Assistive Technologies — How People with Disabilities Use the Web

DodaTech Updated 2026-06-28 5 min read

In this tutorial, you will learn about Assistive Technologies. We cover key concepts, practical examples, and best practices to help you master this topic.

Assistive technologies including screen readers, magnifiers, voice recognition, switch devices, eye tracking, braille displays, and reading tools enable people with disabilities to perceive, navigate, and interact with digital content effectively.

What You'll Learn

You will learn the major types of assistive technology, how each one works, which disability groups use each technology, and how to design and test for compatibility with each one.

Why It Matters

Accessibility is meaningless without assistive technology. Understanding how these tools work helps you design interfaces that work with them rather than against them.

Real-World Use

When DodaTech tests Durga Antivirus Pro, the QA team uses NVDA screen reader, Windows Magnifier, Dragon voice recognition, and keyboard-only navigation to verify compatibility with the most common assistive technologies.

flowchart TD
  A[Assistive Technologies] --> B[Screen Readers]
  A --> C[Screen Magnifiers]
  A --> D[Voice Recognition]
  A --> E[Switch Devices]
  A --> F[Braille Displays]
  A --> G[Reading Tools]
  B --> H[NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, TalkBack]
  C --> I[ZoomText, built-in magnifiers]
  D --> J[Dragon, built-in speech]
  E --> K[Single button, puff-sip]

Screen Readers

How Screen Readers Work

Screen readers parse the Document Object Model (DOM) and convert content to speech or refreshable braille. They announce elements as users navigate with keyboard shortcuts.

Major Screen Readers

Screen Reader	Platform	Cost
NVDA	Windows	Free, open source
JAWS	Windows	Paid (most expensive)
VoiceOver	macOS, iOS	Built-in, free
TalkBack	Android	Built-in, free
Narrator	Windows	Built-in, free

How Users Navigate

Screen reader users navigate by headings, links, landmarks, form fields, and other semantic elements. They rarely read a page from top to bottom.

<!-- Well-structured page for screen readers -->
<html lang="en">
<body>
  <header role="banner">
    <nav aria-label="Main">
      <ul>
        <li><a href="/">Home</a></li>
        <li><a href="/scans">Scans</a></li>
      </ul>
    </nav>
  </header>
  <main>
    <h1>Scan Results</h1>
    <table>
      <caption>Recent threat scans</caption>
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th scope="col">Date</th>
          <th scope="col">Threats found</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td>2026-06-28</td>
          <td>0</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </main>
</body>
</html>

Expected behavior: A screen reader user opens the Rotor menu (VoiceOver) or Elements list (NVDA) to see a list of headings, links, and landmarks. They jump to the table and hear the caption before the data.

Screen Magnifiers

Users with low vision zoom portions of the screen. They see only a small area at a time. Designs must work at 200 percent to 400 percent zoom without horizontal scrolling or overlapping elements.

Voice Recognition

Users with motor disabilities control their computer by speaking. They say click Search or press Tab to navigate. Buttons and links must have clear names. Generic text like Click here is not voice accessible.

<!-- Voice accessible button -->
<button onclick="startFullScan()">Start full system scan</button>
<!-- User says: click Start full system scan -->

Switch Devices

Users with severe motor disabilities use one or two switches. The computer scans through elements, and the user presses the switch when the desired element is highlighted. This requires a logical tab order and focusable elements.

Braille Displays

Deaf-blind users read content through refreshable braille displays that convert text to raised pins. Screen readers output to these displays. Semantic content with proper headings and landmarks is essential because braille displays show limited characters at a time.

Reading Tools

Users with dyslexia and other cognitive disabilities use text-to-speech tools, browser extensions that simplify layouts, and readability modes like Doda Browser's reader mode.

/* Support reading tools with proper HTML structure */
article {
  max-width: 70ch;
  line-height: 1.6;
}
/* Reading tools can extract this article content cleanly */

Common Mistakes

Each screen reader behaves differently. Test with NVDA (Windows free) and VoiceOver (macOS built-in) at minimum.

2. Making Click Here Links

Screen reader users scan by links. Click Here tells them nothing. Use descriptive link text like View scan results.

3. Forgetting Keyboard Users

Not all assistive technology users are screen reader users. Many use only a keyboard with a magnifier.

4. Hiding Content from Assistive Technologies

Using aria-hidden on visible content hides it from screen readers. Use it only for decorative or duplicative content.

5. Not Testing with Voice Control

Voice control users say the name of the button they want to click. Button names must match visible text.

Some users with low vision or cognitive disabilities also use screen readers to reduce visual strain.

7. Ignoring Mobile Assistive Technology

VoiceOver on iOS and TalkBack on Android are screen readers. Mobile accessibility is equally important.

Practice Questions

1. What are the four most common screen readers?

NVDA (Windows, free), JAWS (Windows, paid), VoiceOver (macOS, built-in), and TalkBack (Android, built-in).

2. How do screen reader users typically navigate a page?

They jump by headings, links, landmarks, and form fields using keyboard shortcuts. They rarely read linearly.

3. Why is descriptive link text important for voice recognition users?

Users say click followed by the link text to navigate. Click here requires the user to say click click here which is awkward.

4. What is a switch device and who uses it?

A switch device is a single-button or puff-sip input used by people with severe motor disabilities. The computer scans elements and the user presses the switch to select.

5. Challenge: Install NVDA (free) and navigate your own website using only the screen reader. Document three issues you find.

FAQ

Do I need to own all assistive technologies for testing?

No. NVDA is free for Windows. VoiceOver is built into every Mac and iPhone. These two cover the majority of users.

How does a screen reader handle images?

It reads the alt attribute. If alt is missing, it reads the file name. If alt is empty (alt), it skips the image.

Can assistive technologies interact with JavaScript?

Yes, but custom JavaScript widgets must use ARIA to communicate roles, states, and properties to the assistive technology.

What is the difference between aria-hidden and role presentation?

aria-hidden removes the element from the accessibility tree entirely. role presentation removes semantic meaning but keeps the content accessible.

Does a screen reader read CSS content?

No. Content added with CSS pseudo-elements like ::before is not announced. Always put meaningful content in HTML.

Mini Project

Install NVDA screen reader on a Windows machine (or use VoiceOver on Mac if that is your primary OS). Navigate to any news website. Practice using heading navigation (H key), links navigation (K key), and read the page from top to bottom. Write down what you learn.

What's Next

Explore The Business Case for a11y to understand the financial and competitive advantages of accessibility. Then learn about a11y Stakeholders who are responsible for accessibility in organizations.

← Previous Disability Types — Visual, Auditory, Motor, and Cognitive Next → The Business Case for Accessibility — Profit, SEO, and Risk Reduction

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