world. There’s still so much to discuss, but the momentum is here. Let’s keep the conversation - and the collaboration - going. 

How can AbilityNet support you to drive accessibility forward in your work or organisation? 

AbilityNet’s expert consultants can help you ensure your higher education (HE) or further education (FE) website, apps and other digital services are usable, accessible and complied with the new UK accessibility regulations. 

• Are you a web developer or digital editor at a college or university? 
• Does your role focus on inclusion or looking after the 'student experience'? 
• Do you need advice about the new public sector digital accessibility regulations? 
• Are you stretching your budget to improve accessibility at your organisation? 

We can help. 

Our specialist services help you ensure that every student can access information and services on each of your platforms. By working with our experts, you can rise to the challenge of offering an accessible experience for all your users and complying with accessibility regulations. 

Speak to our experts 

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) aims to harmonise accessibility standards across the European Union (EU), ensuring equal access to digital products and services for over 100 million disabled people. At AbilityNet’s TechShare Pro 2024 conference, I hosted a panel titled "European Accessibility Act: Are You Ready?".  

Ulrike Haltrich (Sony Europe), Mark Lapole (eBay), Michelle Jacques (Reach), and Mike Fooks (Elsevier) talked about how their organisations are addressing the EAA, including leadership challenges and sustainable practices for compliance. This blog offers highlights, insights and strategies for navigating these changes.

• Access all TechShare Pro 2024 recordings. 

The relevance of the European Accessibility Act 

The EAA marks a pivotal shift toward inclusive practices across industries in Europe with its accessibility requirements for certain products, such as TV equipment and e-readers, and for certain services, such as consumer banking and e-commerce. This directive serves as a catalyst for change, challenging organisations to integrate accessibility across their operations.  

Businesses form all over the world that operate within the European Union's internal market are preparing to comply with new accessibility legislation, bringing benefits to businesses and disabled people. The discussion revealed not only challenges but also the innovative solutions organisations are adopting to embed accessibility into their core processes.   

1. Key highlights from the panel

Start now! 

Many organisations of all sizes are actively preparing for the EAA by aligning their processes and standards with the new requirements. This includes coordinating activities across different regions and involving various teams such as legal, compliance, and product development. 

Challenges and concerns of the EAA

One major concern is the varying transpositions of the EAA across different countries, which can lead to inconsistencies. The lack of finalised standards for certain areas, such as packaging and customer support, also poses challenges. 

Collaboration and leadership 

Effective collaboration between teams and strong leadership are crucial for successful implementation. The panellists emphasised the importance of raising awareness and fostering a culture of accessibility within organisations. 

2. Insights and strategies 

Each of the panellists shared unique insights and strategies from their current work. 

Sony Europe's comprehensive strategy for the EAA 

• Sony Europe is taking a comprehensive approach to the EAA.
• Ulrike emphasised the importance of involving various teams, including legal and compliance, to ensure alignment and a common understanding of the requirements. She highlighted the challenges of coordinating activities across different regions and the need for internal standards to harmonise interpretations and processes.
• Ulrike's approach to developing technical reports and guidelines for specific products, such as digital televisions, provided a practical example of addressing the complexities of the EAA. 

eBay's transformative approach to the EAA 

• eBay views the EAA as a significant driver for organisational change.
• Mark described the EAA as a catalyst for change, driving organisations to inspect and improve their accessibility practices. He focused on integrating accessibility into everyday workflows and making it a fundamental aspect of organisational culture, which resonated deeply with the audience.
• Mark's insights on the importance of collaboration and raising awareness within teams were valuable lessons in fostering a culture of accessibility. His strategy of leveraging regulatory and legal partners to support accessibility initiatives was a practical approach to ensuring compliance and driving change. 

Reach plc's human-centred approach to the EAA 

• Reach plc is focusing on the human element of accessibility.
• Michelle's focus on changing hearts and minds rather than leading with fear was a powerful reminder of the human element at the core of accessibility efforts. Her approach to fostering a positive and inclusive mindset within organisations was both practical and inspiring. 
• Michelle emphasised creating a level playing field where everyone can work towards the same accessibility standards, highlighting the importance of inclusivity and collaboration. Her strategy of starting small and building an atomic network of advocates within the organisation was a practical tip for driving change. 

