There is so much misinformation about accessibility overlays
There is nothing wrong with an accessibility toolbar. We have been using them since 2006 when we built our first accessible website to WCAG 1.0 AAA standard. The key difference is that ours were built into the code. Commercial toolbars load large amounts of code from external servers when activated, and that is where the problems begin.
They may help with WCAG 1.4.8 Visual Presentation, but that is a AAA criterion. It sits outside WCAG 2.2 AA, which is what the Public Sector Guidelines and most laws around the world require. In other words, overlays do nothing to help a site meet compliance.
I once tested a website using a ReciteMe toolbar. One feature removed the navigation entirely. Another, a Picture Dictionary, used symbols to explain the word Accessible. It included the symbol for the square root of -1, an imaginary number. Combined with a thumbs up and wheelchair symbol, the message seemed clear: good accessibility is imaginary. This was certainly the case as far as their toolbar was concerned!
Now that the European Accessibility Act has come into law, true accessibility is not only a legal requirement but also a mark of quality design. At Access by Design, we believe accessibility should be built in from the start, not added on later.
If you would like to discover how an accessible website can look beautiful, function perfectly, and meet the latest standards, visit
https://accessbydesign.uk/contact/
https://accessbydesign.uk/contact/
