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Why accessibility matters
According to the World Health Organisation, around 1.3 billion people, 16% of the world’s population, experience significant disabilities. In the UK, one in five people live with a disability . These people have the right to use websites the same way as everyone else and those rights are enshrined in law.
Acts like the UK Equality Act, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) require website owners to actively provide an equal website experience for all their users , while the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) outline the best practices that website owners and developers should follow.
How AI improves website accessibility
Making sites accessible can be time-consuming. Today, AI offers automated solutions to help WordPress sites improve accessibility without requiring owners to have technical know-how. Here are some of the main ways AI is used.
- Real-time content adjustmentThe latest AI tools can dynamically adapt WordPress website content to suit the needs and preferences of users with disabilities. For instance, they can:
- Automatically adjust font sizes for users with visual impairments.
- Adapt contrast levels or switch to dark mode to make pages easier to read.
- Change page layouts to suit user needs
- Automatic image recognition and alt textVisually impaired users often rely on screen readers to provide descriptions of images. Unfortunately, not every website provides alt text (alternative text) for every image and the descriptions are not always meaningful. Manually putting these in place across every image could take a very long time, but today’s AI-powered tools analyse image content to automatically generate accurate alt text for the user.
- Chatbot assisted navigationThe latest AI chatbots don’t just deal with user queries; they can also assist those who are struggling to navigate the site, including users with cognitive impairments and those who find it difficult to process lots of information. Operating in real-time, chatbots can quickly guide users to the sections they need.
- Voice recognition and navigationFor users with motor disabilities who need to navigate a website hands-free, AI voice-recognition tools can now implement spoken commands, ensuring users who cannot operate a mouse or keyboard can access all parts of the site.
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Suggested AI tools for use with WordPress
There are several AI-powered tools and plugins that you can use to make your WordPress site more inclusive. These include:
- accessWidget: Compliant with WCAG, this AI tool scans your site, learning the purpose and function of every element before adapting them for the needs of different users. An accessibility widget lets users customise the changes for their own needs, either by choosing a pre-configured profile for specific disabilities or by customising settings for their individual needs. Functions include optimising the site for screen readers and keyboard navigation, providing accurate alt text for images and rearranging content layout.
- Equalweb Auto AI Accessibility Widget: This tool gives users real-time control of accessibility features using voice or text commands to ensure a personalised browsing experience. WCAG-compliant, it provides speedy access to screen readers and font or contrast adaptations, together with voice-assisted hands-free navigation and enhanced layouts and reading guides.
- Userway Accessibility Widget: Using AI, this tool instantly modifies a website to accommodate the needs of a wide range of disabilities, including visual, audial, motor and cognitive impairment, dyslexia, epilepsy and ADHD. Providing more than 100 AI-powered accessibility tools, it ensures compliance with WCAG.
There are various other AI accessibility tools available, some of which are free plugins in the WordPress repository. However, given the advanced technology these tools use, the free plugins only offer basic features.
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Benefits of using AI for accessibility
Implementing AI-powered accessibility tools offers several advantages:
- Instant audit and compliance: Traditionally, improving accessibility would require owners to evaluate their site’s accessibility features against the WCAG guidelines. While a manual audit would take considerable time and effort, most AI solutions carry these assessments out by default before automatically making the adjustments needed.
- Avoid lawsuits: By ensuring compliance with acts like the Equality Act, ADA and EAA, website owners can avoid unwanted legal consequences. There have been a growing number of accessibility cases against website owners, over 2,200 in 2023, particularly in the US.
- Improved audience reach and user experience: Making a website accessible means more people can use it. This can boost the number of visitors you receive, increase sales and encourage loyalty.
- Better rankings: Search engines rank sites higher if they offer accessibility features like alt text and clear navigation. An inclusive website can therefore have a positive impact on search engine visibility.
Find out how WordPress is evolving, read: The Future of WordPress: Trends to Watch in 2025
Conclusion
With so many disabilities to cater for, creating a truly accessible website has been incredibly challenging to achieve. To be effective, websites need to adapt to the needs of different users, which requires a high degree of personalisation. The latest AI accessibility tools do exactly this, modifying sites for specific disabilities and enabling visitors to use customised profiles. At the same time, they ensure website owners comply with laws and meet WCAG guidelines.
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