Making Your AI Assistant Accessible to Everyone
1 in 4 adults has a disability. Is your AI assistant serving them?
Why Accessibility Matters
- 26% of adults have some disability
- Legal requirements (ADA, EAA)
- Larger addressable market
- Better experience for everyone
Accessibility Considerations
Visual Impairments
- Screen reader compatibility
- High contrast support
- Keyboard navigation
- Clear focus indicators
Hearing Impairments
- Text-based is naturally accessible
- Visual notifications for alerts
- Captions for any audio/video
Motor Impairments
- Large click/tap targets
- Keyboard-only operation
- Reduced motion options
- Generous timeout settings
Cognitive Considerations
- Simple, clear language
- Consistent navigation
- Error recovery support
- Reading level appropriate
Implementation Checklist
- Semantic HTML in chat widget
- ARIA labels on interactive elements
- Keyboard navigation support
- Color contrast 4.5:1 minimum
- Focus visible indicators
- Screen reader testing
- Motion reduction respect
Testing Your AI
- Navigate with keyboard only
- Test with screen readers (NVDA, VoiceOver)
- Check color contrast
- Verify at 200% zoom
- Test with voice control
Accessible AI is better AI for everyone.