Mobile Tech Accessibilities

500 students share one computer in Niger. Yet they're conducting advanced physics experiments that students at elite schools can't access. The secret? WebAR turning basic smartphones into portable STEM labs. Think about that. In Sub-Saharan Africa, fewer than 10% of schools have internet. Student-to-computer ratios hit 500:1. Yet mobile subscriptions jumped from single digits to 80% in a decade. Students already carry the infrastructure—we just weren't using it right. Traditional EdTech Reality: ↳ VR headsets: $300+ per student ↳ Heavy apps requiring 5G speeds ↳ Labs costing millions to build ↳ Rural schools: permanently excluded The WebAR Revolution: ↳ Runs in any browser, optimized for 3G ↳ No app store, minimal storage ↳ Science scores improving 10-15% ↳ Every smartphone becomes a laboratory But here's what grabbed me: A physics teacher in rural South Africa has one broken oscilloscope. No budget. Her students scan printed markers, and electromagnetic fields pulse across their desks. They run experiments infinitely—no equipment damaged, no reagents consumed. One student told her: "Engineering is for people like me now. The lab fits in my pocket." What changes everything: ↳ Mobile-first matches actual connectivity ↳ Browser-based works offline ↳ Teachers need training, not new buildings ↳ Inequality becomes irrelevant The Multiplication Effect: 1 teacher with markers = 30 students experimenting 10 schools sharing content = communities transformed 100 districts adopting = educational equality emerging At scale = STEM education without infrastructure gaps We spent decades waiting for labs that won't arrive. Now any browser becomes one. Because when a student in rural Africa explores the same 3D molecules as someone at MIT—using the phone already in their pocket—you realize: WebAR isn't shiny technology. It's a quiet equaliser making world-class STEM education fit into 3G connections and $50 phones. Follow me, Dr. Martha Boeckenfeld for innovations where accessibility drives transformation. ♻️ Share if you believe quality education shouldn't require perfect infrastructure.

15 activities to test mobile accessibility In the last 15 years, the internet has gone mobile. Every major platform — from news to shopping to social media — has invested in sleek mobile versions because that’s where people spend their time. 📊 In fact, more than 60% of web traffic now comes from mobile devices (the source: https://lnkd.in/eeSrdHx4) We optimized for speed, performance, and design. But there’s one area where many mobile experiences still fall short: accessibility. And yet, mobile accessibility isn’t a niche concern. It affects everyone — whether you’re navigating with one hand while holding a coffee, trying to read in bright sunlight, or relying on a screen reader every single day. The good news is that you don’t need special tools to understand these challenges: your phone is already the perfect testing lab. That’s why I put together 15 quick activities to test mobile accessibility. Each one reveals how real people experience barriers and how small design choices can make a huge difference. Try these activities: 1. Turn on VoiceOver (iOS) or TalkBack (Android) → Navigate your favorite app. Every unlabeled button or image will suddenly become invisible. Study: Screen Reader User Survey 9 – WebAIM shows that over 70% of users rely on mobile screen readers daily (the study: https://lnkd.in/e9JeHsMx). 2. Increase text size to maximum in settings → Does your layout adjust gracefully? Do words overlap and buttons disappear? WCAG criterion: 1.4.4 Resize text (the link: https://lnkd.in/eDaYZ8wS) 3. Test color contrast outdoors → Step into bright sunlight. Can you still read the buttons? Fact: poor contrast is one of the most common accessibility issues 4. Switch your phone to grayscale → Do instructions still make sense without color cues (“Click the green button” won’t work). Study by WHO: around 300 million people worldwide have some form of color vision deficiency (the study: https://lnkd.in/eD9PkQk7) 5. Try captions on videos → Turn sound off. Are captions accurate, synced, and complete? Fact: 80% of caption users are not deaf or hard of hearing 6. Enable Dark Mode → Is content still clear, or do logos/icons disappear into the background? 7. Try high-contrast mode (Android) or Smart Invert (iOS) → Does the app break visually? 8. Test with one hand only → Can you still reach all main actions (especially on large phones)? 9. Rotate the phone (portrait ↔ landscape) → Does the app adapt, or do important features vanish? 10. Check hit targets → Can you tap small buttons without misclicking? WCAG requires minimum 44×44px target size (the link: https://lnkd.in/eNuZidir) Accessibility on mobile isn’t about edge cases, it’s about real-world design for real-world humans. #WebAccessibility #Inclusion #a11y #MobileAccessibility #WCAG

