Photo: UserWay CEO Allon Mason, VP of HR Dana Shild, and CCOO Dr. Lionel Wolberger
Photo Courtesy of UserWay.Org
The Internet serves as a vital tool for communication, education, entertainment, and commerce. However, it falls short in terms of accessibility for millions of people with disabilities. Individuals with conditions such as low vision, color blindness, dyslexia, motor impairments, and cognitive disorders encounter significant barriers when navigating the web. Consequently, they face difficulties in accessing information, services, and opportunities that others take for granted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 4 individuals in the U.S. live with a disability.
Promoting Change and Compliance
Thankfully, progress is being made to address this issue. Countries worldwide are increasingly implementing laws and regulations mandating website compliance with accessibility requirements like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The ADA and WCAG aim to ensure that websites are designed and developed in a manner that accommodates individuals with diverse abilities and preferences. However, achieving compliance is a complex endeavor, demanding significant investments of time, finances, and expertise. Regrettably, many website owners and developers lack the necessary resources and knowledge to ensure their websites are fully accessible and compliant. In 2022, federal courts witnessed a record-breaking 3,255 website accessibility lawsuits, an increase of 360 compared to the previous year. These lawsuits highlight the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in accessing websites that lack accessibility features or compatibility with assistive technologies.
COURTESY OF USERWAY.ORG
The Impact of the European Accessibility Act (EAA)
In addition to existing regulations, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) is poised to introduce a pivotal moment for businesses. With the EAA, businesses will be required to adhere to accessibility requirements or face legal consequences. Adopted in April 2019, the EAA is a landmark legislation that aims to enhance accessibility for people with disabilities and the elderly across the EU. From June 28, 2025, the EAA will enforce harmonized accessibility rules for private sector products and services, including computers, smartphones, e-books, e-commerce, banking, transport, and media.
According to Dr. Lionel Wolberger, UserWay’s COO, “The GDPR moment for web accessibility is upon us. Companies are eager for solutions to make their websites and digital experiences accessible to all, before European enforcement starts. But as always, compliance is only one piece of the puzzle – online interfaces have to actually be usable, as well. Today, we’re in the midst of a cultural shift in how corporate leaders prioritize accessibility and inclusion across the board, leading with digital interfaces.”
UserWay Pioneers the Accessibility Technologies Market
The growth of digital products has added complexity and costs to achieving accessibility. UserWay, a leader in the field, offers a full suite of AI-powered web accessibility solutions that enable websites to achieve digital inclusion and compliance, providing automated tools, audits, scanning and monitoring, legal support, document remediations, and fully managed accessibility services.
With approximately 10,500 new websites created every hour, UserWay’s solutions prove invaluable in addressing the increasing demands of accessibility requirements. By leveraging artificial intelligence, UserWay provides a range of products and services designed to make websites more inclusive.
The Current State of Accessibility
An astonishing 97.8% of the approximately 200 million active websites worldwide are non-compliant with accessibility laws, highlighting the substantial market opportunity for addressing accessibility issues. The market size for accessibility solutions stands at an impressive $27 billion. UserWay, as a leading provider, currently holds a notable market share of 42.9%, demonstrating its early success in this rapidly expanding market. According to this parameter UserWay has the largest market share of all companies in the field. In second place comes AudioEye (NASDAQ: AEYE), another Israeli company, which has bitten off only 23.5% of the market share. Interestingly, AudioEye holds a far greater valuation than UserWay, with a market cap that’s more than two and a half times greater. With impressive revenues on the rise, investors may be inclined to see UserWay and an undervalued market player.
UserWay’s solutions are trusted by over 1 million websites globally, including prominent brands like Fujitsu, Disney, and UNICEF. Among the offerings is the UserWay AI-Powered Accessibility Widget, a disruptive tool that instantly enhances website accessibility for users with various disabilities without requiring any changes to the website’s existing code or design. According to Allon Mason, UserWay’s CEO, “All online experiences should be equally accessible to everyone. UserWay is proud to be the digital accessibility partner for organizations of all sizes, powering usability, compliance, and performance. A commitment to digital accessibility is not only the right thing to do for people with disabilities. It’s the smart thing to do for your business, as well.”
AI
2023-06-15 07:00:04
Source from www.ibtimes.com