7 Reasons to Include Disabled Users in Your Testing Process
Think about the last time you struggled with a website or app, maybe the text was too tiny, a button wouldn’t click, or the navigation just felt confusing. Frustrating, right?
Now imagine if that kind of challenge wasn’t just a one-time annoyance, but something you face every single day online. That’s the reality for many people with disabilities.
And this is why including them in your user access testing isn’t just a “good idea,” it’s a must. Real user accessibility goes beyond rules and checklists, it’s about making sure everyone can actually use your product with ease.
Here’s Why Disabled Users Should Be Part of Your Process
1. You’ll Spot Real Problems That Tools Can’t Catch
There are of course some great accessibility checkers, but are they enough? No! They are only useful in covering the basics. They will flag things like missing alt text, low color contrast, or buttons without labels.
Think about it. A blind person using a screen reader might find your site menu totally confusing, even though the code “passes” an audit.
Someone with motor disabilities might struggle to use a dropdown menu that looks perfectly fine to you, but is almost impossible to navigate without a mouse.
That’s the kind of thing tools can’t tell you.
Real people with real experiences can.
When you bring disabled users into your testing, they’ll show you the hidden barriers that no checklist or software ever could.
And that’s when you really start to see how usable or unusable your product actually is.
2.Accessibility Makes Life Easier for Everyone
A lot of people think accessibility is just about helping people with disabilities. But here’s the thing –
It makes products easier for all of us
Reduces frustration for everyone
Say you’re checking a website late at night with tired eyes. Bigger text and good contrast suddenly make a huge difference. Or maybe you’re rushing through a form on your laptop, clear labels and simple navigation save you time and stress.
When you test with people who face real accessibility challenges, you end up fixing problems that actually help everyone. It’s not just about inclusion of people with disabilities, it’s about creating a smoother, friendlier experience for anyone who uses your product.
3.Legal & Regulatory Compliance
Making your product accessible isn’t just about being nice, it’s also the law in many countries. For instance, in the US, there’s the ADA and Section 508, Europe has the European Accessibility Act (EAA), and so on.
If you fail to abide by them, you will have to face fines, lawsuits, or even lose business with partners who require compliance.
But if you follow these –
You can stay out of trouble as rules keep you safe.
They even help in building trust by showing that you care about accessibility and reassuring customers and partners.
4.It Builds Trust, Brand Value, and Reaches More Users
Accessibility is not just a feature, it is a reflection of what your brand cares about. When you include disabled users in the testing process, it shows that each individual matters to you. And trust us, this kind of attention doesn’t go unnoticed.
Everyone remembers when a website works smoothly for them and those same people get frustrated when it doesn’t. This can impact how they feel about your brand.
Including disabled people helps to –
Grow trust as this makes them feel that you care for their experience
Reach a wider audience as people prefer brands for whom accessibility is a priority.
Making your product accessible isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s smart business. It builds reputation, loyalty, and opens your brand to a wider, more engaged audience.
5.You Get Unique Insights and Innovation
Are you ready to hear the truth? Most teams don’t realize that disabled users use technology in ways that designers never expect. They always have fresh perspectives that identify issues and spark new ideas.
So, when you involve them in the testing process, be ready to see your product through a completely different lens. Here’s how it works –
New ideas – When you’ll know how people use tools like captions or voice commands, it will help you get inspired to come up with new features that make things much easier.
Rethink old habits –The feedback you will receive will help you question the usual way of designing and come up with better, smarter solutions.
This clearly means that accessibility isn’t a roadblock. It’s often what sparks the best ideas, leading to products that feel more useful, modern, and welcoming for all users.
6.Silence Doesn’t Mean Acceptance
Just because nobody complains about accessibility doesn’t mean everything’s fine. In reality, most users with disabilities won’t take the time to report problems, they’ll simply leave and choose a competitor who makes things easier.
That means you could be losing customers without even knowing it.
No feedback doesn’t mean no problems – many users stay silent and move on instead of pointing out issues.
Proactive testing matters – including disabled users gives you the honest feedback you’d otherwise miss.
7.It Builds a More Inclusive Culture
Do you wish to build an inclusive culture? Well, for that you first have to know accessibility is all about people, not checklists. When you include people with disabilities in your research and testing, it shows you know that everyone deserves to be heard.
It tells people, both inside and outside your company, that you truly care. Also, highlights the benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities and professionals alike.
Plus, inclusion has a ripple effect:
Your team becomes more aware of different user needs.
Products naturally evolve to serve more people.
Your brand earns trust for doing the right thing,not just talking about it.
Because at the end of the day, accessibility isn’t a task, it’s a mindset that makes everyone better.
You can also check out our guide on “10 Ways to Make Your Website More Accessible” for practical tips and best practices.
The Bottom Line
When you involve disabled users in your testing process, it shows your empathy, curiosity, and a genuine desire to understand how people experience your product. This way, accessibility becomes a habit of care and not just a checklist. So, how does this help? Well, it makes your product stronger, and your brand more human.
If you’re not sure where to start, you don’t have to do it alone. Inclusive Web helps businesses create digital experiences that truly include everyone, through expert accessibility audits, usability testing, and real feedback from users with disabilities.
Start your journey toward genuine inclusion today – one test, one user, one better experience at a time.
Have Questions?
We Are Inclusive Web
We work with our clients to simplify digital accessibility to ensure your web and digital applications are ADA compliant and accessible to all your users. If you’d like to talk about your digital accessibility, you can email us at matthew@inclusiveweb.co, leave us a note here, or schedule a call here to discuss. Let’s make the web inclusive to all!