We live in a world that often values appearances over substance. This is especially true when it comes to disability inclusion, both in physical spaces and digital ones. The truth is, exclusion doesn’t always look like a locked door or a missing ramp, sometimes it is much more subtle.
This week’s focus: The invisible nature of disability
Many people live with invisible impairments such as chronic pain, neurodivergence, mental health conditions, sensory sensitivities, and more. As a result, you cannot assume a person’s ability based only on their outward appearance. In the same way, when we rely on a surface level assessment of whether a website or process is inclusive, we risk unintentionally excluding others.
Digital Accessibility: Beyond the surface
A website might look really nice, but that does not mean it is accessible. For instance, I recently discovered that our own website template contained some inaccessible code. Visually, everything looked fine, but for users relying on assistive tools like screen readers, the experience was confusing and frustrating. The issue had happened because looks had been prioritised over best practice, and it a good reminder that just because you can manipulate code to achieve a certain look doesn’t mean you should.
Designing for accessibility and inclusion requires empathy, correct coding, thorough testing, and a commitment to inclusive processes across all teams.
Why It Matters
The invisibility of many disabilities often leads to a lack of empathy or urgency around providing accessible solutions. When someone’s struggle is not visible, their requests for accommodations are regularly met with scepticism or resistance. Even when a disability is visible, the burden of compromise often falls on the disabled person rather than the able-bodied people around them, especially if inclusion requires others to change their own behaviour.
The reluctance to be inconvenienced
Making space for disabled people can be uncomfortable. Whether you are giving up a seat, slowing your pace, or redesigning a process, it is common for people to be resistant to the inconvenience. But true inclusion is not about able-bodied convenience, it means being willing to accept a little discomfort or compromise so that others can participate fully. It means recognising that what is effortless for one person might be difficult, or impossible, for another. It means choosing to act, even when it is not the easiest path.
I can assure you that being disabled is inconvenient. Being unable to do the things you want to do because of the barriers in your way, whether they are physical or digital, is extremely frustrating, and that is on top of the physical experience of the disability itself which can often be difficult and painful.
Exclusion is subtle
Subtle forms of exclusion are easy to overlook, especially when they are not visible to the majority. Yet many disabled people endure daily discomfort in a world not designed with them in mind. The disproportionate burden placed on them is often described as feeling like “death by a thousand cuts”, due to the accumulation of small, daily challenges and the lack of empathy shown in response. Those experiences might seem like no big deal on the surface, but once again we need to look deeper, because they come together to form a fundamental feeling of exclusion.
A hard truth is that many people are reluctant to experience even minor inconvenience to properly accommodate others. Creating accessible solutions, whether physical or digital, requires effort. That might mean rethinking design, challenging assumptions, or slightly reducing able-bodied convenience to ensure everyone can participate.
In digital spaces, this means going beyond visual design to ensure compliant coding. A beautiful website that is inaccessible is like a building with a grand staircase but no lift or ramp.
Seeing beyond the surface
“Looks can be deceiving” is more than a catchy phrase, it is a reminder to look beyond the surface. Whether we are interacting with people or designing digital experiences, we must move beyond appearances and consider the lived experiences of others. Inclusion begins with understanding that what is visible is only part of the story.
Quick Tip
Do not judge the accessibility of your process, website or document by appearance alone. Use tools to get a deeper understanding of where something might fall short. When designing processes, offering options for inclusion is good, but redesigning them to be accessible from the start is even better.
Try This
Next time you are reviewing a digital product, or even just browsing a website, try navigating using only your keyboard or a screen reader. Notice what works and what does not. Ask yourself:
What would it be like if I had to experience this every time I used the web?
Also, reflect on how you respond when someone asks for an accommodation. Are you willing to accept a little personal discomfort to make things more inclusive?
Finally, give yourself grace. It can be uncomfortable to realise you might not be being as inclusive as you would like to be. But inclusion is not an easy journey, and when you face that discomfort with curiosity rather than resistance, great things can happen.