👨🏾💻 How People Use Screen Readers. With behavior patterns, practical insights and things to keep in mind for accessibility. ✅ 253 million people worldwide have a visual impairment. ✅ Screen readers help them translate text to speech or Braille. ✅ They work for websites, PDFs, emails, OS and other documents. ✅ They use the same voice regardless of font size, weight, color. ✅ E.g. Jaws/NVDA (Win, 80% share), VoiceOver (iOS), Talkback (Android). 🤔 Users often listen to screen readers at the 1.5–2.0x speed. ✅ Repetitive labels and hints aren't helpful (image caption, alt). ✅ Content order during tabbing conveys the structure of the page. ✅ Follow a logical linear layout, don't spread content all over a page. 🚫 Auto-playing audio is often an alarming, frustrating experience. 🤔 Users heavily rely on descriptive headings and labels. 🚫 Screen readers can’t extract meaning from images or videos. ✅ Avoid "Click here", "Read more", "View now" for links. ✅ A text box without a label is meaningless to screen readers. ✅ Never rely on visuals alone, they might not even be there. 🤔 Frequent issues with poorly structured forms, navigation, PDFs. ✅ Add UI controls for mouse-precise actions (drag'n'drop, resizing). ✅ Include nav landmarks, so users can jump within the page quickly. ✅ Ensure PDF/UA compliance to generate accessible PDFs. ✅ Always add labels to forms and avoid CAPTCHAs if you can. Where “abled people” use their natural feelings such as sight and hearing, people with disabilities must rely on technologies. Screen reading UX shouldn’t mean a “simplified” experience. It’s just a different experience, one of many. Unfamiliar tools might sound scary. Just start. Get familiar with screen readers. Run accessibility testing with a few screen reader users. Eventually make screen reader testing a part of QA. Many accessibility issues are severe, but solutions can be simple — and impactful for people who need them most. Useful resources: How A Screen Reader User Surfs The Web (video), by Léonie Watson https://lnkd.in/emv9AT-u Designing For Users Of Screen Readers, by Lewis Wake https://lnkd.in/ePTVpBxy Testing With Blind Users: A Cheat Sheet, by Slava Shestopalov https://lnkd.in/e8vBEqHn How And When To Use Alt Text, by Emma Cionca, Tanner Kohler https://lnkd.in/e3ivcPVg How to Conduct Usability Studies for Accessibility, by NN/g https://lnkd.in/egAxJxtW Mobile Accessibility Research With Screen-Reader Users, by Tanner Kohler https://lnkd.in/eb5Y36qZ How To Document Screen Reader UX, by BBC https://lnkd.in/e8KWr-Z6 #ux #accessibility

Little reminder that an inaccessible website means lost customers, and lost revenues. From the article: "Research shows UK businesses collectively lose £17.1 billion a year because shoppers using assistive technology abandon websites that don’t work for them. During BFCM alone, that translates into nearly £446 million in lost revenue." And, on the other side: disabled shoppers are loyal customers. And, yeah, in an ideal world we would make websites accessible because it's the right thing to do, and it's a universal right. But sometimes, reminding people about the business argument helps. So here are 5 things you can do to get you started with ecommerce accessibility: - do a no-mouse test: can someone complete the purchase with just a keyboard? - check your discount code box: can a screen reader pick up its label? - open and close your popups: do they trap users, can they be closed with escape key? - resize text: does your website still work at 200% without losing content? - run a screen reader test, on main user flows (search, adding to basket, etc). Full article: "Black Friday and Cyber Monday: why accessibility could be your biggest sales advantage" (15min) by Dave Davies https://lnkd.in/ebte534B