Elsevier's customer-centric approach to the EAA 

• Elsevier is turning challenges into opportunities for improvement.
• Mike's approach to "hugging our haters" and turning negative experiences into opportunities for improvement was a valuable lesson in transparency and customer engagement. He emphasised making public statements about learning from mistakes and involving customers in the process of improving accessibility as a practical strategy for building trust and credibility.
• Mike's insights into the challenges of aligning complex environments with new regulatory requirements and the importance of having a clear plan and structure for compliance were valuable lessons for any organisation preparing for the EAA. 

3. Final thoughts 

The European Accessibility Act is not just about compliance. It is a chance to redefine how organisations approach inclusion.

Panels like this remind us of the collective responsibility to ensure accessibility becomes second nature in our workflows. As June 2025 approaches, let’s embrace this as a shared opportunity to lead with empathy and innovation.   

More EAA guidance 

• Access all TechShare Pro 2024 recordings 
• Watch our webinar recording on the EAA 

The first day of AbilityNet’s TechShare Pro 2024 conference focused on the Disability and Advertising Summit. This included thought-provoking panels and global insights from brands and agency leaders, focusing on creating authentic, accessible campaigns that drive business success.

• Read this blog to learn from brands including Primark, Cadbury, ISBA, Diageo, Inclusive Africa and many more.
• Check out five key lessons here - and access all of the TechShare Pro 2024 recordings on the website. 

Why Primark builds accessibility in all aspects of its business  

Primark’s spotlight session, featuring speakers Charlie Magadah-Williams from Primark and broadcaster and disability influencer Dr. Shani Dhanda, illuminated its groundbreaking efforts to create adaptive lingerie that meets the needs of diverse consumers.

The clothing range includes items like front-fastening bras and side-fastening briefs (both with magnetic fastenings) for those with limited dexterity, demonstrating that accessibility can go hand in hand with style.

Models from the disabled community spoke about how wearing these products fostered confidence and independence. The campaign, co-led by accessibility consultant Dr. Shani Dhanda, prioritised authentic representation by featuring disabled individuals both in front of and behind the camera.

Beyond products, Primark has made significant strides in enhancing store accessibility. This includes accessible tills, staff training, and an accessibility audit conducted with AccessAble. They also introduced a familiarisation video for models, showcasing studio facilities and accessibility features, ensuring a welcoming and inclusive experience for everyone involved.

Watch the Primark spotlight session below.

Inclusive advertising is a business opportunity 

Another highlight for me was the practical session ‘Delivering Accessible Communications Campaigns’ with Michelle Yeadon from RMA, Eileen Hanna from Diageo, Bobi Carley from ISBA, and AbilityNet’s Trustee, Alison Orsi, who was formerly head of global marketing at IBM.

They discussed how brands can make their advertising campaigns more inclusive and shared practical insights into creating accessible and diverse media. Each of them emphasised the importance of including disabled people at every stage of campaign development - from ideation to execution. And simple yet effective steps, like adding subtitles, alternative text, and audio descriptions, were highlighted as essential practices.  

In the case of video campaigns, the crucial component of having disabled people with lived experiences both in front of and behind the camera was also discussed. 

The panellists stressed that inclusivity is not just a moral imperative but also a business opportunity, as consumers increasingly favour brands that reflect their values. Brands were also encouraged to embrace progress over perfection, to start somewhere, and to learn as they go.

Cadbury's shows why authentic representation matters 

Another standout session came from Cadbury, which showcased its groundbreaking ‘Cadbury’s BSL Fingers’ ad. The campaign celebrates inclusivity by reimagining the brand’s iconic “Cadbury Fingers” biscuit in the context of British Sign Language (BSL).

Watch the video below to see the ad, which features a deaf family using BSL to communicate their love for the product, capturing authentic moments of joy and connection. Importantly, the campaign not only highlights the richness of Deaf culture but also integrates accessibility into its creative process, employing Deaf actors and consultants throughout production. 

Cadbury’s presentation delved into the process of crafting this campaign, from initial concept to execution, underscoring the importance of authenticity in inclusive advertising. The campaign is a prime example of how brands can use their platforms to celebrate diversity and challenge stereotypes, inspiring other companies to think more inclusively about their messaging. 

Cultural contexts influence disability representation

The session ‘A Global Perspective on Disability Representation’ explored the variation in portrayals of disabled people in the media around the world.

Irene Mbari-Kirika from Inclusive Africa, Inclusive Leadership Coach Gina Badenoch, Dinesh Sharma from HSBC, and Natsumi Wada from SOLIT Japan, explored their first-hand experiences to understand how cultural attitudes, societal norms, and media landscapes shape the depiction of disability in advertising. 

