{"id":85584,"date":"2021-07-27T22:45:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-28T03:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allyant.com\/?p=85584"},"modified":"2025-08-27T13:06:03","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T18:06:03","slug":"the-national-federation-of-the-blind-cracks-down-on-accessibility-overlay-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allyant.com\/blog\/the-national-federation-of-the-blind-cracks-down-on-accessibility-overlay-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"The National Federation of the Blind Cracks Down on Accessibility Overlay Tools"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

We would all like to find a quick fix for many things in life. Regarding digital accessibility for your website or mobile app, finding a \u201cquick fix\u201d may seem easy, but the correct fix<\/em> is required to provide equitable access to all users. The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) recently provided much-needed insight on accessibility overlay tools.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allyant agrees with the NFB\u2019s overlay insights, which resulted from resounding pushback on sponsorship in this year\u2019s conference. In this article, we will review:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. The NFB\u2019s stance on overlay tools<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. An absolute path to creating accessible technology<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. How to get started on the path to WCAG Compliance for your website or mobile app<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The NFB\u2019s stance on overlay tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Pointedly, the National Federation of the Blind took a stand against most overlays as a solution for digital access<\/a> for the blind community (native screen reader users). This information came to light in their recently released resolutions, passed during the NFB\u2019s National Convention on July 10, 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    NFB Resolution<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Regarding overlay tools, the NFB has stated: \u201coverlay providers attempt to convince website owners that overlays are the easiest and most affordable way to protect a website owner from lawsuits and make their websites accessible and compliant with the WCAG; and we demand that overlay providers stop making misleading, unproven, and unethical claims which falsely inflate the value and effectiveness of their technology.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In addition, the NFB called out a few specific accessibility overlay tools<\/a> and distinguished where they are failing the blind community of equitable access. The NFB board of directors went on to state that accessiBe in particular \u201coverstates the effectiveness of automated testing by diminishing the importance of having actual humans participate in the user testing process and promotes the false claims of attaining Web Content Accessibility Guidelines compliance through the integration of one line of code.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Close<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    NFB Convention Statement Regarding Overlay Sponsorship<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Furthermore, the NFB revoked accessiBe\u2019s sponsorship<\/a> of their 2021 National Convention. This resulted from the review of the overlay tool and urging from members and the blind community. In the NFB\u2019s June 24th statement, they said, \u201cThis week, the Board of Directors reviewed accessiBe\u2019s business practices at the urging of members who have researched and interacted with the company, and the Board believes that accessiBe currently engages in behavior that is harmful to the advancement of blind people in society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Multiple<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    An actual path to creating accessible technology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The failure of quick fixes is well documented, such as in this Forbes article on accessibility overlays.<\/a> With this in mind, let\u2019s review the steps you or your company can take to create accessible technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Our approach to WCAG Compliance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Our approach to equitable digital access and WCAG Compliance is using humans, not a machine. This is the only effective way to look at and define the problems and solutions. Attempting to solve digital accessibility with a \u201ctool\u201d is a debunked method. In other words, it offers nothing more than a band-aid. Using a machine gives website operators a false sense of security that the site is accessible. Genuine usability, as defined by the WCAG success criteria, requires:<\/p>\n\n\n\n