Digital experiences are central to how we live and work, making consistent, equitable access essential. For people who are blind or have low vision, assistive technology (AT) serves as a critical bridge to participation, independence, and opportunity. By converting on-screen text to speech, magnifying digital content on a computer screen, or providing tactile feedback through a braille keyboard, AT removes barriers to access and empowers individuals to engage fully in every aspect of modern life, from creating social connections to shopping to working and enables organizations to deliver equitable digital experiences.
Why assistive technology matters
AT connects people with disabilities to the digital world. Its importance has grown exponentially as essential functions—from banking and education to healthcare and commerce—have shifted to an online-centric model. Without the right tools, those shifts create widening gaps in participation and opportunity and limit digital accessibility for people with vision impairment.
Digital access as a requirement, not a luxury
For most people, access to digital information is a prerequisite for full participation in the world around them: it is the gateway to employment, education, and community engagement. For a blind or low vision user, being unable to access a website, use a mobile application, or interact with a digital document has direct impacts on participation and productivity. AT provides users with the access they need to thrive at work, at home, wherever digital connections happen
Independence, opportunity, and access
The core purpose of AT is to foster empowerment; these tools enable users with vision loss to perform tasks independently, and this autonomy builds confidence, expanding access to educational and professional opportunities that were once inaccessible. Among employed full-time workers, blind and low-vision employees experience a median annual earnings gap of $11,215 compared to sighted peers, with some regions exceeding $50,000. These disparities often reflect limited access to tools, training, and accessible systems. AT is one of the most direct interventions available to narrow that divide. Organizations also play a role in reducing these barriers by ensuring their digital systems support AT from the start.
What is AT for blind and low vision users?
At a high level, AT refers broadly to any device, tool, or software that helps people with disabilities improve access, independence, or functionality in their daily lives. For blind and low vision users, AT most often refers to technologies that interpret or present visual information. While the broader AT category includes both hardware and non-digital tools, such as guide dogs or white canes, this guide focuses on the types of assistive technology that enable access to digital services, including screen-reading software and magnification tools. AT that supports access to digital environments generally falls into several core categories, each with unique features and some overlap, allowing users to choose tools that fit their level of vision loss.
Screen readers
Screen readers are software that enable blind people to navigate and interact with a computer or smartphone by converting on-screen text and interface elements into synthesized speech or braille. Users receive auditory feedback for every action they take, from opening an application to reading an email. Modern operating systems have built-in screen readers, such as VoiceOver for iOS and Narrator for Windows, that provide basic access, but they do not offer the advanced features, efficiency, and AI-powered advancements found in dedicated assistive technology tools. According to the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), 67.8% of blind and low vision adults use third-party screen reader software, underscoring the essential role these tools play in daily access to information and workforce readiness. Screen readers are widely used across enterprise systems, productivity tools, coding platforms, and customer-facing workflows.
Screen magnification and visual enhancement tools
Screen magnification tools enlarge part or all of the screen, making text, images, and interface elements easier to see without distortion. These tools are especially helpful for people in the early or moderate stages of vision impairment, allowing them to continue using their remaining sight comfortably and efficiently. Magnification began with simple handheld magnifiers, which offered limited enlargement for short reading tasks. As users needed more flexibility, electronic solutions such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) gave way video magnifiers, eventually evolving into screen magnifiers. Modern software magnifiers, such as ZoomText, enhance every aspect of a computer screen and offer users far more customization. Features like adjustable zoom levels, customizable contrast modes, cursor and focus enhancements, and text smoothing give low-vision users precise control over how digital content appears.
Combined screen reader + magnification tools
Many individuals with vision loss benefit from both screen magnification and auditory feedback. Combined solutions, such as Vispero’s Fusion, integrate a full-featured screen reader with advanced magnification capabilities. This hybrid approach allows users to switch between modalities or use both simultaneously, and is especially beneficial for users with progressive vision loss and for reducing visual fatigue during long work sessions. Tools like Fusion provide a unified interface so users don’t have to manage two separate tools, which can be a key advantage in enterprise environments.
How braille displays work with screen readers and magnifiers
Refreshable braille displays are hardware devices that connect to a computer or smartphone and provide tactile output for on-screen text. For proficient braille readers, these devices offer silent, precise reading and exceptional control. They work in tandem with screen readers, which send text to the braille display line by line, allowing the user to navigate by braille commands. While braille displays do not magnify content, they can be used alongside magnification software for users who rely on tactile reading for precision and visual access for context. These devices also support employees in roles requiring precision, confidentiality, or environments where audio output is not practical.
Screen readers vs. magnification
Vision loss varies significantly from person to person; every individual has different experiences and support needs. Selecting the appropriate AT depends entirely on an individual user’s needs, goals, and degree of vision loss. The fundamental difference lies in the type of output the AT provides: auditory versus visual.
