Digital accessibility consultant Dmytro Popov demonstrated how visually impaired people navigate modern smartphones at the Digital Accessibility Forum in Kyiv on November 9.
Popov, who is completely blind and wears dark glasses, is the founder of Access Lab and serves as a digital accessibility consultant for the United Nations Development Programme. During the conference, he switched rapidly between smartphone applications to highlight the realities of navigating digital services without sight.
To use his device, Popov depends on screen-reading software. The assistive program speaks the name of every element his finger touches on the screen, activating the selected item only after a second tap.
Speakers at the forum warned that assistive software cannot solve the problem on its own. If a website, mobile application, or operating system does not comply with digital accessibility standards, people with visual impairments cannot find vital information or complete essential online transactions.
Barriers in digital design
When platforms ignore basic coding standards, screen readers struggle to interpret interactive controls, often reading unlabelled elements simply as generic buttons. These technical barriers prevent blind users from submitting forms, accessing online banking, or completing retail checkouts.
Screen readers are standard accessibility programs built into operating systems to translate visual digital content into synthesized speech or refreshable braille displays. The United Nations Development Programme promotes digital inclusion standards globally to ensure that government portals, educational tools, and commercial websites do not exclude people with disabilities.
Auditing and fixing websites
Ukrainian media outlet LIGA.net reported from the Kyiv forum, examining the most frequent technical issues that make websites inaccessible, the necessary initial steps to fix them, and the financial cost of digital accessibility audits.
Digital audits generally test platforms against international standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, which require sufficient colour contrast, text alternatives for non-text content, and full keyboard navigation. Industry specialists advise software teams to test digital products directly with assistive technology users to prevent basic coding errors from blocking access.
