Accessibility Modes and Overlay Solutions

This question asks whether your software requires users with disabilities to activate a special mode or use a different version to access your product. Think of it like asking if wheelchair users need to use a separate entrance instead of the main door. Modern accessibility standards expect your main product to work for everyone without requiring special activation or separate interfaces.

Using accessibility overlays or special modes creates legal risk and poor user experience. These band-aid solutions often fail to meet compliance standards, exposing you to lawsuits and failed enterprise deals. Native accessibility built into your core product demonstrates maturity, reduces support costs, and opens your market to the 1 in 4 adults with disabilities. Enterprise buyers increasingly reject overlay solutions as they've learned these don't provide true accessibility.

The biggest mistake is believing that adding an accessibility overlay widget solves compliance requirements. These automated solutions often make accessibility worse and are explicitly rejected by many procurement teams. Another pitfall is creating a 'simplified version' thinking it's easier - this segregated approach is discriminatory and typically provides inferior functionality.