In Japan, social harmony and conformity can sometimes discourage individuals from seeking accommodations. In Mexico, lingering stereotypes cast disabled individuals as either "heroes" or "victims," creating a barrier to authentic representation. Across Africa, initiatives like the Inclusive Africa Conference are driving progress by highlighting the untapped potential in technology and storytelling. 

While some countries are making strides in presenting nuanced, empowering portrayals, others lag, often resorting to pity-based narratives or tokenistic representation.  

The session underscored the need for a more balanced, authentic approach to storytelling - one that moves beyond stereotypes and showcases disabled people as complex, multifaceted individuals.

Watch the full session recording below.

Inclusive advertising is a call to action 

Day one of TechShare Pro 2024 was an enlightening experience, packed with inspirational stories, practical takeaways, and global perspectives. The sessions demonstrated the immense power of advertising to change perceptions and promote inclusivity. The shift away from TechShare Pro’s usual focus on technology to address inclusive advertising proved to be both refreshing and impactful. It served as a call to action for brands and media creators to embrace inclusivity not only as a moral imperative but as a creative and business opportunity. 

As attendees reflected on the day, one sentiment stood out: inclusive advertising has the potential to make every consumer feel seen and valued, which benefits society—and brands - in profound ways. 

• To explore all the sessions and gain deeper insights, get your archive ticket to access all TechShare Pro 2024 recordings.
• Talk to our experts at AbilityNet about how our services can deliver your commitment to accessibility and inclusion.  

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• AbilityNet is trusted by some of the biggest brands on the planet to deliver accessibility.​
• Download our Digital Accessibility Services brochure for detailed information about each of the services we offer and to learn how we can support you.
• Or speak to our experts today. 

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In addition to having chats with so many inspirational people working in digital accessibility, including Sarah Herrlinger from Apple (pictured, right, with me and my guide dog, Hugo), one of my top highlight themes from Day 2 of AbilityNet's TechShare Pro 2024 conference was around the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and accessibility.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming many aspects of technology, particularly when it comes to accessibility. For both disabled users and developers creating accessible software, AI is proving to be a game-changer.

From real-time transcription services to tools for automated code compliance, the potential for AI in accessibility is vast and growing.

Here’s how AI is making strides in this domain, supported by practical examples.

Empowering people with disabilities through AI

AI-powered tools are becoming essential for disabled individuals by helping bridge gaps in everyday activities and communication. Here are a few examples:

• Be My AI: Building on the popular Be My Eyes app, Be My AI leverages generative AI to interpret images and provide detailed contextual information. For example, a visually impaired person can photograph ingredients and ask the AI what dishes they could prepare.
• Seeing AI by Microsoft: This app uses a smartphone camera to read text, identify objects, and recognize handwriting, aiding blind users in navigating their surroundings and tasks independently.
• Ava and HeardThat: Apps like these transcribe conversations in real time, using advanced speech recognition models. HeardThat, in particular, isolates voices from background noise, a boon for those with hearing impairments.
• AI-Powered Hearing Aids: Devices such as the Orka Two dynamically adjust settings to optimize sound clarity, prioritizing voices over ambient noise.
• Goblin Tools: An AI-powered to-do list that breaks complex tasks into manageable steps, helping users with executive dysfunction stay organised.
• Google's Project Relate: Designed for individuals with non-standard speech patterns, this tool converts their speech into comprehensible text or spoken responses.

There’s no doubt that AI is unrivalled in assisting people with disabilities in their daily lives, but it’s also important that the apps and websites they need to use are accessible and inclusive.

Assisting developers in accessibility

AI is not only aiding end-users but also empowering developers to create more inclusive software and ensure compliance with accessibility standards. Key applications include:

1. Automating accessibility testing

Tools like Google’s Lighthouse and axe by Deque Systems: Automated testing suites use AI to scan for WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliance, identifying common errors like poor colour contrast or missing alt text. Other common elements such as JavaScript, however, currently remain outside the abilities for AI to assess for accessibility.

2. Code generation and refinement

GitHub Copilot: This AI tool assists developers by generating code snippets, including accessible components. While it streamlines coding, developers must verify its outputs for accessibility compliance since AI can still make errors.

