A little over two years ago, I sat down with accessibility consultant Narelle Wright to discuss digital accessibility and the barriers many Australians with disability still face online.

With the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and smarter accessibility tools, I wanted to find out what has changed.

Surprisingly, the biggest challenge isn't technology.

It's people.

Accessibility tools have improved, but adoption hasn't

According to Narelle, most organisations still face the same two problems:

• They don't know the accessibility features already available.
• Even when they do know, they often don't see accessibility as a priority.

Accessibility is about much more than ticking compliance boxes.

Accessibility benefits far more than people who are blind

One of the biggest misconceptions is that digital accessibility is only designed for people with vision impairment.

Simple improvements to document structure, navigation and content presentation can make information easier for everyone to understand.

Three quick ways to test your website

Narelle shared three practical tests anyone can perform.

1. Check your links

Avoid generic links like:

• Click here
• Learn more

Screen reader users often navigate by reading only the links on a page. A link labelled "Click here" provides no context.

Instead, use descriptive links such as:

• Download the Annual Report
• Accessibility Policy
• Cambridge Dictionary: Accessibility Definition

Users immediately understand where the link will take them.

2. Test using only your keyboard

Many users cannot operate a mouse.

Try navigating your website using only the Tab, Shift + Tab and Enter keys.

If you become stuck or cannot reach certain buttons or menus, people relying on keyboard navigation will experience the same problem.

3. Test your website on a mobile phone

Many assistive technologies are built directly into smartphones.

If your website doesn't function properly with those accessibility features, many users will simply be unable to access your information.

Built-in accessibility tools are already available

Many organisations are surprised to learn that the software they already own includes accessibility checking features.

Accessibility is also a legal responsibility

The conversation also touched on Australia's legal landscape.

Under the Disability Discrimination Act, inaccessible digital documents and websites can be considered indirect discrimination.

Importantly, organisations need to demonstrate that their content was accessible at the time it was published.

Maintaining accessible digital records is becoming increasingly important for compliance and risk management.

Inclusive employment starts with accessible systems

True inclusion means building systems that everyone can use from the beginning.

Instead of creating separate versions for different groups, organisations should aim to build one accessible system that works for everyone.

Accessibility creates business opportunities

Making digital content accessible doesn't only benefit employees.

It also expands your potential customer base.

Inclusive design improves the experience for everyone while helping businesses reach more customers and attract a broader workforce.