Note from Lois:
This week I’m thrilled to have a guest post written by Emilie Brown from the company Continual Engine. I love receiving requests to share relevant articles from others in the same field that I think will be of value to my readers. When I chatted to Emilie and learned a little about her work, I jumped at the opportunity. I hope you enjoy what she wrote for us.
How Visually Impaired Users Access Websites
For many visually impaired users, tools like screen readers, magnifiers, and voice commands shape how they experience websites. Simple things like reading a menu, filling out a form, or clicking a button can feel smooth or frustrating depending on how the site is built. In this blog, we will walk through how visually impaired users access websites, what tools they rely on, and what actually makes a site more usable. Whether you want to understand these experiences better or create more accessible content, this guide clearly breaks down everything you need to know. Let’s get started.
How Visual Differences Affect Web Navigation
For people with low vision, browsing websites can feel frustrating instead of easy. Text-heavy pages become hard to scan when there is too much content packed closely together. Small font sizes and low color contrast reduce readability and comfort. It gets even more challenging when buttons, links, or form fields do not stand out clearly, leaving users unsure of where to click or how to move forward on a page. Cluttered layouts or distracting animations can also overwhelm and make it harder to focus.
These design issues can turn simple tasks like reading content or completing forms into complicated experiences. Understanding these barriers highlights why accessible design matters so much.
How Visually Impaired Users Interact With Websites
Understanding how visually impaired users interact with websites helps designers, developers, and content creators build more inclusive online experiences. Since many users rely on assistive tools instead of sight alone, technologies like screen readers, magnifiers, and voice navigation become essential. Here is how they work.
1. Screen Readers
Screen readers are software programs that read the content of a web page aloud. People with visual impairments use these tools to understand what is on the screen. The screen reader converts on-screen text into speech or braille using special output devices. Users can listen to the content being read or use a refreshable braille display to feel it.
Popular screen readers include JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver for Apple, and TalkBack for Android. To navigate smoothly, screen reader users benefit from proper focus order, headings, landmarks, and meaningful alt text. If a website is not structured cleanly, the screen reader cannot interpret it correctly, which makes the experience frustrating or sometimes impossible.
2. Screen Magnifiers and Zoom Tools
Not all visually impaired users browse non-visually. Many have low vision and use magnification tools for clarity. Built-in magnifiers on Windows and macOS, along with third-party apps, help enlarge sections of the screen for better visibility.
Magnification only works well if the site is responsive and does not break when zoomed in. When text overlaps, buttons shift out of view, or navigation becomes messy, the website becomes difficult to use. Designing for responsiveness supports both mobile users and magnifier users.
3. Braille Displays
Braille displays convert on-screen text into braille using raised pins. These devices help users who are deafblind and users who prefer braille over audio. They work best when the HTML of a page is clean and semantic with headings marked as headings and buttons marked as buttons. Proper markup helps the braille device interpret content accurately. Without this structure, the output becomes confusing or incomplete.
4. Keyboard-Only Navigation
Many visually impaired users navigate websites using a keyboard because a mouse may not be practical or accessible. They use the Tab key to move between elements with audio or visual cues to understand their position on the page.
To support this, websites should include skip links, clear focus indicators, and a logical tab order. If menus, buttons, or forms cannot be reached or used with a keyboard, the experience becomes inaccessible for anyone relying on keyboard navigation.
5. Voice Navigation and Smart Assistants
With tools like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa, many users navigate using voice commands. They may ask devices to open websites, search content, or read specific sections aloud.
For voice navigation to work well, content needs structure. Semantic HTML and meaningful headings help smart assistants identify and return the right information. When the site is organized clearly, voice navigation becomes more accurate and helpful.
What Makes a Website Accessible
Here are some simple but important things that contribute to accessible digital experiences.
1. Semantic HTML
Using proper HTML structure with correct heading levels, lists, and clean layouts helps assistive tools interpret the page accurately. When the structure is clear, users who rely on screen readers and braille displays can navigate more easily.
2. Alternative Text
Images should always have meaningful alt text. This short description helps users with visual impairments understand the purpose of the image. Whether it is a chart, scenery photo, or icon, alt text communicates what is there and why it matters.
3. Color Contrast
Color should never be the only way to convey information. Some users may be colorblind or have low vision and may not notice minor variations in shade. Use clear labels or shapes along with color. It also helps to check text and background shades using a contrast checker
to meet visibility standards. Strong contrast improves readability for everyone.
4. Scalable Fonts
Fonts should be flexible and scalable. Users must be able to zoom in or increase font size without breaking the layout. Avoid fixed-size text. When fonts scale properly, the reading experience becomes more comfortable for people with low vision or other reading difficulties.
Closing Thoughts
Whether someone uses assistive tools or not, accessibility shapes the way we all interact with the web. For visually impaired users, small improvements can transform a confusing page into something clear and smooth to navigate. For developers and content creators, accessible practices lead to cleaner, more user-friendly sites for everyone. When we understand each other’s needs, the web becomes a space that feels smoother, fairer, and more inclusive.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do people with visual impairments browse the web?
They use tools like screen readers, keyboard shortcuts, and braille displays to read and navigate webpages.
2. What can developers or content creators do to make websites more accessible?
Use proper HTML, add alt text to images, maintain strong color contrast, label forms clearly, and ensure full keyboard accessibility.
3. What tools help visually impaired users online?
Screen readers like JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, magnifiers, voice assistants, and adaptive browsers.
4. Is accessibility required by law?
Yes. Many countries follow standards like the ADA and WCAG to ensure websites are usable for everyone.
Author Bio:
Emilie Brown works with the Content Marketing team at Continual Engine, a leading AI-based accessibility solutions provider, which enables organizations to create digitally accessible content in compliance with universal accessibility laws. Her approach and methodology are simple, concise, and to the point and connect with readers seeking solution-driven content on topics related to accessibility and remediation. Apart from working, she loves to spend time with her dog, volunteer, and play her guitar.