3. Creating personas for testing

AI has begun to be used to simulate user personas, predicting potential barriers for individuals with specific disabilities. For instance, it can model the experience of someone with low vision or limited mobility and highlight potential areas of concern.

These tools help reduce the time and effort required to identify accessibility flaws, enabling a more inclusive development lifecycle.

Challenges and ethical considerations with AI

Despite its potential, AI in accessibility comes with challenges:

• Accuracy and Trust: AI models like ChatGPT sometimes confidently produce incorrect outputs, underscoring the need for human oversight – especially where the user in question isn’t able to verify the data themselves due to their disability.
• Data Privacy: Using AI often involves processing user data, raising concerns about security and consent.
• Ethical Testing: Simulating disabilities raises questions about whether AI can truly replicate lived experiences without oversimplifying or misrepresenting them.

The road ahead

Discussions from TechShare Pro 2024 included that AI's capabilities are evolving rapidly, promising even more innovative solutions for accessibility. Tools are becoming better at recognising nuanced user needs, from generating more contextually aware responses to creating fully accessible digital experiences. 

For developers, AI offers a path to more efficiently integrate accessibility into every stage of the design and testing process, ultimately resulting in technology that works for everyone.

By continuing to address ethical considerations and leveraging AI responsibly, we can ensure that it serves as a powerful ally in building a more inclusive digital world.

We look forward to you joining us at next year's TechShare Pro conference! If you'd like to catch up with all the sessions from this year's event, get an archive ticket to access all the recordings. 

Accessibility training courses

A new survey report highlighting the results of AbilityNet’s Attitudes to Digital Accessibility Survey 2024 shows that universities and higher education (HE) institutions continue to face big challenges in meeting their legal responsibility to provide accessible services for disabled students.

Factors that respondents report are affecting meeting those requirements include lower budgets and concerns about meeting the needs of the European Accessibility Act.

Higher Education focus on legislation

The survey was live during August and September 2024, and gathered 441 responses in full. Of those who completed the survey, 30% (133 respondents) were people working in HE, representing a significant portion of respondents.

This year, 'meeting legal requirements' was cited as a bigger motivator to deliver digital accessibility for the higher education sector than all survey respondents in general, as 89% chose it as a key motivator, compared to 72% from the all sector responses overall. 

When asked 'Can you explain what you think are any reasons for the priority your organisation applies to digital accessibility?' responses included:

• "The university is engaged in what I would call 'random acts' of digital accessibility. All well intentioned, but not orchestrated and therefore not making as much impact as could be anticipated for students and the local community."
• "There is a recognition of the importance of Digital Accessibility at leadership team level, but at delivery table there is a lack of time and capacity to review and fix accessibility issues."
• "A lack of active, clear senior sponsorship, and confusion around our obligations. There is still discussion as to whether PSBAR applies or not being perpetuated by senior leaders, which is undermining ourwork in digital accessibility."

As we reported earlier this year, the overall results of this year's Attitudes to Digital Accessibility survey, not just the HE sector, show a worrying indication that digital accessibility is a lower priority in 2024 than 2023, plus sector-wide uncertainty over European Accessibility Act.

The full Attitudes to Digital Accessibility report will help you benchmark your digital accessibility activities against other organisations, gain valuable insights into common issues in inclusion such as meeting the EAA requirements, keeping up with the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations (PSBAR) and give you ideas for improvements you can make. 

Download the free 2024 report

At-a-glance HE sector findings

• 44% didn’t expect their organisation’s spending on digital accessibility to increase in the next year (compared to 37% of all respondents). 
• Only 5% strongly agreed that their organisation helps individuals to develop the skills needed to deliver digital accessibility, compared to 14% of all respondents.
• Higher education sector also reported conducting less user testing and user research than the average of respondents, but it reports using more automated tools than other sectors for digital accessibility testing.   

What were the biggest barriers to digital accessibility in HE in 2024?

1. Lack of awareness of digital accessibility
2. Limited or no time allocated
3. Procurement of inaccessible solutions or elements

They were all cited as bigger barriers to the higher education sector than the other sectors reported.

A strain on funding could also have an impact on the HE sector in the coming year: a higher percentage of higher education organisations reported having eLearning and disability awareness training than all respondents, but a lower percentage had a specific budget for accessibility, and support to gain accreditations.

