Introducing the AudioEye Accessibility Help Desk

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Introducing the AudioEye Accessibility Help Desk

Posted November 18, 2024

AudioEye

Posted November 18, 2024

Stylized web browser with three error icons around the screen. A pop-up box showing a close up of AudioEye's Accessibility Help Desk is on the right-hand side of the screen; the accessibility icon is underneath the pop-up.
Stylized web browser with three error icons around the screen. A pop-up box showing a close up of AudioEye's Accessibility Help Desk is on the right-hand side of the screen; the accessibility icon is underneath the pop-up.

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AudioEye is excited to announce the evolution of our Visual Toolkit — now the AudioEye Accessibility Help Desk. Below, Mike Paciello discusses what prompted the update and how the shift will enhance accessibility and compliance for AudioEye clients and their customers.

When I joined AudioEye almost a year ago, countless peers and friends reached out and asked me, “Why now?” At the time, I simply stated, “I joined AudioEye to help better align the company’s technology and services with the needs of the disability community.” Building on this, I recognized then, as I do now, that to further digital accessibility, we must embrace a future that finds the balance between human expertise and the responsible use of technology. 

That has always been our goal at AudioEye — to provide our customers and their clients with the most comprehensive tools and technology available to create accessible and compliant online experiences. As pioneers in the industry, we are constantly investing in R&D to innovate, and our products have evolved to help solve complex digital accessibility issues on the scale of the internet.

Our Visual Toolkit, or the little blue man, has been a visual indicator on customer websites for years, showing their end users that they are committed to accessibility for users with disabilities. While its purpose has been to serve as a help desk and to provide personalization like text size and color contrast for users with temporary needs, its presence has sometimes caused confusion within the community. To create clear differentiation between our Active Monitoring technology and real-time accessibility issue resolution used by our customers, we are renaming the Visual Toolkit and putting greater focus on its intended use.

Announcing AudioEye’s Accessibility Help Desk

Today, we’re excited to announce the evolution of the AudioEye Visual Toolkit — now the Accessibility Help Desk. The evolution highlights our ongoing commitment to accessibility and provides our customers with the tools needed to enhance accessibility, effortlessly meet compliance standards, and further inclusivity in their online spaces.

The updated and newly designed Accessibility Help Desk has two purposes:

  1. Issue reporting: Users can now report accessibility issues to AudioEye as soon as they open the Help Desk — a unique feature that simplifies access and ensures AudioEye quickly fixes any issues reported.
  2. Personalization tools: We’ve simplified navigation to make our personalization tools, which temporarily adjust the appearance of web content, even easier to use.

Together, these tools provide end users with a faster way to report accessibility issues and gain peace of mind knowing accessibility experts are resolving reported issues and creating a better user experience.

Issue Reporting

The issue reporting form is the first thing individuals encounter upon opening the Accessibility Help Desk, enabling them to report accessibility issues directly to AudioEye. This shift allows end users to report potential accessibility problems on your website more quickly, allowing us to take proactive steps to resolve them. 

Additionally, the data captured by the Accessibility Help Desk can help organizations make accessibility improvements that align with the standards included in laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the European Accessibility Act (EAA), the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and others. 

By streamlining issue reporting, you also streamline your path to WCAG conformance — and decrease the chances of receiving an accessibility lawsuit. Plus, providing your customers with a fast, simple way to report accessibility issues showcases your commitment to digital accessibility. 

User-Level Personalization Capabilities

Additionally, we’ve made our personalization tools even easier to use by simplifying navigation and grouping related features together. Although similar settings exist in web browsers and operating systems, many users, particularly those with temporary or situational disabilities, prefer to set these personalization settings while on the webpage. AudioEye’s Accessibility Help Desk includes the same customization features and provides users with the temporary functionality required to navigate a single site more effectively.

I want to point out that these personalization capabilities are not meant to be the end-all solution to accessibility. They are not assistive technology tools, nor are they intended to replace assistive technology used by individuals with disabilities. Rather, these features complement AudioEye’s Digital Accessibility Platform, including our 24/7 Active Monitoring, Expert Testing, and developer tools — all of which work together to improve your site’s accessibility continuously.

By balancing immediate accessibility adjustments with long-term improvements, the Accessibility Help Desk provides a more comprehensive approach to meeting users’ diverse needs while simultaneously providing data and insights to further enhance your site’s overall accessibility.

The Accessibility Help Desk: A Key Tool in Your Accessibility Strategy

In my decades-long career in the accessibility industry, one of the biggest misconceptions I’ve seen is that accessibility widgets will find and fix all accessibility issues and make sites 100% compliant. Most of these misconceptions are fueled by organizations promising a magic fix for accessibility. These claims are incorrect and lead to confusion for companies looking for the right approach for long-term compliance on their sites. 

At AudioEye, we know there is no silver bullet to accessibility. But there is a gold standard.

Our Digital Accessibility Platform operates in the background of your site, continuously monitoring your pages with each user visit and applying more fixes than any other provider in the industry. Our team of expert testers audits key pages and user flows, such as checkout or account creation, helping identify additional issues not found by technology. 

With the support of the Accessibility Help Desk, users can actively report accessibility issues that slip through the cracks directly to AudioEye to address.

Elevated Accessibility Solutions for Inclusive Digital Experiences

As digital spaces continue to evolve, organizations must utilize a comprehensive approach to accessibility. AudioEye’s Accessibility Help Desk is more than an update — it’s always been a vital component of a comprehensive, proactive approach to web accessibility. By empowering users to report issues directly and customize their experience, the Accessibility Help Desk provides a new level of interactivity, transparency, and support that sets a higher standard for accessible web experiences.

With this tool, you’re not just meeting compliance requirements; you’re taking a meaningful step toward a digital future where everyone can engage fully. At AudioEye, we’re here to support you on this journey, ensuring that accessibility is an integral part of your site’s experience, now and into the future.

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