The US Access Board, an independent federal agency focused on accessible design for people with disabilities, shared its initial findings on the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence (AI) for people with disabilities during a recent webinar, marking a significant step in its efforts to assess AI’s impact on access across different industries.
The findings stem from a 2023 executive order on AI that emphasized the importance of accessibility best practices. Under the order, the board was tasked with engaging the disability community, issuing technical guidance and ensuring equal access to AI-driven information and communication technologies. The board signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last year with the American Association of People with Disabilities and the Center for Democracy and Technology to advance its goals and hosted webinars designed to gather insights from public hearings, government agencies and AI practitioners.
AI’s potential benefits for people with disabilities
The sessions revealed several potential AI benefits in enhancing accessibility, including:
- Assisting with daily tasks and communication
- Improved assistive technologies, such as speech recognition
- Enhanced navigation of indoor and outdoor spaces
- Powering smart home solutions for greater independence
The board also noted that federal agencies and businesses have recognized AI’s ability to improve efficiency, automate data analysis and streamline accessibility efforts. For example, the General Services Administration is exploring AI applications for converting PDFs to accessible formats, improving transcription services and simplifying federal website language.
Risks and recommendations
Despite its potential, the board noted that AI also presents concerns to people with disabilities, particularly when biased data leads to discriminatory outcomes. It identified seven key areas of concern — employment, education, benefits determination, communication, health care, transportation and the legal system — and suggested tailored recommendations for each.
Employment: AI-powered hiring and workplace supervision tools, the board noted, can create disadvantages for people with disabilities. It recommends that employers evaluate these tools to ensure fairness and mitigate discrimination.
Verbit’s corporate solutions promote effective business communication and help companies comply with accessibility regulations. Our highly accurate real-time captioning and transcription solutions ensure that job applicants and employees can fully participate in interviews, training programs and workplace communications.
Education: The board stressed that AI educational tools be designed with accessibility in mind to prevent discrimination against students with disabilities. Tools also should be monitored to prevent violations under the ADA and other access laws.
Verbit’s suite of education offerings help schools and colleges provide inclusion across the entire learning experience. By integrating our purpose-built technologies, universities and course providers offer learners equitable access to educational content and extracurricular activities alike, while increasing engagement for all students.
Our transcription and captioning solutions provide real-time and post-session accessibility for students who rely on assistive technologies. Our AI speech-to-text solutions ensure that educational content — lectures, videos, e-learning materials — remains fully accessible, supporting institutions in meeting ADA compliance requirements.
We also provide an education subscription plan — Verbit Unlimited — that offers industry leading captioning, transcription and translation support at one annual price and enables schools, colleges and universities to scale accessibility initiatives across their campuses in new and affordable ways.
Benefits Access: The agency noted that AI-driven benefit determinations should follow federal guidelines, with transparent processes for appeals to prevent unfair denials for individuals with disabilities.
Verbit’s transcription services provide clear documentation of benefit eligibility interviews, hearings and appeals, creating a more accountable and accessible decision-making process. Our technology also assists government agencies in making information available in multiple formats, ensuring that individuals understand and navigate the benefits process effectively.
Communication: AI developers, the board suggested, should take steps to prioritize privacy protections and ensure compatibility with assistive technologies while public entities should involve AI-trained accessibility coordinators in procurement decisions.
Verbit’s accessibility solutions help organizations create inclusive digital experiences. Our AI-powered solutions securely and seamlessly integrate with existing communication tools, allowing individuals with disabilities access to important information without barriers.
Health Care: AI-powered health monitoring and diagnostic tools must be designed with patient accessibility and privacy in mind.
Verbit’s speech-to-text technology assists the healthcare industry by providing accurate, real-time documentation of medical interactions, telehealth sessions and patient communications. Our AI-powered solutions make health information accessible in multiple formats, reducing the risk of miscommunication and, in the process, supporting patient outcomes.
Transportation: The board suggested that AI-driven biometric tools, such as facial recognition technologies as part of security and screening measures, be evaluated for accessibility, with alternative processes available for those who cannot use them.
Legal: AI tools may reinforce systemic biases, the board said, and law enforcement should consider implementing risk-reduction measures aligned with federal guidance.
Verbit’s legal solutions help law firms and court systems maintain transparency, minimize bias and improve access for individuals with disabilities. We use large language models (LLMs) that have bias levers in place and supplements them with additional levers of our own. Our LLMs employ several techniques to identify and remove bias from training data.
Our legal solutions are designed by legal experts who understand the reliability, accuracy and customization that the industry requires. We streamline transcription workflows, providing quicker delivery of both live and recorded legal proceedings such as depositions, hearings and examinations as well as digital evidence.
Our newest offering — Legal Visor — provides real-time transcription and AI-driven insights for depositions, hearings and legal proceedings, ensuring that all spoken content is accurately captured and analyzed.
Next steps
The Access Board emphasized that AI’s impact on accessibility is still in the early stages, and further research, training and community engagement will be key to refining policies. The MOU partnership will continue until 2027, with goals adapting as AI technology evolves.
Contact a member of our team for more information on Verbit’s wide range of products and services.
