Choosing an Accessibility Toolbar: What It Can—and Can’t—Do

he short answer

• Can do: Personalise the experience (contrast, text size, reading aids, TTS, translation), reduce cognitive/visual friction, widen audience access.

• Can’t do: Magically make non-semantic pages compliant; repair broken keyboard flows; rewrite poor content; replace captions/transcripts; guarantee legal compliance.

What an accessibility toolbar does well

• Personal controls: Larger text, higher contrast, Light/Dark/Colour modes, page scaling, hide images/animations, highlight links.

• Reading support: Text to Speech, Reading Ruler, Screen Mask, Cursor Adjustment, Dictionary lookups.

• Language access: Translation to help global audiences consume content.

• Fast wins: Improves comfort today while you fix templates, components, and content.

• Adoption signal: Visible commitment to inclusion; useful in accessibility statements and procurement reviews.

What a toolbar doesn’t solve

• Semantics & structure: H1/H2 order, landmarks, table headers, link text.

• Keyboard & focus: Traps, off-canvas tabbables, missing focus outlines.

• Forms: Labels, error messaging, validation timing, autocomplete.

• Media obligations: Captions for video, transcripts for audio, tagged PDFs.

• Performance & stability: Layout shift, slow scripts, oversized images.

Bottom line: treat toolbars as assistive controls, not a compliance switch.

Buyer’s checklist (copy/paste)

How to evaluate (15–20 minute test)

1. Keyboard-only: Can you open the toolbar, toggle features, and close it—without a mouse? Is focus visible and logical?

2. Screen reader skim: Are controls labelled and announced clearly?

3. Real pages: Try a text-heavy article, a product page with media, and a form/checkout.

4. Performance glance: Check that page remains responsive; no layout shift when toggling features.

5. Mobile check: Are targets comfortable? Does the widget avoid blocking key UI?

Success metrics you can track

• Engagement: longer session duration on content pages after enabling text/contrast options.

• Funnel health: higher completion rates for forms/checkout when reading aids are used.

• Reach: increased usage from non-primary languages via translation.

• Support signals: fewer complaints about “small text” or “hard-to-read pages.”

Add annotations in Analytics when you deploy or update the toolbar to correlate changes.

Implement it right (and ethically)

• Present the toolbar as optional enhancements—don’t auto-force modes.

• Keep controls reversible and remember user choices (consent-aware).

• Avoid marketing language such as “makes your site compliant.”

• Pair with a public accessibility statement that outlines what the toolbar does—and what you’re fixing structurally.

How Adjustable compares (what you get)

• Assistive features:
  Text to Speech, Language Translation, Accessibility Profiles, Text Options (size/spacing), Reading Ruler, Cursor Adjustment, Screen Mask, Page Options (page scaling, hide images/animations, highlight links), Dictionary, and Light/Dark/Colour modes.

• UX & implementation:
  Keyboard-friendly, labelled controls; lightweight embed; toolbar or compact widget; configurable placement.

• For teams:
  Quick install in CMS/build tools; usage insights to guide content and design priorities.

• For Legal/Compliance:
  Clear positioning as user assistance; easy to reference in your Accessibility Statement.

Try Adjustable

FAQs

Will a toolbar make us WCAG compliant?
No. It improves usability and access but doesn’t repair code-level issues. Use it alongside structural fixes, testing, and governance.

Is there any SEO benefit?
Indirectly. Better readability and comfort can improve engagement and reduce bounces—signals that support visibility.

Will it slow down our site?
A lightweight implementation and deferred loading keep performance healthy. Test on your heaviest pages before rollout.

Where should it appear?
Place it consistently (e.g., bottom-right widget). Ensure it doesn’t cover CTAs or form fields—especially on mobile.

Next steps

• Audit templates for headings, labels, focus, contrast.

• Pilot Adjustable on a content page and a form/checkout page.

• Track engagement and completion metrics for 2–4 weeks.

• Add a paragraph about the toolbar to your Accessibility Statement and Help pages.