When it comes to making websites accessible, not all tools are created equal or solve the same problems. Overlays and assistive toolbars serve very different purposes, but they’re often misunderstood. Overlays are typically marketed as quick-fix solutions for web accessibility, while assistive toolbars like the Recite Me Toolbar focus on empowering users to adapt websites to their individual needs.
At Recite Me, we believe overlays can have their place but only as a temporary bandaid to help while deeper, underlying code issues are fixed. However, the way some overlay providers position their tools can lead to serious problems for businesses and users alike. Let’s explore why this happens and how our approach ensures transparency and impact.
What Are Overlays?
Overlays are tools that sit on top of a website, claiming to automatically fix accessibility issues. They’re often promoted as a fast way to achieve compliance with standards like WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). On the surface, overlays can be helpful as a stopgap solution, but they’re not the long-term answer.
Here’s what overlays can do:
- Quick, Visual Fixes: Overlays can make temporary adjustments, like improving color contrast or adding focus highlights, without altering the underlying website code.
- Immediate Accessibility Boost: They help businesses improve accessibility quickly while working on more permanent fixes.
But here’s where overlays often fall short and where some providers create challenges:
- Overpromising Results: Some overlay providers claim their tools make websites “fully accessible” or “WCAG-compliant” with no need for additional work. This is rarely true and can give businesses a false sense of security.
- Incomplete Fixes: Overlays don’t fix the root problems in the website’s code, leaving many accessibility barriers for assistive technologies like screen readers. This means users with disabilities may still struggle to use the site.
- Legal Risks for Businesses: Relying solely on overlays can put businesses in hot water. Courts have increasingly ruled that overlays do not make websites fully compliant, leading to lawsuits or regulatory action against companies that believe their sites are covered.
- User Frustration: Overlays can interfere with how users interact with a site, creating unnecessary challenges rather than improving usability.
The problem isn’t just that overlays are limited, it’s that some providers overstate their capabilities, putting businesses and their users at risk.
What Are Assistive Toolbars?
Assistive toolbars, like the Recite Me Assistive Toolbar, take a completely different approach. Instead of trying to “fix” the website, they focus on helping users customise their experience. Assistive toolbars don’t alter the website’s code or try to mask accessibility gaps. Instead, they provide tools that allow people to adapt the content to their needs.
Here’s what the Recite Me Toolbar offers:
- Text-to-Speech: Reads the content out loud, helping people with vision impairments or reading difficulties.
- Text Customisation: Lets users change text size, font, and color contrast to make it easier to read.
- Language Translation: Translates website content into multiple languages, helping non-native speakers navigate with ease.
- Reading Aids: Includes features like screen masking and line focus to assist users with cognitive or reading difficulties.
Assistive toolbars are all about empowering users, not trying to patch over website flaws. They work alongside good accessibility practices, not as a replacement for them.
Why Recite Me Keeps Overlays and Toolbars Separate
At Recite Me, we understand that overlays and assistive toolbars are designed to solve two very different problems, which is why we keep them separate.
- Overlays for Temporary Fixes: Overlays can provide a short-term solution to cover certain accessibility gaps while businesses work on fixing the website’s code. That’s why our Accessibility Checker includes AI-powered overlay-style fixes. But these fixes are meant to be temporary, not a replacement for proper remediation.
- Assistive Toolbars for User Empowerment: The Recite Me Toolbar isn’t about compliance; it’s about giving users the tools to navigate websites in a way that works for them. It doesn’t touch the underlying website code because that’s not its role.
By keeping these tools separate, we ensure businesses and users get the right solution for the right problem.
The Risk of Overreliance on Overlays
Some overlay providers claim their tools can make a website “fully accessible” or “lawsuit-proof” without further action. This can create serious problems:
- False Security: Businesses might believe they’re compliant when they’re not, leaving them open to legal action. Courts and accessibility experts agree that overlays alone don’t meet accessibility standards.
- Bad User Experiences: Overlays can create conflicts with screen readers, block keyboard navigation, or disrupt workflows for people with disabilities, making the website harder to use.
- Reputation Damage: Businesses relying on overstated claims risk not only lawsuits but also losing trust with their customers and the wider community.
Overlays can help as a bandaid, but they’re not the cure. Businesses need to focus on fixing the root causes of inaccessibility to provide truly inclusive experiences.
Why Recite Me is Different
At Recite Me, we take a transparent and user-focused approach to accessibility. Our tools and services are designed to complement good accessibility practices, not replace them.
Here’s what makes us stand out:
- Honesty About What Our Tools Do: Overlays can help temporarily, and we offer these fixes in our Accessibility Checker. But we’re clear they’re not the final solution. Our assistive toolbar is designed to help users, not mask issues.
- Empowering Users: The Recite Me Toolbar focuses on helping people interact with websites in ways that work for them. It’s about improving user experiences, not “fixing” websites.
- Support for Real Change: Through our consultancy services, we help businesses make meaningful, long-term improvements to their websites. Accessibility is a journey, and we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Book a Demo of the Recite Me Assistive Toolbar
Book a DemoThe Bottom Line
Overlays have their place as a short-term fix, but they shouldn’t be the whole solution. Businesses that rely solely on overlays risk legal action, frustrated users, and damage to their reputation.
Assistive toolbars, on the other hand, serve a different purpose: they empower users by providing tools to customise their experience, regardless of the website’s accessibility.
At Recite Me, we keep these two tools separate because they address different problems. By combining overlays as temporary fixes, assistive toolbars for user empowerment, and consultancy for long-term solutions, we help businesses achieve real accessibility.
Accessibility isn’t about shortcuts, it’s about creating an internet that works for everyone. Let’s get it right.
