The "Beyond Overlays" Buyer’s Checklist: How to Evaluate an Accessibility Solution

Picture this: you installed an overlay (or someone is trying to sell you one), and the pitch sounded reasonable. A quick installation, a little pop-up in the corner, and your site is accessible. Then you started reading, and the picture got more complicated. Maybe you got a complaint, or you saw what screen readers actually say about using these tools. Or maybe you just have a nagging sense that one automated script on its own can’t be the full story.

That instinct is worth trusting. The buyers who end up with real accessibility coverage are usually the ones who stopped asking “does this overlay work” and started asking “what should any accessibility solution actually do.” What you need now is a set of criteria you can hold up against any product, in any sales call, to get a clear read: ten questions, each one a yes-or-no, that separate a full solution from just an overlay.

The One-Word Test: Standalone

An accessibility platform combines automation with expert human testing, using certified experts and assistive technology to verify accessibility rather than assume it. The difference comes down to one word: standalone. An accessibility overlay is meant to be the whole answer, while a platform is designed so that automation handles scale and human experts handle issues that require judgment. 

This is the fastest way to size up any accessibility solution. Keep that word in mind as you work through the checklist. Every criterion below is a different test of the same thing: is this solution built to be the whole answer, or is it built so that automation and human experts each do the part they are best at?

Stylized web browser underneath a curved line with various accessibility icons surrounding it.

The 10-Item Accessibility Solution Checklist

Use the ten criteria below to evaluate any accessibility solution. Each one is a yes-or-no question that a buyer can apply during procurement. A solution that goes beyond a standalone overlay should be able to answer all ten:

1. Does it combine automation with human testing?

2. Does it verify against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines(opens in a new tab) (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA?

3. Does it test with real assistive technology?

4. Does it monitor continuously or scan once?

5. Is it compatible with screen readers?

6. Does it fix issues or only detect them?

7. Does it produce documentation you can stand behind?

8. Does it scale across every page?

9. Is it transparent about what is automated and what is manual?

10. Does it include a real support and fix workflow?

1. Does it Combine Automation with Expert Human Testing?

A real accessibility solution combines automated fixes at scale with expert testing for issues that require human judgment. This combined approach is the practical meaning of going beyond a standalone overlay. Automation is fast and covers a lot of ground, but even the best tools catch only about 50% of accessibility issues. Certified experts catch the other half, the context-dependent problems that automated checks can’t reason about. Ask any vendor to show you both layers, not just one.

2. Does it Verify Against WCAG 2.1 Level AA?

A durable accessibility solution verifies conformance against WCAG 2.1 Level AA, the standard most regulations point to. Automation alone cannot confirm every success criterion, because many require human judgment about whether content actually works for a person using assistive technology. Confirm the solution tests against the full standard, and it can show you where a site stands against it. 

3. Does it Test with Real Assistive Technology?

Look for a solution that tests with real assistive technology, not just automation. Certified experts using screen readers, magnification, and keyboard-only navigation verify that a page works as a real user would experience it. This is the layer that turns a pass on paper into a page that a person can actually use.

4. Does it Monitor Continuously or Scan Once?

A strong accessibility solution monitors continuously rather than scanning a site once and moving on. Websites change constantly, and every new page, template, or third-party embed can introduce a new barrier. Continuous monitoring catches these regressions as they happen instead of leaving them until the next audit.

5. Is it Compatible with Screen Readers?

Screen-reader compatibility is a core evaluation criterion, because many assistive technology users report that standalone overlays can interfere with the screen readers they rely on. Expert verification with real assistive technology is how a solution confirms it works with a user’s own setup rather than fighting it. Ask specifically how a solution tests for and prevents screen reader conflicts.

6. Does it Fix Issues or Only Detect Them?

A complete accessibility solution fixes issues, not just detects them. Detection tells you what’s wrong: the fix is separate. A tool that only flags problems leaves the work of fixing them on your team, so confirm whether a solution closes the loop or just hands off results. 

7. Does it Produce Documentation You Can Stand Behind?

A standalone overlay does not guarantee protection from ADA Title III claims, and durable risk reduction requires verified conformance rather than an automated widget alone. A real accessibility solution produces documentation of what was tested, what was found, and what was fixed, which supports legal defensibility under the ADA. 

For a deeper look at whether overlays stop lawsuits, see our full breakdown. 

8. Does it Scale Across Every Page?

An accessibility solution should scale across your entire site, not just your homepage or top templates. Automation is what makes site-wide coverage possible, and expert testing is what keeps that coverage meaningful on the pages that matter most. Confirm a solution can handle the full size of your site as it grows.

9. Is it Clear About Which Fixes are Automated and Which are Human?

A trustworthy accessibility solution is transparent about which work is automated and which is handled by human experts. That clarity is how you judge whether a solution is a standalone automated layer or a combined model. If a vendor can’t tell you plainly where automation ends and expert testing begins, treat that as an answer in itself.

10. Does it Include a Real Support and Fix Workflow?

A full accessibility solution includes a support and fix workflow, so issues get routed, fixed, and verified rather than piling up in a dashboard. Accessibility is ongoing work, and the workflow behind a solution is what keeps a site conformant over time. Ask what happens after an issue is found, and who does the fixing.

The axis that matters is not how a tool runs on the page. It’s about whether the solution is built to be the whole answer by itself, and whether it includes the expert human-testing layer that verifies accessibility rather than assuming it. 

How AudioEye Applies this Checklist

AudioEye combines Automated Fixes with certified expert testing and assistive-technology verification into one platform. Automation handles fixes at scale, across every page on a site. Certified experts then test with the same screen readers and assistive technology real users rely on, verifying what automation alone can't confirm. 

That's what separates a platform from a standalone overlay: the human testing layer isn't an add-on bolted onto automation. It's how each of the ten criteria above is answered with a yes rather than a no, and how accessibility is verified rather than assumed.

Run AudioEye through this same checklist. Schedule a demo and see how it holds up.