accessiBe marks one year of its Inclusive Product Advisory Board ahead of GAAD

One year in, the Inclusive Product Advisory Board is shaping product decisions,
 industry research, and how accessiBe listens

NEW YORK, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), accessiBe is marking one year of its Inclusive Product Advisory Board — a program built on the idea that accessibility tools should be shaped by the people who use them.

The board includes disability advocates, assistive technology users, accessibility professionals, and representatives connected to organizations including The Viscardi Center, United Spinal Association, Parkinson's Foundation, Hidden Disabilities, and the Blinded Veterans Association — bringing a wide range of lived experience and accessibility perspectives into product discussions.

In addition to meeting quarterly as a group, accessiBe also works with individual members between sessions, gathering input as decisions are being made rather than after they've been finalized.

Over the past year, members have tested products hands-on, scored accessibility profiles on accuracy, clarity, and respectfulness, and contributed to accessiBe's proprietary industry research — including its eCommerce trends report, which surveyed over 300 business leaders and members of the disability community.

That input is now reflected across the platform, including:

• A new direction for the accessWidget interface, designed to better reflect how users interact with accessibility tools in practice
• Refined naming and descriptions across accessibility profiles, moving away from clinical and deficit-based language toward clearer, more respectful phrasing
• A shift from rigid user labeling to functional support, ensuring features are accessible to anyone who benefits from them, not limited to predefined groups
• More precise and transparent language, avoiding absolute claims and better reflecting real-world user experiences

One theme came up repeatedly in board sessions: words matter. Accessibility tools should use language that reflects how people describe their own experiences — not clinical categories built around system logic.

The advisory board works alongside accessLabs, a team of blind usability analysts who test accessiBe's tools daily using assistive technologies. One brings expert and community perspective; the other brings daily hands-on testing. Together they give accessiBe a clearer picture of where its products are working and where they're falling short.

Board discussions also pointed to a challenge that extends well beyond accessiBe's products. AI tools and faster development cycles have made it easier to build and publish digital content at volume — but most of that content isn't built with accessibility in mind. Members noted that organizations need solutions that can keep pace, and that automation on its own isn't sufficient. How a tool is implemented, communicated, and experienced by users is what determines whether it actually works.

"This past year has been about listening to a wide range of perspectives and recognizing where experiences overlap across very different communities," said Robert Lopez, CEO of accessiBe. "Our product advisory board brings together voices from across the accessibility ecosystem, and what stands out is that many of the challenges are shared. That insight is shaping how we build and ensures our products reflect real needs, not assumptions. It's important that we are taking community feedback as we evolve our products."

GAAD has become a moment when companies say something about accessibility. This year, it's a moment to demonstrate how product updates are driven by community feedback shaped by member input and a board with a direct line into how decisions get made.

"It's incredible when users in the community who also have expertise in the field like myself are invited into an advisory/steering role so we can help shape the future of the accessible internet with companies that are changing the game like accessiBe" said Dr. Hoby Wedler, a blind internet personality and owner of a marketing agency.

In the coming months, accessiBe plans to bring more voices into the advisory board program and keep building that input into future product and research work. To get involved in GAAD 2026, visit accessiBe's GAAD hub at accessibe.com/gaad-2026.

About accessiBe

accessiBe is an end-to-end accessibility platform unifying AI automation, developer tools, and expert services to help organizations create inclusive digital experiences at scale. Guided by its mission to level the digital playing field for everyone, the company is trusted by over 100,000 websites worldwide. Developed in collaboration with the disability community and organizations including United Cerebral Palsy, the Special Olympics USA Games, and the Parkinson's Foundation, accessiBe continues to advance accessibility through technology, accountability, and innovation. To learn more, visit www.accessibe.com.

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Olga Shmuklyer
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SOURCE accessiBe