Accessibility is not just physical access, it also concerns digital products, spaces and services. Credit: Sophie Mitchell for UCL.

11 March 2025

By Leda Kamenopoulou and Ben Watson

What is and what is not accessibility?

Accessibility is often defined as the extent to which products, services and spaces are easy for people with disabilities to access and use. In this blog post, we argue that this is a narrow view and accessibility is a lot more than that. We do this by busting six common misconceptions.

Myth number One: Accessibility is for disabled people.

Fact: Accessibility begins with empathy and recognising the myriad beautifully different ways humans perceive, experience and connect with the world. By celebrating the diverse methods people use to engage with their environment and with each other – at any point on the spectrum of (dis)ability, with diagnosed or undiagnosed, disclosed or undisclosed, visible or invisible or even as yet unrecognised needs – accessibility benefits everyone. For example, strategies to support hearing needs benefit those with hearing impairment and many others, such as non-native language speakers. Adding alternative text to infographics or images for screen reader users also helps anyone who might not necessarily understand complex visual information. Simply put, we all use our senses to access the environment, so we all have sensory needs, and we all need access.

Myth number Two: Accessibility is ramps and lifts.

Fact: Accessibility is not just physical access or its frequent and even narrower interpretation as wheelchair access. It also concerns digital products, spaces and services, and other processes. For example, accessibility in teaching and learning must equally focus on the physical space (unobstructed walkways, good lighting, acoustics and clear sound in the lecture hall), the digital platform (documents and images accessible to screen readers, videos with captions) and live teaching delivery (using microphone, clear enunciation, enabling live captions).

Myth number Three: Accessibility is expertise.

Fact: Accessibility is a constant learning journey. If you are proactive, continue educating yourself and improving your practice, your expertise will grow. Use the range of freely available resources that exist, such as UCL’s Accessibility Fundamentals, and openly exchange knowledge and experiences with others. Use tools that can easily help you ensure your resources are accessible: for example, always run the accessibility checker in Word or PowerPoint and fix any problems flagged.

Myth number Four: Accessibility is boring.

Fact: Accessibility is simplicity and clarity (using plain text in presentations to avoid visual clutter caused by decorative visuals and use of colour). It helps us get rid of the fancy stuff and focus on the key messages we want everyone to understand, without distractions that can cause cognitive and/or sensory overload and often confusion. Accessibility also offers choice, through agency, usability and consistency by presenting information in ways that serve individual requirements best. Accessible products, services and spaces only improve everyone’s experience and participation, increasing their engagement. In these respects, less decoration means more understanding, and this is never boring!

Myth number Five: Accessibility is extra work.

Fact: ‘Accessible design, is good design’ and design is forever. Creating products and spaces that are accessible in the first place saves time. Having to address existing problems (for example, when a blind student joins a course that is not accessible to screen reader users and all resources must be adapted in retrospect) is a lot more complex and time consuming than making something accessible by design. Continuous professional development and use of free resources, such as Make Things Accessible, can significantly streamline your workload by providing access to expert insights, practical shortcuts, and efficient techniques shared by experienced professionals.

Myth number Six: Accessibility is not my responsibility.

Fact: Accessibility is a central aspect of the Equality Act, implemented, for example, through reasonable adjustments to eliminate discrimination. It is also mandated by the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations measured by compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG, 2.2 AA). However, when you share information, you need it to be understood and accessed fully by everyone. It’s not just about following rules – it’s about creating true inclusivity. Accessibility isn’t about being nice, it’s a fundamental human right. All people deserve to belong and making that happen is everyone’s responsibility.