Disability Simulation

A method of accessibility evaluation where non-disabled people experience approximations of the barriers faced by people with disabilities when using technology or navigating environments. In web accessibility, disability simulation tools like IBM's aDesigner visualize how screen reader users experience a page — for example, showing reaching times to content areas through color gradation. While simulations can build developer empathy and motivation to fix accessibility issues, the disability community has raised concerns that brief simulations may create misleading impressions of what it is like to live with a disability, potentially fostering pity rather than understanding of systemic barriers.