Navigation and feature differences
A screen reader is designed primarily for people who are blind. It provides a complete non-visual interface through audio feedback and/or refreshable braille inputs. With screen readers, users navigate content using keyboard commands. Many users also combine screen readers with dictation tools when writing or editing, depending on the task and preference. In contrast, screen magnification is for users with low vision who can use their remaining sight to interact with the screen once it is enlarged and visually enhanced. Low vision users typically still navigate with a mouse. Beyond navigation differences, each solution offers its own set of accessibility features. Screen readers like JAWS for Windows and hybrid solutions like Fusion Suite include tools like Picture Smart, which allows users to submit an image and receive an AI-generated description of the scene, objects, and text it contains, providing context that would otherwise be inaccessible. Magnification tools like ZoomText focus on visual enhancements that help low-vision users make the most of their remaining sight without introducing additional eye strain.
Enterprise considerations when matching tools to users
For organizations, providing employees with the right AT is a matter of both compliance and productivity. An effective enterprise accessibility program should include licenses for both screen readers and magnification software, and, preferably, hybrid options as well. This ensures that any employee with a visual impairment, regardless of where they fall on the spectrum of vision loss, receives the specific resource they need to perform their job effectively. Providing the right AT can reduce onboarding time, minimize support tickets, improve productivity, and boost employee retention.
What makes websites and apps work well with AT?
For AT to function effectively, digital content must be created with accessibility in mind. Developers and designers play a critical role in building websites and applications that are compatible with screen readers and magnifiers.
Meaningful structure and semantic markup
A screen reader does not see a webpage. Instead, it interprets the underlying code, making it critical that websites use proper HTML semantics to provide a logical structure that the screen reader can communicate to users. This allows users to quickly understand the page layout and relevant sections.
Keyboard accessibility and predictable interaction
Many blind individuals navigate exclusively with a keyboard, using commands like Tab to move between interactive elements. Every function that users can perform with a mouse must also be accessible via keyboard. Page elements must have a visible focus indicator so users can tell where they are on the page, and the navigation order must be logical and predictable. Keyboard failures are one of the most common causes of AT compatibility issues.
Visual presentation that supports magnification and customization
For low-vision users, visual design is paramount. Websites should be built with a responsive design so that when a user applies screen magnification, the layout adjusts gracefully without requiring horizontal scrolling. Text and background colors must have sufficient contrast, and users should be able to resize text without breaking the page’s functionality.
Why AT matters for all organizations
Organizations across every sector now operate in environments where blind and low-vision users interact with digital systems every day—as employees, customers, students, and constituents. This makes AT a business-critical investment, not a peripheral accommodation, and customers’ expectations are clear. Research from Accenture shows that companies leading in disability inclusion achieve 1.6× more revenue, 2.6× more net income, and double the economic profit compared to their peers. Those gains come from a combination of streamlined workflows, higher employee productivity, stronger brand loyalty, and access to a vastly underserved market of disabled consumers and their families. In short, accessibility investments improve both human outcomes and business performance.
A competitive advantage, not just a compliance exercise
Compliance frameworks like ADA, WCAG, Section 508, and others establish a baseline, but meeting the standard won’t protect an organization from the risk of real-world inaccessibility. An inaccessible workflow or a form that breaks keyboard navigation blocks blind individuals from completing essential tasks. This can lead to higher support costs, stalled employee productivity, measurable drops in customer conversion and retention, and increased legal risks. Modern AT highlights these gaps instantly. If a screen reader cannot operate a form or magnification causes layout issues at 200%, users walk away, and with them, revenue decreases alongside trust and effectiveness.
Empowering blind and low vision employees to thrive
When organizations invest in a combination of AT, training, and accessible systems, employees can contribute at a level commensurate with their experience and talents. The inverse is also true. Research shows that inaccessible workplace systems and insufficient access to effective assistive technology are among the most frequently cited barriers to employment for blind and low-vision individuals—contributing to the employment gap where only 52.3% of adults with visual impairments are employed, compared to 76.3% of adults without disabilities. Access to the right AT helps close this divide, creating more opportunities for brands and future employees alike. The business case is clear: organizations that embrace accessibility and support blind and low-vision users with effective assistive technology see benefits that ripple across the enterprise.
Ready to learn more?
For millions of people, AT is their connection to the digital world, enabling them to fully participate and thrive. Vispero’s assistive technology solutions are the gold standard in digital accessibility, trusted by millions of users worldwide to help them learn, live, and work. We’ve helped businesses of all sizes and industries provide employees with the tools and services they need to access information and enhance workplace performance. Explore Vispero’s assistive technology solutions to learn how JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion support accessible, high-performance digital experiences across your organization.