When asked to 'Please describe in your own words the barriers you face in your role when delivering digital accessibility?' responses included:

• "Getting people to understand that creating inclusive content is easier if you do it from the start! My team often receive content to put online, or promote content which is already online, and we then have to feedback that changes are required. Thinking about accessibility from the start is much easier!"
• "Higher Education has huge complex web estates so making wholesale changes really depends on major strategic projects - tweaking individual pages never gets anywhere. In addition departments will introduce software and tools regularly to support teaching in their discipline, some of this is niche and those vendors dont always recognise the importance."

Accessibility training for Higher Education professionals: Book by end January 2025 to save big

How the HE sector interprets the report results

Julian Tenney, Learning Content Team Leader at University of Nottingham:

"The survey results hint at some real progress, but much remains for the sector to do to ensure that disabled students are not being routinely impacted by digital accessibility issues.

It's pleasing to see a rise in confidence about digital accessibility issues, however, two-thirds of respondents still do not feel very confident in their understanding of digital accessibility. Institutions are increasingly aware of - and concerned about - the potential risks to their brand reputation, but this is not filtering through into meaningful support from senior leadership in driving the necessary changes across their digital estates, and current pressures across the sector mean that digital accessibility is having to fight hard against other competing priorities for bandwidth in the institutional conversation.

Training remains an issue, with fewer than one-in-six participants strongly agreeing that  their institutions help individuals to develop the necessary skills for digital accessibility. It is certainly true that the digital world is a good deal more accessible than it was, but this has largely been driven by technology: six years on from the introduction of PSBAR, the sector has much to do in order to fulfill its responsibilities to disabled students."

Amy Low, CEO at AbilityNet:

“We had another positive response this year to our annual survey from people in the Higher Education sector. 

Responses indicate a growing recognition of the European Accessibility Act (EAA)'s importance and a commitment to understanding its impact on higher education institutions in the UK.

Many institutions are also putting a greater emphasis this year compared with last year's findings, on legal compliance, and with the introduction of the EAA there will be a greater need to ensure accessible procurement processes and structures are in place for those universities who might operate within the EU.

AbilityNet looks forward to working with institutions and sector bodies to help make the transition as smooth as possible and provide guidance about digital accessibility adjustments.” 

Chat with our HE experts

Download our Digital Accessibility Services brochure for detailed information about each of the services we offer and to learn how we can support you. Or get in touch today to discuss your needs:

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Updated December 2024

In a world where complex, confusing and often inaccessible digital interfaces pose barriers for disabled individuals, a new development in digital assistants promises to be a radical step-change in inclusivity.

In eye-catching orange, the Rabbit R1 is a compact, palm-sized device that hides a whole range of revolutionary capabilities. Even though the R1 will start shipping with a shortlist of such smarts, it will still mark a step-change in utility for almost every user – and the promise is enormous.

(Image sourced from the rabbit.tech website.)

What’s so different about this tiny device? Let’s delve into how this Artificial Intelligence (AI) companion, armed with cutting-edge AI, promises to reshape our interactions with both the digital realm and the real world.

Large Action Model (LAM): Bridging intent and action

At this point, we’ve almost certainly all heard of LLMs (Large Language Models) such as Open AI’s Chat GPT or Google’s Gemini. Whilst the Rabbit R1 undoubtedly includes such AI smarts that offer intuitive, chat-based interactions, at the heart of the Rabbit R1 lies the really innovative Large Action Model (LAM).

Free webinar on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Learn more about how AI can help disabled people in our free webinar recording. Watch the webinar playback

Unlike traditional AI models that merely retrieve information, LAMs understand complex requests and execute tasks. Trained on screenshots and videos of common apps, the Rabbit R1’s LAM navigates interfaces like a seasoned user. Imagine asking it to play your favourite Spotify track—it knows the steps and performs them seamlessly even though Spotify hasn’t helped in the process by providing an official integration into its service. This is the true innovation of the LAM.

Many companies have provided an official integration for third-party providers to interface with their services. Called APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), they allow a smart assistant or other app to access their services to, for example, order fast food or a flight to a far-flung country.

But not every online service has an API–only a tiny fraction compared to the number of websites and apps that are out there on the interweb. More often than not you are required to undertake complex and often confusing multi-stage tasks with varying levels of stress and success. Now add in a disability or impairment that might make such tasks much harder or impossible, and you begin to see where a truly useful virtual assistant that could take these tasks off your hands would be a game changer for everyone.