Education technology is easy to build in theory. The real challenge is making it work in the hands of a student whose internet drops mid-lesson, or a working mum who is logging into university for the first time on a shared device. The test is not in creating EdTech tools but in making them work for the people who need them most. When we started uLesson in 2019, we built a platform with high-quality video lessons, quizzes, and practice tests. Everything worked perfectly in our offices in Jos and then, Abuja. But that changed when we tried to get them into the hands of students in towns and villages where electricity was unreliable, data was expensive, and smartphones were often shared among siblings. The same lessons appeared when we launched Miva Open University, an affordable, accessible university that delivers quality education with the same rigour as a physical campus. Creating the platform was one challenge; helping working adults adapt to digital learning for the first time was another. Some of our students had never studied without the structure of a physical classroom. Many were logging in from places where network connectivity was patchy at best. These challenges sit against a larger backdrop: According to Quartz, only 1 in 4 students applying to university will get accepted. Not because they didn’t study hard enough, instead, in many cases, it is because there simply isn’t enough room for all of them. From these experiences, I’ve learnt that successful EdTech implementation requires: - Designing for context: Tools must work offline or in low-bandwidth environments. - Investing in people: Teachers, facilitators, and students need training, support, and trust to use technology effectively. - Patience in adoption: Communities don’t adopt new systems overnight. Value has to be proven, and trust earned, over time. I remain convinced that EdTech will play a central role in the future of African learning. But for it to truly work, it must be built not just for ambition, but for reality. It has to be built for students walking kilometres to school, for families sharing a single device, and for communities learning to trust digital tools for the first time. We’re still learning. We’ll keep improving. And with each iteration, we get closer to delivering not just access, but quality learning wherever a student lives.

Designing inclusive learning scaffolds with digital tools isn’t an add-on — it’s essential. When aligned with Universal Design for Learning (UDL), digital scaffolds can remove barriers and give every learner meaningful access to content. When creating digital scaffolds, try to: ✨ Add text instructions that remind students they can use built-in iPad tools like Speak Selection or Translate ✨ Provide audio directions so pupils can replay instructions ✨ Include clickable word banks or further reading links ✨ Use consistent visual icons to signal support ✨ Offer placeholders for written or audio responses ✨ Add alt text so images can be read aloud Inclusive design isn’t about lowering challenge — it’s about increasing access. #UDL #InclusiveEducation #EdTech #Accessibility

Recommended paper: Teachers use AI tools for lesson planning, classroom management, and subject matter. The study explores the potential of generative AI in low-resource educational settings by introducing TheTeacher.AI, a chatbot designed for teachers in Sierra Leone. The initiative demonstrates how AI can support lesson planning, classroom management, and professional development despite infrastructure challenges, providing valuable insights into using LLMs in underserved schools. Methodology   TheTeacher.AI chatbot was piloted in 122 schools with 193 teachers. Accessible through WhatsApp, the chatbot used GPT-3.5 Turbo, contextualized for Sierra Leone’s unique needs. Researchers analyzed 6,900 teacher queries and conducted qualitative field observations to evaluate its usage and effectiveness. The methodology prioritized accessibility, teacher training, and tailoring AI responses to the local educational environment. Four Takeaways for Policy Makers:    1. Accessibility Matters: Leveraging platforms like WhatsApp ensures tools are usable even with limited internet and technical resources.   2. Localized Content: Customizing AI to fit cultural and infrastructural realities enhances relevance and adoption.   3. Training is Essential: Sustained engagement requires structured training on using AI tools effectively.   4. Infrastructure Investment: Expanding internet and device access can amplify the impact of AI in education. Reference   Choi, J. H., Garrod, O., Atherton, P., Joyce-Gibbons, A., Mason-Sesay, M., & Björkegren, D. (2024). Are LLMs Useful in the Poorest Schools? TheTeacher.AI in Sierra Leone. NeurIPS’23 Workshop on Generative AI for Education (GAIED). [arXiv:2310.02982v2](https://lnkd.in/esr9-8E2). https://lnkd.in/e5uETJeB

