The Impact of Web Accessibility Overlays on the Usability and User Experience for People with Permanent Visual Impairments

Editorial information: Digitala Vetenskapliga Arkivet.

This master’s thesis explores the impact of accessibility overlays on the usability and user experience of individuals with permanent visual impairments. As digital accessibility is a fundamental right, this study investigates whether overlays — tools integrated into websites to provide customization options like font size and contrast — actually improve access.

Through a two-part evaluation combining WCAG 2.1-based technical assessment and a user study with 21 visually impaired participants, the research reveals that current overlays offer only marginal benefits. In some cases, overlays even hinder usability. Users showed a preference for their own assistive technologies over web-based overlays. Although interest exists in improved overlay solutions, the findings highlight that present-day implementations do not meet accessibility standards, nor do they significantly enhance the digital experience for the target group. This thesis contributes valuable empirical insights to the accessibility field and offers direction for future inclusive technology and policy design.

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