Digital Inclusion: Why Your Content Might Be Excluding Millions of Users

This article was written in May 2025. The rules it describes may have changed since.

In France, around 7.7 million people report a restriction of activity or a severe functional limitation, including 2 million with a cognitive or intellectual limitation, according to a survey by the French Red Cross and Emmaüs Connect (in French).

As more of society moves online, digital inclusion has become a fundamental issue. Yet many users, particularly disabled people, still face major obstacles when they browse the web. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 1.3 billion people live with some form of disability, or 16% of the world's population. In the European Union, around 87 million people have some form of disability (European Commission).

Many people still struggle with digital tools. Digital technology runs through our personal and working lives, yet 21% of disabled people who are in work or looking for work (RHmatin, in French) say they "often or fairly often give up" applying for a job because the employer's website is not accessible. These limitations range from an interface that is hard to read for partially sighted people to complex features that do not suit people with motor or cognitive impairments.

Digital accessibility is not only about disabled people, though. Making content easier to navigate and understand improves the experience for every user.

I. Current Standards for Digital Accessibility

In 1994, Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the Web, founded the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium), whose mission is to develop open standards that ensure the long-term growth of the Web.

Three years later, in 1997, a branch dedicated to digital accessibility was created: the WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative). It develops technical standards, guidelines and educational resources. One of its major pieces of work is the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

These standards help take users' specific needs into account and make digital content accessible to everyone, across web development, design and communication.

a. IT (Development and Digital Accessibility)

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)

The WCAG are international standards defined by the W3C to make the web accessible to everyone. They have three levels of conformance:

• A (basic): minimum accessibility,
• AA (recommended): intermediate level, the one most often required,
• AAA (advanced): the highest level of accessibility.

They rest on four core principles:

• Perceivable: content can be perceived through more than one sense (sight, hearing, touch),
• Operable: navigation is intuitive and works with different tools,
• Understandable: content is clear and predictable,
• Robust: content keeps working as technology changes.

WCAG requirements include keyboard navigation, compatibility with screen readers and good colour contrast.

RGAA (Référentiel Général d'Amélioration de l'Accessibilité)

The RGAA is a French standard based on the WCAG, designed specifically for public websites in France. It is mandatory for public administrations, and also for companies whose turnover exceeds a threshold set by decree, currently 250 million euros (Arcom).

ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications)

ARIA is a set of HTML attributes that improves the accessibility of interactive web applications for screen reader users. It is used to define the role of dynamic page elements such as drop-down menus or notifications.

AI-generated image

b. Design (UX/UI and Inclusive Graphic Design)

Colour Contrast Standards

Good contrast between text and background is essential for content to be readable. The WCAG recommend:

• A contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for standard text,
• A ratio of 3:1 for large text (at least 18pt, or 14pt bold).

These rules help people with visual impairments (such as colour blindness) tell apart the information on screen.

Size and Typography

Inclusive design relies on:

• Sans-serif fonts (for example Arial or Verdana) for better readability,
• Good line and letter spacing to make reading easier.

Inclusive Design

Accessible design goes beyond colours and visuals. It must be complete and understandable for everyone:

• Buttons and clickable areas must be large enough,
• Information must never rely on colour alone (for example, an error shown in red must come with an explanatory message).

c. Communication (Accessible Content and Media)

Subtitles and Transcripts

Multimedia content must be accessible to deaf and hard of hearing people. This includes:

• Subtitles for videos,
• Text transcripts for audio files (podcasts, voice messages).

AI-generated image

Alternative Text (Alt Text)

Images must include alternative text (alt text) that describes their content for screen readers. It should be:

• Concise but informative,
• A description of the action or information the image conveys (for example, "Red confirmation button").

AI-generated image

Plain, Clear Language

Accessible communication relies on:

• Plain, clear language,
• Short, direct sentences,
• Effective structure with headings, bullet points and well-spaced paragraphs.

These practices help people with cognitive impairments and make content easier for every user to understand.

II. Why Digital Accessibility Is Essential

a. Why an Inclusive Web Matters

An inclusive web aims to make digital content and services accessible to everyone, whatever their physical, sensory or cognitive abilities. This matters for several reasons:

• Independence for disabled people:

Finding information, shopping online or dealing with official paperwork becomes difficult, or impossible, when the interface is not adapted.

• Equal opportunities:

Many everyday essential services (banking, health, education) have moved online, so a lack of digital accessibility widens social inequality.

• Meeting legal obligations:

In France, Article 47 of Law no. 2005-102 of 11 February 2005 (Arcom) requires public administrations and some companies to make their digital services accessible to everyone, disabled people included, and therefore to comply with the RGAA.

An accessible web also benefits wider groups, including:

• Older people, who may struggle with complex interfaces.
• People with a temporary disability (for example, an arm in a cast).
• Users who are not familiar with digital tools, as is often the case in rural areas or among people with little access to digital technology.