Accessibility training courses

Teach Mode: Using AI to learn complex tasks

The Rabbit R1 has a dedicated training mode that allows users to teach it specific tasks on a website, for example, and it is then able to do those clicks and key presses for you from then on. As it learns, it adapts to new applications, expanding its capabilities beyond pre-taught journeys. It will also remember your information for entering next time. If the site changes, no problem. The AI can intuitively understand screens to know what to do.

Teach the Rabbit about a local grocery store website that offers no such integration and it’s plain sailing from that point on. For a blind person like myself, I can simply ask for what I need to be ordered and it’ll arrive.

Alternatively, I could point the camera on the R1 into my cupboards or fridge and it’ll see which items that I usually keep are missing and will quickly and quietly open up that website and pop those in my basket for the next shop – and I haven’t even had to open my phone, let alone deal with the dozens of buttons and fields I’d normally need to interact with if I were doing it myself (assuming that the website is accessible, of course, which is by no means a given).

Real-world interaction via built-in sensors and connected devices 

So the Rabbit R1 can apply its AI smarts to a range of online tasks hitherto unreachable by any other assistant - that’s its real innovation - but it can, of course, also interface with all your existing smart home devices and services. It can change the temperature on your smart thermostat, turn connected lights and other devices on and off and show you the feed from your security cameras – as other smart hubs can.

It also interacts with the real world using sensors of its own. Equipped with a 360-degree rotating camera, speakers, and microphones, it can perceive and understand a lot about its surroundings.

Want to recognise objects, text, or people? It’s got you covered. Need to translate someone’s speech into text, or filter out noise to help you listen to a conversation, AI is to the rescue.

For disabled users, the R1s sensors can help assist their own senses, which translates to newfound independence in managing daily tasks.

A future of inclusivity

For those who struggle with practical real-world tasks, or complex online processes, the Rabbit R1 has the promise to be a real game-changer. It doesn’t overwhelm you with standalone apps; instead, it connects to your smartphone and provides an alternative, entirely different and much more intuitive interface.

Rabbit OS, the R1’s proprietary operating system, affords this much more efficient digital experience. Whether it’s booking rides, finding recipes, or managing household duties, this innovative device should help simplify the complex and allow many more people to engage with their tech and the digital world at large.

The Rabbit R1 promises to be more than yet another virtual assistant; it might even represent a paradigm shift towards an age of much greater simplicity and convenience.

For disabled people, it’s not just about convenience; it’s about empowerment. From practical tasks to intricate online interactions, the Rabbit R1 bridges the often gaping inaccessibility and complexity gap, making technology accessible to all.

It’s still early days, and much of what may make the Rabbit a true innovation is still to be fully realised, but the new concept of a Large Action Model (with the agency needed to do so much more than the current crop of AIs) is exciting in the extreme. So, whether you’re adjusting your smart home settings or exploring new websites, consider letting a Rabbit be your capable companion on this new, more inclusive journey.

Learn more about Artificial Intelligence and Accessibility 

• Blog: What does Chat GPT think about how AI can help disabled people?
• Webinar recording: How will Artificial Intelligence change accessibility testing?
• Blog: How Artificial Intelligence can revolutionise the world of accessibility

Updated in December 2024.

Accessibility plays a crucial role in ensuring that disabled users can access and interact with websites and applications without any barriers. To achieve this goal, accessibility audits are a valuable tool that evaluates the compliance of your digital product with established accessibility standards.

In this blog post, we will explore:

• what accessibility audits are 
• the benefits of doing an audit
• and the steps involved in accessibility audit

So, what is an accessibility audit?

Accessibility audits involve a comprehensive evaluation of a website, application, or digital product to identify barriers and assess its conformance with accessibility guidelines and standards. 

Audits can be assisted by automated tools, such as accessibility checkers and validators, or undertaken by experts who are knowledgeable in accessibility principles and standards, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). For a comprehensive audit (and resulting report), the process should involve both automated and manual assessments.

Benefits of accessibility audits

So why should you consider doing an accessibility audit? Firstly, accessibility audits help organisations ensure they conform to accessibility laws and regulations - the UK Equality Act 2010 and the European Accessibility Act 2020. By identifying accessibility gaps early on, organisations can proactively address them and minimise the risk of legal consequences.

But, most importantly, by conducting accessibility audits you can improve user experiences for all individuals on any device. By identifying and addressing digital barriers, organisations can provide seamless navigation, interaction, and content consumption - opening their ‘digital doors’ to all users.

