We had a strong discussion in the Providers of NDIS Services Support Page about how to manage business cards at expos. Some suggested tools like Seeing AI and ChatGPT, while others mentioned braille cards. These can help, but they do not solve the bigger problem. At large events, people collect many cards and flyers. Going through each one with an app takes time and can feel overwhelming. Braille is also not a simple answer. Many people who lose their sight later in life do not read braille, and some do not have the fingertip sensitivity to learn it.

Handing paper to a person with vision impairment can also send the wrong message. It raises a bigger question about accessibility. If the marketing material is not accessible, what about service agreements and other important documents? The same concern applies to people with dyslexia, dysgraphia, motor challenges, or sensory issues. An NDIS provider may offer excellent services, but participants are more likely to choose providers who show they understand all communication needs, including digital accessibility.

There will be times that you will find a website or a piece of documentation that is not accessible to you for various reasons.  The words might be too small to read, or the font that is used is hard to read.  The words might not be understandable by you or the website can’t be magnified without making the site unreadable. 

The first step in resolving this issue is to make a note of the date and time and the name of the website that you are viewing.  Take a screen shot by pressing “Print Screen” on your keyboard or take a photo.  Find the contact us page for the company involved and  email them with a photo and explain the accessibility issue.  Ask  if a meeting can be organised to discuss the accessibility issues.  If you do not get a good response then you have the right to contact the Human Rights Commission.  

Digital accessibility means making websites, documents, apps, and digital tools usable by everyone, including people with disability. This includes people who use screen readers, keyboard navigation, voice input, magnification tools, or alternative formats to access digital content.

Digital accessibility ensures equal access to information, services, and opportunities. When digital content is not accessible, people with disability can be excluded from education, employment, healthcare, and everyday activities. Accessible design benefits everyone, including older users, people with temporary injuries, and users on mobile devices or slow connections.

Digital accessibility benefits people who are blind or have low vision, people who are deaf or hard of hearing, people with cognitive or learning disability, people with physical or neurological disability, and people who use assistive technology. It also improves usability for all users, not just those with disability.

WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. These guidelines explain how to make digital content more accessible to people with disability. WCAG is the international standard used by governments, organisations, and businesses to meet accessibility and inclusion requirements.

Yes. Digital accessibility is linked to the Disability Discrimination Act. If a website, document, or digital service is not accessible, it may be considered discriminatory. Many organisations are legally required to meet WCAG standards, especially in government, education, health, and essential services.

Common barriers include poor colour contrast, missing image descriptions, inaccessible PDFs, videos without captions, websites that cannot be used with a keyboard, unclear headings, and forms that screen readers cannot understand. These issues can make digital content unusable for people with disability.

Assistive technology includes tools such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, speech recognition software, refreshable braille displays, and alternative input devices. These tools allow people with disability to access and interact with digital content.

Screen readers convert on-screen text and elements into speech or braille. They rely on proper structure, labels, and semantic code to function correctly. If a website is not built accessibly, screen readers may not be able to read or navigate the content properly.

Yes. Accessibility does not limit design or creativity. An accessible website can be modern, visually engaging, and on-brand. Accessibility is about how content is structured and coded, not about removing visual design.

An accessibility audit is a review of a website, document, or digital product to identify accessibility issues. Audits often include automated testing, manual testing, and testing with assistive technology. The outcome is a clear list of issues and practical recommendations for improvement.

No. Automated tools are useful but limited. They can only detect some accessibility problems. Manual testing and assistive technology testing are essential to identify real-world barriers experienced by users with disability.

Accessibility remediation is the process of fixing accessibility issues identified in an audit. This can include improving colour contrast, adding text alternatives, fixing headings, improving keyboard navigation, and correcting document structure.

No. Accessibility is an ongoing responsibility. Websites and digital content change over time, so accessibility needs to be considered during design, development, content creation, and regular updates.

Accessibility should be considered from the start of any digital project. Building accessibility in early is more effective, more inclusive, and more cost-efficient than fixing problems later.

DASAT supports organisations with accessibility audits, remediation guidance, assistive technology training, user testing, and practical advice. The focus is on real-world accessibility, not just technical compliance.

Accessibility overlays are third-party tools that sit on top of a website and claim to fix accessibility issues automatically. Examples include products like accessiBe. These tools do not fix the underlying accessibility problems in a website’s code. Instead, they attempt to mask issues using automated scripts, which often fail when used with screen readers and other assistive technology. Overlays can interfere with how assistive technology works, create new barriers, and give a false sense of compliance. Many disability advocates and accessibility professionals advise against overlays because they do not meet WCAG requirements and do not provide equal access for users with disability.

Accessibility tools are features, software, or technologies that support people with disability to access and use digital content. These include screen readers, screen magnifiers, voice recognition software, alternative input devices, captioning tools, and refreshable braille displays. Accessibility tools also include built-in operating system features such as text resizing, colour adjustments, and keyboard navigation. These tools rely on websites and digital content being designed and built accessibly in order to work properly.

DASAT does not recommend or support the use of accessibility overlays or automated “one-click” accessibility tools. These products do not fix underlying accessibility issues and may create additional barriers for people using assistive technology. True digital accessibility requires accessible design, development, and content that meet recognised accessibility standards.

A digital accessibility audit is a thorough review of a website, document, or digital product to identify accessibility issues. The audit typically includes automated testing, manual checks, and testing with assistive technology such as screen readers and magnifiers. Auditors check elements like headings, forms, images, videos, colour contrast, and keyboard navigation. The result is a clear report that lists issues, explains the impact on users with disability, and provides practical recommendations for remediation. Audits help organisations understand where they stand, meet compliance requirements, and create a more inclusive digital experience.

1. Planning and Scope – Identify the website, documents, or digital products to be audited. Decide which accessibility standards (like WCAG) will be used.
2. Automated Testing – Use software tools to scan for common accessibility issues, such as missing image descriptions, poor colour contrast, or incorrect heading structure.
3. Manual Review – Check areas that automated tools can’t detect. This includes testing forms, navigation, headings, links, and content structure.
4. Assistive Technology Testing – Test the content with screen readers, magnifiers, braille displays, and other assistive technology to see how real users experience the site.
5. Reporting – Produce a detailed report outlining the issues found, their impact on users with disability, and recommendations for fixing them.
6. Recommendations & Remediation Plan – Provide clear guidance on how to correct problems, prioritise fixes, and make ongoing improvements.
7. Follow-Up & Retesting – After remediation, retest the site to ensure all issues are fixed and accessibility is maintained over time.