Microsoft announces five-year commitment to help people with disabilities
Over one billion people live with a disability, and Microsoft is working to help them.
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What you need to know
Microsoft announced a new five-year commitment to improve accessibility and to help people with disabilities. The company calls accessible technology a “fundamental building block that can unlock opportunities in every part of society” in ablog post. The post is written by Microsoft president Brad Smith. Microsoft also announced a set of new “accessible by design” features for Microsoft 365.
According to theWorld Health Organization, around 15% of people in the world have some form of disability. Efforts to improve access to technology directly affect over 1 billion people, and by extension, touch the lives of billions. Microsoft outlines three priorities for its initiative:
New “accessible by design” features were also announced today, including a new background accessibility checker across the core Office apps and Outlook, AI in Word to make headings more accessible to low-vision and blind readers, and a new Excel navigation pane designed for screen readers. Microsoft is also expanding Immersive Reader, adding a high-contrast mode to Microsoft Teams, and adding auto-captioning to LinkedIn Live Broadcasts.
Microsoft has worked to improve accessibility for years.Immersive Reader, theXbox Adaptive Controller, andSeeing AIare just some examples of the company’s efforts.
Several partners work with Microsoft to improve accessibility as well. For example, Microsoft announced a new partnership with the University of Washington onCREATEand partners with the nonprofit SeeAbility in the UK. Microsoft also has dedicated accessibility research teams, which have helped create innovations such asEye Control in Windows 10.
As part of its efforts, Microsoft is creating a Low-Cost Assistive Technology Fund, which is part of the AI for Accessibility program. The new fund will launch in fall 2021. Microsoft is working with internet providers, governments, and organizations to deliver affordable broadband, hardware, software, and digital skills to people with disabilities. Today, Microsoft announced a newASL video call capabilitythat lets deaf people browse Microsoft Store products with a member of Microsoft’s deaf support staff.
Smith’s post also outlines Microsoft’s efforts to increase skills and education levels for people with disabilities. Those efforts include creating Universal Design Learning environments in STEM education and Reflect within Microsoft Teams, which helps support social and emotional learning.
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Microsoft also annnounced plans to make hiring more inclusive, including broadening itsSupport Employment Programto a total of 12 countries and expanding itsAutism Hiring program.
While Microsoft’s efforts are extensive, the company highlights that helping other organizations will leave a larger impact. Smith states, “We believe that Microsoft’s most important contribution to accessibility will come not from our own work, but from helping our customers and partners use technology to meet their accessibility commitments.”
To help organizations, Microsoft published theMicrosoft Accessibility Evolution Modellast year.
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