Contact us for an accessibility audit

Watch the video below to learn how four out of the five airline apps that our accessibility and usability consultant tested, did not allow blind customers to book a flight using a screen reader.

By also considering the diverse needs of disabled users, you can create accessible digital products that can tap into a significant market segment and enhance your brand's visibility and relevance.

It is also well-established that accessibility and search engine optimisation (SEO) go hand in hand. Many accessibility practices, such as providing descriptive alternative text for images and using semantic HTML, also contribute to better search engine visibility. Conducting accessibility audits can uncover opportunities to optimise your digital assets for search engines while ensuring compliance with accessibility standards. Learn how accessibility improves SEO in our discussion with AXA and SkyScanner.

How to conduct an accessibility audit

An accessibility audit typically involves the following steps:

Pre-audit Preparation - Understand the applicable accessibility standards, gather relevant information about the digital asset, and establish an audit scope and timeline.

Automated Scans - Employ automated accessibility testing tools to help identify certain common issues such as colour contrast, missing alternative text, improper heading structure, or inaccessible forms.

Manual Evaluation - Accessibility experts analyse the digital asset for more nuanced accessibility issues that automated tools aren’t able to evaluate. They assess aspects such as keyboard navigation, JavaScript and multimedia accessibility, and overall usability through the eyes of diverse users.

Manual audits offer a deeper, more nuanced understanding of accessibility issues compared to automated tools. While automated tests can quickly identify some problems, they often miss context-specific issues that only a human can detect. Our team specialises in manual audits, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of your website or app's accessibility, tailored to real user experiences. Contact us for an accessibility audit.

Reporting and Recommendations - The audit findings are compiled into a comprehensive report, highlighting identified issues, severity levels, and suggested remediation strategies.

Remediation and Iterative Improvements - Based on the audit report, organisations prioritise and address the accessibility issues. Iterative improvements ensure continuous refinement of digital assets to align with evolving accessibility standards.

Accessibility audits are a vital component of inclusive design practices, helping organisations identify and rectify barriers that stop disabled users from accessing and utilising digital assets. 

By ensuring compliance with accessibility standards, organisations can enhance the user experience, expand their reach and create an inclusive digital experience for all users.

Are you interested in conducting your own accessibility testing? Explore our online course, "How to Begin Your Own Accessibility Testing," or arrange a focussed team training session. 

Ready to conduct an accessibility audit?

In 2022, AbilityNet conducted 1,371 Accessibility Audits for over 700 organisations, identifying 17,672 accessibility issues and offering advice on how to fix them.

Contact us for an accessibility audit

Did you know accessibility can help reduce 'technical debt'? Does your Chief Technical Officer (CTO) know this? 

What is technical debt?

Technical debt (also known as 'tech debt' or 'code debt') is 'the mess which slows everything down' - the coding updates and adjustments that need to be done in software development following software upgrades or changes.

Accessible code doesn’t need to be an additional burden on CTOs, with a long list of tickets in the backlog. Accessible code improves code maintainability, readability and abiding by best practice reduces the accumulation of technical debt whilst ensuring the product is future proof for new technologies that may emerge or new legislation such as the European Accessibility Act (EAA).  

Embedding accessibility into your tech debt management or refactoring is a cost-effective approach to gradually ensure your team are trained, upskilled in writing accessible code whilst being ready for the European Accessibility Act (EAA) deadline in 2025.

And, with the looming 2025 EAA deadline, companies that haven’t made any progress towards and accessible product are going to be in a hurried rush to meet legislation or face significant and costly legal risks.  

So, why not get ahead of the competition?  

Need help with navigating accessibility legislation and the European Accessibility Act, and what this means for your digital accessibility priorities?

The relationship between accessibility and technical debt 

Technical debt accumulates over-time for a variety of reasons, such as a need to prioritise rapid feature delivery over long-term code quality, which means that inconsistent coding practices can creep in.

The impact is a less maintainable and readable codebase, eventually slowing the rate of feature development.  

Digital accessibility is, in addition, often viewed as something to tackle later at the end of a project. Thus, risking an increase in overall technical debt if large changes are required to meet guidelines.

Instead of seeing accessibility as a last-minute fix, what about embedding accessibility into your refactoring process? And how can this help with managing tech debt?  

1. Standardisation and consistency:

Accessibility guidelines like WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) emphasise consistency and the use of standardised elements. For example, using semantic HTML elements such as <button> instead of custom <div> components not only improves accessibility but also reduces the need for custom code that becomes difficult to maintain over time.

