Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Accessibility Research Symposium 2023

WebAIM: The WebAIM Million - The 2026 report on the accessibility of the top 1,000,000 home pages

For the eighth consecutive year, WebAIM conducted an accessibility evaluation of the home pages for the top 1,000,000 web sites. The evaluation was conducted using the WAVE stand-alone API (with additional tools to collect site technology and category data). The results provide an overview of and insight into the current state of web accessibility for individuals with disabilities as well as trends over time.

The Web Is Being Made Accessible for AI, Not People

Jonathan Zong and Frank Elavsky critique how AI-driven infrastructure changes obscure accessibility and reveal whose needs society chooses to prioritize.

WebAIM: Web Accessibility In Mind

Expanding the potential of the web for people with disabilities by empowering individuals and organizations to create accessible content.

A threat model for accessibility on the web - Alice

A explanation of the primary threat to accessibility on the web, and a call to action for the web standards community

Digital accessibility is real and tangible

A workshop using real-life examples and first-hand experience of how assistive technology works can result in a deeper understanding of accessibility needs

The influence of artificial intelligence on individuals with disabilities

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping assistive technologies, offering new possibilities for enhancing the independence, communication and quality of life of individuals with disabilities. This study presents a qualitative scoping review of 47 peer-reviewed articles published between 2018 and 2025, examining how AI has been integrated into assistive tools across domains such as mobility, communication, cognitive support, education and independent living. Specific AI applications include object recognition, gesture-based control, navigation assistance, emotion detection and natural language processing. The review highlights significant progress in personalization and real-time adaptation, while also identifying persistent challenges such as algorithmic bias, cost barriers, data privacy concerns and unequal access, particularly in low-resource settings. Ethical considerations and the need for inclusive, user-centered design approaches are emphasized. The study also underscores future research priorities, including standardization of development protocols, empirical evaluation of long-term effectiveness and policy frameworks to ensure equitable access. By synthesizing recent developments and critical gaps, this review contributes to understanding how AI can responsibly and effectively support assistive technologies, ultimately promoting more inclusive environments for people with disabilities.

A Deep Dive into Accessibility APIs, Part 1 — Knowbility

In this first Deep Dive into Accessibility APIs installment, we'll start from absolute scratch and recount the widely available basic story. It's written for beginners, but the fact that I describe web accessibility in the broader context of software accessibility might offer a different twist for current practitioners as well. Parts 2 and 3, on the other hand, are more technical. Although those discussions may largely be of interest only to "inquiring minds that want to know", understanding the history and variety of the specialized protocols at the heart of this process sheds light on why screen readers sometimes perform differently in the same application or on the same web site while also providing a glimpse of a likely future.

Fact Sheet: New Rule on the Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps Provided by State and Local Governments

The Department of Justice published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on July 20, 2023 explaining how we propose updating the regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to add more specific requirements about web and mobile application accessibility. This fact sheet gives a plain language summary of the technical standards that state and local governments would have to follow to meet their existing obligations under Title II of the ADA.

AI Doesn't Fix Accessible Systems. It Depends on Them. — Anna E. Cook

Why AI depends on the foundation accessible design systems build — and how "AI will fix accessibility" is producing the opposite outcome at industry scale.

Practical Accessibility — A get-right-down-to-it online course for Web designers and developers who want to start creating more accessible Web user interfaces and digital products today

A get-right-down-to-it online course for Web designers and developers who want to start creating more accessible Web user interfaces and digital products today

lukeslp/awesome-accessibility

Curated list of accessibility resources, tools, and best practices for creating inclusive digital experiences

recommended techniques for accessibility champions - A11y Toolkit

An open-source library of techniques to avoid the most common accessibility failures.

Guides: AI-Based Disability Tools and Resources: Home

This guide provides information about AI tools and research resources related to disabilities.

The influence of artificial intelligence on individuals with disabilities

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping assistive technologies, offering new possibilities for enhancing the independence, …

Library Guides: Accessibility Toolkit for Open Educational Resources (OER): Home

Accessibility guide for creating OER

brief history of browser accessibility support

Author: steve faulkner The Paciello Group contact: [email protected]