Accessibility Theater: The Cautionary Tale of Overlays
Introduction
Good evening, and welcome to Masterpiece Digital Theater. Tonight we present a compelling drama that explores the world of digital accessibility - or rather, its charlatan counterfeits.
“Accessibility Theater: The Cautionary Tale of Overlays” takes us into the modern boardrooms and living rooms where the drama of digital inclusion, or exclusion, plays out daily. Our story examines how not-so-well intentioned solutions can become mere performance, a facade of accessibility that ultimately fails those it claims to serve.
A play in three acts…
Characters
- WEBSITE OWNER: A well-meaning but uninformed business owner
- OVERLAY VENDOR: A smooth-talking sales rep
- ANGELA: A blind screen reader user
- MARCUS: A web developer with accessibility expertise
- CHORUS OF USERS: Various people with disabilities
- THE GHOST OF ACCESSIBILITY PAST: A spectral figure representing early web accessibility efforts
- WIDGET: A personified accessibility overlay widget
Act I: The Promise
Scene: A modern office. WEBSITE OWNER sits at their desk, looking worried over their desk
WEBSITE OWNER: (reviewing papers) These accessibility requirements… the lawsuits… the costs… What am I supposed to do?
( OVERLAY VENDOR appears in a cloud of smoke wearing a flashy suit with a glowing “Install Now” button as a tie pin)
OVERLAY VENDOR: Did someone say accessibility? Fear not! With just one line of code, I can make all your problems disappear!
WEBSITE OWNER: One line of code? That sounds too good to be true!
OVERLAY VENDOR: (grandly) Watch this! (waves a wand) This little beauty, powered by cutting-edge AI, fixes everything. Fonts, contrast, screen reader compatibility – you name it!
[A glowing widget appears on the stage]
WIDGET: (mechanical voice) I can change fonts! Adjust contrast! Read text aloud! I am the future of accessibility!
WEBSITE OWNER: Does this really work?
OVERLAY VENDOR: Trust me. Automation is the future! Why waste time and money when you can have instant results?
Act II: The Reality
Scene: A small office. ANGELA sits at her computer, trying to use the website.
ANGELA: (frustrated) Ugh, another one of these things? “This site is now accessible!” Yeah, right. I can’t even find the damn menu. My screen reader’s going haywire.
CHORUS OF USERS: (entering from all sides, voices overlapping) “I already have my own tools!”, “This widget’s blocking everything!”, “It’s making things worse!”, “And it’s tracking my data?”
[WIDGET starts glitching]
WIDGET: (stuttering) Detecting… detecting… user preferences… Would you like to… Would you like to… Would you like to…
(Enter THE GHOST OF ACCESSIBILITY PAST)
GHOST: Remember when we said accessibility should be built in, not bolted on? When we wrote the WCAG guidelines way back in 1999? When we emphasized user testing? Remember…?
Act III: The Awakening
Scene: Back in WEBSITE OWNER’s office. WEBSITE OWNER is meeting with MARCUS.
MARCUS: The overlay can’t fix most issues. It can’t reliably repair:
Image descriptions
Form labels
Keyboard navigation
Complex interactive components
PDFs, documents, or media files
WEBSITE OWNER: But the vendor promised compliance!
[CHORUS OF USERS returns, each holding up their phones and laptops]
CHORUS OF USERS: “We’ve started blocking these overlays!” “They collect our disability status without consent!” “They slow down pages!” “They break the tools we use!”
WEBSITE OWNER: (to OVERLAY VENDOR) You promised a solution, but it’s all theater – a mere illusion of accessibility!
OVERLAY VENDOR: (backing away) But our AI… our automation… our one line of code…
MARCUS: Real accessibility takes work. Human work. Good design, proper coding, and actual user testing. There are no shortcuts.
Epilogue
[All characters face the audience]
ANGELA: True accessibility inclusion doesn’t come from an overlay.
MARCUS: It’s a fundamental right.
WEBSITE OWNER: (removing the overlay code) We have to do this the right way.
CHORUS OF USERS: (together) No more theater. No more overlays. Just thoughtful, accessible design.
[End]
Get more info at overlayfactsheet.com
