1: Accessibility Isn’t About Them

(Or: Why You Don’t Have to Be Disabled to Care)

You’ve probably heard the phrase:

“Accessibility helps everyone.”

That’s… almost true. But not quite.

Accessibility exists to remove barriers for disabled people. It’s not about making things more convenient for everyone – it’s about making things possible for some.

But here’s the kicker: when you do that – when you remove those barriers – the benefits don’t stay neatly in one lane. They ripple outward. They help more people than you expected. And that’s not a happy accident. That’s good design.

There’s a name for this: the curb cut effect.

Illustration of faceless stick figures populating an urban area. A wheelchair user crosses a street thanks to a dip in the curb. Surrounding the wheelchair user are people pushing baby strollers, riding bicycles and skateboards, and handling objects like walking sticks, luggage and dolly trolleys. A label points to the curb dip and says "When we design for disabilities, we make things better for everyone."

Image credit: Sketchplanations

You know those little sloped corners at the end of sidewalks? They were designed for wheelchair users, but now we all benefit. Whether you’re pushing a stroller, dragging a suitcase, skateboarding past the ice cream truck, or just tired of tripping on uneven pavement, curb cuts make your day easier.

Digital accessibility works the same way.

Closed captions? Essential for Deaf users – but also helpful when you’re watching TikTok in bed and don’t want to wake your partner.
Big, easy-to-tap buttons? Critical for someone with a tremor – but also great when you’re juggling your phone with one hand and coffee with the other.
Clear, simple language? Crucial for someone with a cognitive impairment – but also refreshing when your brain’s fried after a long day.

These are situational impairments.
They’re temporary. They’re contextual. They’re human.

Wait, what kind of impairments?

When we think about disability, our minds often jump to extremes. Blindness. Deafness.
 We picture white canes and hearing aids. And those are real, important experiences – but they’re not the whole story.

Impairments can be permanent, temporary, or situational.

  • Permanent means it’s ongoing, like being Deaf or having cerebral palsy.
  • Temporary means you’re affected for a short time – maybe you’ve broken your arm, or you’ve got an ear infection that makes hearing difficult.
  • Situational means your environment is the issue, like trying to use your phone in bright sunlight, or struggling to hear a video in a noisy café.

Different causes, but the barriers can be remarkably similar.
Can’t hear the video? You need captions.
Can’t see the button clearly? You need contrast.
Can’t use your dominant hand? You need better tap targets.

Everyone, at some point, experiences these impairments and the barriers that come with them – even if just for a moment. That’s not a metaphor. That’s Microsoft’s own research.

A table of different characteristics, sorted into columns of different types of impairment, and rows of different senses and stimuli. In the row for touch, having one arm is considered a permanent impairment, an arm injury is temporary, and being a new parent is situational. For vision, blindness is permanent, cataracts are temporary, and distracted while driving is situational. For hearing, deafness is permanent, ear infection is temporary, and bar tending is situational. Finally, for speaking, being non-verbal is permanent, laryngitis is temporary, and speaking with a heavy accent is situational.

Image credit: Microsoft

Fun fact: You already use assistive tech

Think accessibility is something “extra”?
Think again.

That keyboard you’re typing on?
Invented for blind people.

The remote control for your TV?
Created for people with limited mobility.

The mouse you’re holding?
Developed as a pointing device for people who couldn’t use a keyboard.

These are tools that were designed to include – and now we treat them as standard.
Because the things we build for people with disabilities often make life better for everyone.

Accessibility has always pushed technology forward.  It’s a catalyst for innovation and a reminder that when we build with inclusion in mind, everyone benefits.

It’s not about making things easier. It’s about making things possible – and that changes everything.

Accessibility drives progress. It’s not a side quest – it’s the blueprint for building better for everyone.

Back to top