The Value of Multilingual Accessibility and Inclusive Web Design
The growth of digital content enables individuals to connect with information and opportunities they might not otherwise have access to. However, without fully accessible digital content, many people cannot use these vital assets. An estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability, potentially making your digital content inaccessible to them. However, through inclusive web design that prioritizes multilingual accessibility, you can eliminate the barriers between your content and your target audiences.
Inclusive web design is the practice of designing digital assets that work with assistive tools and other features to remove communication barriers. The result is content that works for everyone, regardless of their hardware, software, language, location, or ability. Content can be inaccessible because a user can't see or hear it, and language barriers can make content inaccessible to some users. Thoughtful web design combines accessibility tools with translation and accessible localization to make content inclusive to all.
Multilingual accessibility that complies with global UX standards improves customer satisfaction and offers vital business benefits. However, it's not the only reason it's a critical investment for your business's future. As digital content becomes more prevalent for business and personal use, legal regulations are being set to regulate digital accessibility.
Preparing for Compliance With the European Accessibility Act (EAA)
June 2025 marks a critical deadline for many businesses developing accessible digital assets. The European Accessibility Act (EAA), written into law in 2019, requires all applicable products and services to become compliant by June. The EAA covers a range of consumer-facing products and services, including websites and mobile apps. It sets requirements to provide accessibility for persons with disabilities. The Act requires businesses to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
WCAG's accessibility standards are based on four principles: content must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. Aligning with these principles requires web content to be designed to provide users with options for perceiving content, interacting with the interface, and using a range of assistive technologies. Content must also have clear instructions and intuitive navigation.
Designing accessible content that aligns with these criteria requires altering visual aspects, including colors, fonts, and digital hierarchy. It also necessitates developing an underlying design structure that includes clear descriptions for images, links, form fields, and more. Your website must also work smoothly with assistive technologies, like screen readers, magnification software, and speech recognition software.
The Relationship Between WCAG Standards and Language Access
Creating digital content that is understandable and usable for an international audience requires consideration of how language barriers affect multilingual accessibility. Language accessibility enables people of diverse linguistic backgrounds to engage with content in their preferred or native language. Developing understandable content across different languages and cultures requires more than just translation. Content must be contextually clear, culturally sensitive, and consistent to provide each individual with the same user experience.
Improving multilingual accessibility begins with language selection options and multilingual support. Simplifying language and providing assistive navigation features can bridge the gap between literal translation and understanding.
Understanding Cognitive Load in Language Switching
Numerous studies have revealed that consumers prefer interacting with brands in their native language.
People often interact with digital platforms and apps purely for convenience. These platforms allow individuals to quickly and easily accomplish daily personal or business tasks and get on with their lives. However, translation (even for fluent speakers) makes each interaction more mentally taxing and time-consuming.
Designing Digital Content for Multilingual Screen Readers and Assistive Tech
Accessible digital content isn't an either/or proposition. Businesses interacting with an international audience will be tasked with developing understandable and usable multilingual content that is accessible to users with disabilities. Part of creating content for all audiences requires ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies (such as screen readers and text-to-speech) across languages.
Assistive technologies read website code to provide various types of information to users. For example, a screen reader doesn't simply read the content on a page. It distinguishes between headings, lists, and other elements so visually impaired users have the same experience as a user looking at the content. However, improper coding can lead to challenges across diverse languages. Common challenges revolve around pronunciation and fonts, including:
Screen readers may struggle to identify and pronounce multilingual content because of incorrect language attributes.
The lack of custom fonts for certain languages (such as Japanese or Korean) leads to the incorrect display of some characters.
Dynamic or real-time content lacks proper accessible localization.
Implementing technical standards, such as language attributes and Unicode-compliant fonts, can help organizations eliminate multilingual accessibility gaps for non-native speakers.
The Business Case for Inclusive Global Web Design
Developing an inclusive web design that includes assistive technology and multilingual accessibility enhances the user experience, creating a better environment for customers. Many businesses are also required by law to do so. It's not an automatic switch or something that can be achieved immediately. However, it is an investment that offers multiple business advantages.
Accessible multilingual systems provide seamless navigation and interaction for all users, allowing you to meet diverse user needs, widen your customer base, and, therefore, improve customer loyalty. Localized keywords and alt-text in several languages can also improve your SEO performance, helping you get an edge over competitors.
Legal compliance is another crucial financial consideration. WCAG is often referenced in legal matters when enforcing accessibility for people with disabilities. The standards are embedded in global accessibility laws, such as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, ADA Title II Final Rule, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). For most businesses, meeting legal requirements for digital accessibility requires complying with WCAG. Non-compliance can lead to costly fines and lawsuits that will disrupt your financial standing and brand reputation.
Developing Accessible Design to Meet the Needs of All Consumers
Inclusive website design prioritizes accessibility to empower audiences of all abilities to interact seamlessly with digital platforms. With the right tools and practices, you can bridge gaps in understanding and align with ethical standards and legal obligations. While scanning tools are available to help measure compliance, these tools cannot identify all barriers or compliance gaps. For this reason, many businesses choose to partner with experts in digital accessibility, translation, and localization to develop fully accessible digital products.
Inclusive web design is more than a checkbox on a legal compliance list or an achievement to list on your website home page. By eliminating bias in web design, you can attract more users, increase loyalty, and create an inclusive environment for every individual in your target audience.