By adhering to these guidelines, your team adopts best practices, creating a more uniform, learnable and manageable codebase. Great for keeping momentum when deploying features and reducing costs when onboarding new team members. 

2. Maintainability: 

As teams refactor with accessibility in mind, they are forced to simplify code. For instance, accessibility features like keyboard navigation and screen reader support often require a cleaner Document Object Model (DOM) structure.

This streamlining reduces the complexity of the codebase, making it easier for developers to identify and fix issues, leading to fewer bugs and less time spent on maintenance. 

3. Automation and Tooling: 

There are a growing number of automation tools, such as Axe Linter or GitHub Actions, that can help identify and enforce accessibility standards. These tools reduce the manual effort involved in ensuring compliance and prevent the introduction of new technical debt by catching poor coding practices, reducing the time taken for those who review pull requests. 

Auditing Western Power Distribution's website

Using accessibility to help communicate the value of tackling technical debt to stakeholders 

For many CTOs, one of the biggest challenges is justifying to stakeholders why resources should be dedicated to tackling technical debt instead of new feature development. While the long-term benefits may seem obvious to the technical team, the business side often needs more concrete reasons.  

1. Cost-Benefit Analysis: 

This is where accessibility can really help move the conversations forward because not only will you be tackling tech debt, but there’s also the added business value of enabling more customers to use the product and reducing the risk of litigation.

The 2025 EAA will make accessibility mandatory for most digital products, and failure to comply could result in legal challenges, fines, or lost customers. Proactively addressing accessibility as part of your technical debt strategy will mitigate these risks and prevent an expensive up-front rush later to meet EAA. 

2. Future-Proofing: 

Accessibility improvements don’t just benefit a small subset of users; they make your product usable by a broader audience, therefore increasing market reach.

Additionally, accessible code is often more adaptable to future technologies, such as new assistive devices or browsers, meaning your product should require less firefighting to update and remain relevant and puts you into a better position to scale as new technologies emerge. 

3. Operational Efficiency: 

When you invest in accessibility-driven refactoring, you’re also improving the overall efficiency of your development team.

Many of the principles underlying WCAG such as using semantically correct HTML is just good code practice. And cleaner, more maintainable code means faster future development cycles, fewer bugs, and smoother onboarding for new developers, all of which translate into long-term savings. 

Provide data to your senior managers about global trends in digital accessibility: 

Actions to embed accessibility into the refactoring process 

1. Automate where possible: 

Incorporate automated testing and linting tools that enforce accessibility standards as part of your Continuous integration / Continuous Deployment pipeline with tools such as Cypress-axe. It’s another layer that will help catch accessibility issues before they enter production. 

2. Gradually upskill your team: 

Ensure that your developers are trained to incorporate accessibility best practices into their code during the refactoring process. This doesn’t mean overhauling entire team or large up-front investment.

Instead, you can focus on gradual learning by leveraging automation and tools like VSCode Axe Linter to help developers identify issues as they code. Manual testing will always be an important part of accessibility, but at least the team will slowly build knowledge and of how to find the most common and easily resolved issues problems.  

3. Audits and manual testing  

By the time you are ready, it’s worth seeking a professional to complete a manual audit to find any issues the team may not have been aware of. However, if you have already been upskilling the audit will be yet another tool for learning.

At AbilityNet, we provide details reports and recommendations for resolving issues with the opportunity to speak to a consultant. Once an audit is complete and the fixes implemented, we complete a recheck to validate they have been resolved.

Therefore, if there are gaps in knowledge or WCAG guidelines the team are having challenges with, it becomes easier to target team training to be the most effective.  

Invest in accessibility now for long-term growth

Accessibility offers a unique opportunity for CTOs, tech leads and software teams to address technical debt while simultaneously future-proofing products.

Far from being an additional burden, accessibility-driven refactoring leads to a cleaner, more scalable codebase, operational efficiency, and ensures compliance with upcoming regulations like the EAA.

By investing in accessibility now, you’re not only reducing future costs but also positioning your product for long-term growth and success.

Further Resources

• Keep up to date with accessibility issues with the AbilityNet newsletter 
• Discover more accessibility and inclusive design training for Content and Designers
• Find out about AbilityNet's free live webinars
• Unsure where to start with digital accessibility? Speak to our experts for help