In this video, Frank Spillers, Service Designer and Founder and CEO of Experience Dynamics, walks you through how color contrast, captions, cognitive differences, and motor limitations can change the way people use websites and apps, and explains why creating disability personas and testing across a range of needs helps you build more inclusive experiences.
Note that the video refers to Asperger syndrome. While this used to be an officially recognized condition, it has now been folded into Autism Spectrum Disorders more generally, along with a number of related diagnoses. Asperger syndrome does not appear in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR).
Additional Information on Color Blindness
While red-green color blindness is most common, color vision deficiency encompasses several types, including red-green variants (protanopia and deuteranopia) and tritanopia (blue-yellow deficiency). Approximately 8% of men and 0.5% of women have some form of color blindness.
Modern accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.2) require that color should never be the only means of conveying information. (This is a universal principle of interaction design.) Effective techniques include using patterns or textures in charts, adding text labels or icons alongside color coding, ensuring sufficient contrast ratios (at least 3:1 for UI elements), and using shape differentiation. For example, error messages should combine a red color with an icon and descriptive text, rather than relying solely on color.
WCAG 2.2 Requirements
WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.1 (Use of Color, Level A) requires explicitly that color is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element. Success Criterion 1.4.3 (Contrast Minimum, Level AA) requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for standard text (up to 11 pt approximately) and 3:1 for large text against its background. Together, these criteria ensure that content remains accessible to users with color vision deficiencies and low vision.
Web Accessibility Standards Evolution
While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted in 1990, web accessibility standards have undergone considerable evolution since then. The revised Section 508 standards (2018) incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level AA as the baseline for federal websites and digital content. WCAG 2.2, published in October 2023, represents the current benchmark for web accessibility best practices, introducing new success criteria for mobile accessibility, cognitive disabilities, and users with low vision.
Accessibility for Hearing Disabilities
Accessibility for users who are deaf or hard of hearing extends beyond captioning. WCAG 2.2 requires synchronized captions for prerecorded and live audio content, audio descriptions for video content where visual information is essential to understanding, and sign language interpretation for important content. Captions must be accurate, synchronized, and identify speakers, while transcripts should be provided as an alternative for audio-only content.
Current Braille Usage and Technology
Current research indicates that approximately 10% of legally blind people read braille, though this figure varies significantly by age at onset of vision loss and educational background. Modern refreshable braille displays now integrate seamlessly with screen readers on computers and mobile devices, providing tactile access to digital content. These displays have become more affordable and portable, with some models offering Bluetooth connectivity for use with smartphones and tablets, making braille access more practical for everyday use than in previous decades.
Disability Prevalence and Technology Usage Statistics
Overall Disability Prevalence in the U.S.
More than 1 in 4 adults (28.7%) have a disability—approximately 70 million people (2022 CDC data).
16.7% report multiple disabilities.
Breakdown by Disability Type
Based on 2022 data, the most common disability types among U.S. adults are:
Cognitive: 13.9%
Mobility: 12.2%
Independent living: 7.7%
Hearing: 6.2%
Vision: 5.5%
Self-care (difficulties with bathing, dressing, etc.): 3.6%
Screen Reader User Technology Preferences
91.3% use screen readers on mobile devices (2024 WebAIM Survey).
58% prefer mobile apps over websites for everyday tasks.
Employment and Accessibility Impact
Only 37.6% of screen reader users with disabilities are employed full-time, compared to 83.2% without disabilities.
85.9% of screen reader users say more accessible websites would have a greater impact than better assistive technology.
This data reinforces that website accessibility barriers, not limitations in assistive technology, remain the primary challenge for users with disabilities.