Testimony from David Latour, a support worker for people with intellectual disabilities (translated from French): "People with difficulties used to have a degree of independence for their paperwork, and they have now lost it. Websites are not adapted to people with fewer abilities. We are starting to realise this and to build more inclusive sites, with Easy Read (FALC in French) and immersive reading. But I think we also need to teach people with fewer abilities to use these tools. We have started doing that with Martin."

b. What Is at Stake in Digital Accessibility

Digital accessibility aims to give all users equal access to new technologies, whatever their situation. Everyone should be able to understand, navigate and interact easily and without barriers.

Digital accessibility involves three major issues:

• A social issue:

Making sure every individual can access digital services and information, whatever their profile.

• An economic issue:

By improving accessibility, companies widen their potential audience and increase user satisfaction.

• An ethical issue:

Designing inclusive interfaces is a responsible approach that promotes equality and respect for diversity.

c. The Consequences of Digital Exclusion

In 2023, 15.7% of people aged 15 or over living in France (excluding Mayotte) were digitally excluded according to the definition of Insee, the French national statistics office, while 30.3% had low digital skills (Insee, 2025, in French).

This lack of digital accessibility can have serious consequences, including:

• Social and professional exclusion:

People who cannot use online services may struggle to look for work, train or deal with official paperwork.

• A loss of independence:

For example, a partially sighted person will run into obstacles if a banking website does not work properly with their screen reader.

• An economic cost:

Companies that ignore accessibility principles risk cutting themselves off from a large part of their audience.

Testimony from a completely blind person (translated from French): "When you are looking for a job and you are visually impaired, it is hard to register on the website. Discounts on culture and transport for jobseekers: we cannot access any of those rights."

Inaccessibility also carries legal risk. In France, failing to meet these obligations can lead to a fine of up to 50,000 euros, following checks by Arcom, the audiovisual and digital regulator (Arcom).

d. The Main Obstacles Disabled People Face

Digital barriers vary with the type of disability. These are the main difficulties identified:

a) Navigation Problems

• Mouse-only navigation:

People with motor impairments or who use screen readers must be able to move around efficiently with a keyboard or voice commands.

• No visual or audio cues:

A disorganised interface, or one without logical cues, makes it harder for partially sighted people or people with cognitive impairments to find their way.

Testimony from a completely blind person (translated from French): "Booking a plane ticket: where you get stuck on the site with screen readers is the calendars for choosing flight dates. If you manage to get past that, then come the captchas, which are visual images or an inaudible audio test."

b) Visual Perception Problems

• Insufficient contrast:

Light grey text on a white background, or buttons that are hard to see, can be unreadable for people with a visual impairment or colour blindness.

• No text descriptions:

Without alternative text (alt text), people who use screen readers cannot understand the content of images or charts.

Testimony from a blind person (translated from French): "When I was filing my tax return, at one point the tax website asked me to correct whatever was outlined in red."

c) Interaction Problems

• Clickable areas that are too small:

These can make a site hard to use for people with motor impairments.

• Complex actions or precise gestures:

Interfaces that require complex interactions (such as drag and drop) exclude some users.

Testimony from Stéphane Hagues, blind from birth (translated from French): "The complex interfaces of some apps are a huge disappointment to me. Even if I understand the design reasons, what I expect above all is an interface that is accessible and usable."

III. The Benefits of Accessible Design for All Users

Accessible design benefits more than disabled people. These practices also improve the overall user experience and bring many other advantages.

a. A Better User Experience

• Clearer, more intuitive interfaces make navigation easier, even for beginners.
• Well-defined contrast and readable typefaces make screens more comfortable to read, especially on bright screens or in poor conditions.
• A clear content hierarchy lets every visitor find the information they are looking for quickly.

For example, larger buttons and well-structured text are appreciated by mobile users, who are often on the move or in poor visibility.

b. Better Search Rankings and Wider Reach

An accessible site is often better structured, which helps search engines index it. Practices such as:

• adding alternative descriptions to images,
• using semantic tags for headings and paragraphs,
• setting up clear, logical navigation,

help with search engine optimisation (SEO) and make the site more visible.

IV. Inclusion and Digital Accessibility at the Centre of KCS

KCS (Karma Com Solidarité), a French non-profit that brings volunteers' professional skills to non-profits, businesses and local authorities, has placed inclusion and digital accessibility at the heart of its strategy and communication. The organisation favours inclusive design and works to make its platforms accessible to all users.

KCS's design team and IT team work closely together to find the best ways of making information accessible.

a. Making Design Accessible: An Essential Challenge

Every interface has one essential job: to serve the user.

For KCS, accessibility is central to every design process. It directly shapes the user experience.

"When accessibility is taken into account from the design phase, the principle of 'accessible by design', you avoid having to fix everything once the interface has been coded. Design plays a central role in improving accessibility for people with a visual impairment, for example. Choosing suitable colours, not conveying important information through colour alone, and selecting a suitable typeface and text size are all things design can build in to ensure good accessibility." explains Dimitar G. (translated from French)

Creating a design that is both attractive and accessible is a real challenge for UX/UI designers, and we face many difficulties day to day. First, mastering every WCAG standard is complex. Second, striking the right balance between visual appeal and usability for everyone is not easy. And sometimes technical constraints come up in our discussions with the development team.

