Inclusive and accessible design are both essential in creating usable digital experiences for a broader range of people. However, they differ in their approach.
Accessible Design
Accessible design addresses discriminatory aspects related to information technology to help people with disabilities equally perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with websites and other digital content.
- Focuses on outcome—The goal of accessible design is to ensure that people with disabilities can access and use a product or service.
- Follows standards—The W3C established the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for the accessible design of digital content. These guidelines address color contrast, website navigation, closed captions, and more.
- Targets a specific group—While accessibility benefits everyone in some ways (think captions - helpful to the deaf community and people in noisy environments), it primarily addresses the needs of people with disabilities.
Inclusive design
Inclusive design is broader because it aims to welcome users from diverse backgrounds and circumstances, ensuring that race, gender, and religion do not hinder their digital experiences.
- Focuses on the process—Inclusive design is a broader philosophy that emphasizes considering a wide range of human diversity from the beginning of the design process. Some of those factors are:
- Ability (physical, cognitive, etc.)
- Age
- Language
- Culture
- Socioeconomic background
- Provides universal access—Inclusive design prioritizes creating digital products that everyone can use, regardless of background or abilities.
- Benefits beyond accessibility—By considering a more comprehensive range of needs, inclusive design solutions often become more user-friendly and barrier-free for a larger audience, not just people with disabilities.
Think about the differences between accessible and inclusive design like this…
You come across a website that allows everyone to access it and navigate the main areas, regardless of whether they use a screen reader or have motor limitations that prevent them from using a mouse. It's about ensuring core information and functionality are accessible by all. That is great!
But then you find a website that offers content in multiple formats. There's a text version, but also an audio recording for people who prefer listening, or a video with captions for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. It provides content for different learning styles and abilities, making the information truly usable and accessible for everyone.
In essence, accessibility is an outcome of inclusive design. Together, they work to create a more usable and equitable world.
Resources
- Accessibility & Inclusivity: Study Guide
- Accessibility, Usability, and Inclusion
- Accessible Design vs. Inclusive Design (With Infographic)
- Understanding the key differences between Accessible Design and Inclusive Design
- Accessibility vs. Inclusive Design: 4 Key Differences
- Accessible Design - Material Design by Google
- Accessibility vs. Inclusive Design (video)