Most of us use our mobile devices a lot. You might be using a smartphone right now to read this post. We surveyed Fable community members and found many are on their mobile devices for more than 4 hours a day (41%). Another 23% spend 2 to 4 hours per day on mobile devices. With that much mobile usage, accessibility of native mobile apps is just as important as web accessibility. However, many app developers find mobile accessibility more challenging. There’s less guidance on how to build inclusive iOS and Android apps. Rather than look to standards for guidance, we can focus on avoiding the most common barriers assistive technology users encounter on smartphones and other mobile devices. Based on our community survey, those top barriers are: * Unlabelled buttons or links  * Small buttons or links  * Gestures required to interact  * Parts of the screen blocked * No error messages * Not able to resize text * Not able to pinch and zoom These aren’t hard things to fix. Label things. Design bigger touch targets. Use buttons or custom actions in addition to gestures. Be careful using sticky content. Include error messages in forms. Choose scalable or dynamic type so users can adjust text size. Don’t disable pinch to zoom. You can read the full mobile insights article here: https://lnkd.in/g3mGErmf My favorite resources for mobile accessibility are appt.org and magentaa11y.com. Apple and Android have solid documentation too: https://lnkd.in/gbfwBVFD https://lnkd.in/g9XH3yXf

Top Barriers in Mobile Accessibility and Best Practices to Fix them. Mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our lives. Yet, many users face significant barriers. A recent survey by Fable reveals key obstacles: Unlabelled Buttons/Links (60%): Navigating a mobile interface becomes a guessing game without clear labels. It's akin to walking in a city with no street signs. 🏙️ Best Practice: Always use descriptive labels for buttons and links. Implement ARIA labels if the visual text is not clear or sufficient. Small Buttons/Links (35%): Imagine trying to hit a tiny target with a dart - that's what small interactive elements feel like for many users. Size matters for accessibility. 🎯 Best Practice: Ensure buttons and links are of adequate size and spacing. The recommended minimum touch target size is 44x44 pixels. Gesture-Dependent Interaction (35%): Relying solely on gestures like swipes and pinches excludes many users with physical impairments 👆 Best Practice: Provide alternative navigation options that don’t rely solely on gestures, like simple taps or voice commands. 4. Screen Blockages (30%): Content blocked by other elements on the screen can be frustrating. Things like a chat widget or a sticky footer or modal. Best Practice: Design layouts that are responsive and adaptable to various screen sizes and orientations. Use CSS and flexible layouts to prevent blockages. 5️. Absence of Error Messages (26%): Without feedback on errors, users are left in the dark, unsure of what went wrong or how to proceed. 🌑 Best Practice: Provide clear and descriptive error messages, and guide users on how to correct them. 6️. Non-Resizable Text (22%): Fixed-size text can be a hurdle for users with visual impairments. The flexibility to adjust text size is crucial. 🔍 Best Practice: Use relative units (like em or rem) instead of fixed units (like pixels) for text size, ensuring that it can be resized according to user preferences. 7️. No Pinch and Zoom (21%): The inability to zoom in for a closer look can render content inaccessible, especially for users with low vision. 🔬 Best Practice: Don't disable zoom functionality in mobile browsers; ensure content can be magnified for users with visual impairments. Source:Insights: Mobile accessibility by Fable https://lnkd.in/gJr765ic #InclusiveDesign #Accessibility #DigitalAccessibility #A11Y #MobileAccessibility