"The biggest obstacle we have met is a lack of awareness of accessibility in tech projects. Resources are usually limited. We understand that some adaptations are technically complex: it can be hard to reconcile good looks with accessible functionality... but it can be done." notes Marjorie N. (translated from French)

Some prototyping tools fall short of what inclusive design requires. They do not always include the features needed to check accessibility, simulate visual impairments or test keyboard navigation. That sometimes makes it harder to spot inclusion problems at the design stage.

At KCS, accessibility is a priority. Guided by our values and our commitment, we make sure no one is forgotten.

"Nothing is set in stone: this path towards accessibility is long-term work, and we are pursuing it with determination. We are a young non-profit, admittedly, but with a team fully committed to helping KCS grow." says Benjamin D. (translated from French)

b. Inclusive Design: The Keys to a Good Experience

Clarity comes first: a readable, well-structured information hierarchy, and sans-serif typefaces that are comfortable to read and adapt to every screen. For navigation, breadcrumbs make the site easier to move around.

Colours:

• Always check the contrast between text and background. If it is too low, adjust the colours.
• Never convey information through colour alone, because some people (colour-blind people in particular) will not perceive it correctly.

Typography:

• Prefer sans-serif fonts (Roboto, Open Sans...), which are easier to read.
• There are also fonts designed for people with dyslexia, such as OpenDyslexic, which make reading easier for this group of users.

Simple content:

• Text that is too complex will be hard to understand for people with cognitive impairments.
• It is essential to simplify the wording as far as possible, using clear, simple words.
• For visuals, avoid overcrowded layouts with too much information to take in.

Technical accessibility:

Accessibility does not rest on design alone: a large part of the work happens on the development side.

• If the code does not follow HTML and CSS standards, the interface will be inaccessible to many users, particularly those who navigate with a keyboard or use a screen reader.
• Interactive elements must be reachable with the keyboard, and images must have text descriptions (alt attributes).

To make an interface easier to use, accessibility has to be considered from the start. We must use strong contrast and suitable colours, with simple, readable fonts. Navigation must be clear, smooth and keyboard-accessible.

It is also important to test accessibility continuously with disabled users, to identify and remove obstacles.

Remember to add alternative text for images and animations, and subtitles for videos. Testing our visuals with accessibility tools and, above all, with real users is indispensable. Accessible design is what makes the experience smooth and inclusive for everyone.

In the end, our interfaces must go beyond simple interaction: they must open a real dialogue with every user.

Interviews conducted by KCS

V. Conclusion and Call to Action

Digital inclusion is a major challenge today. Access to technology shapes people's social, professional and cultural integration, and online services have become indispensable to daily life. Everyone must be able to use them without barriers.

Yet the digital divide persists. It deprives part of the population of the opportunities digital technology offers, and it deepens social and economic inequality, which makes inclusive solutions urgent.

a. The Consequences of the Digital Divide

Having no access to digital technology means missing many opportunities, whether in work, education or social life. This exclusion can deepen inequality and limit people's independence. Action to reduce these gaps is therefore essential.

b. Solutions for Successful Digital Inclusion

Initiatives already exist to promote digital inclusion:

• Training programmes to help everyone master digital tools.
• One-to-one help to guide people who are struggling.
• Better access to equipment and to the internet, particularly for the most vulnerable.

Businesses, local authorities and non-profits all have a key role in making sure no one is left behind.

c. Building a Fairer Digital Future

Digital inclusion is about more than providing computers or a connection. It means enabling everyone to find their way confidently in the digital world. A more inclusive society is one that gives everyone the means to develop and to take an active part in economic and civic life.

The digital transformation must be an opportunity for everyone. By pooling our efforts, we can make digital technology a lever for equality and independence.

d. A Checklist to Act Now

Start an inclusion process:

Identify the barriers in your organisation or community, and draw up a plan to remove them.

Bring in outside help:

Non-profits can see how KCS works with them on our page for non-profits.

Take practical action:

Make your premises accessible, offer inclusive digital tools and help your teams understand why diversity matters.

e. Join KCS

KCS invites you to take part in this change, as a partner, a volunteer or a beneficiary. Your contribution can make a difference.

• Visit our website: find out about our projects.
• Contact us: write to hello@assokcs.org.
• Take part in our work: support us with a donation.

Every step counts. Together, we can build a world where everyone has a place.

• Form for non-profits
• Form for volunteers

VI. FAQ

What are the main barriers to digital inclusion?

• Lack of access to the internet and to digital devices.
• Lack of digital skills.
• The high cost of equipment and subscriptions.
• Lack of trust in technology.
• The exclusion of disabled people.

What kinds of help does KCS offer?

KCS mainly offers skills-based volunteering: it brings volunteers' professional skills to non-profits, businesses and local authorities. Non-profits can find out more on our page for non-profits.

How can I become a KCS volunteer?

You can become a volunteer from our missions page.

How can I support KCS?

You can support KCS by becoming a volunteer or by making a donation.

Where can I find more information about KCS?

• You can find more information on our website.
• You can also contact the organisation by email: hello@assokcs.org

Published by

Adel