Big Tech and Digital Accessibility: What are Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Amazon doing?

Is digital accessibility just a checkbox, or a core promise?

As our lives move ever more online, digital accessibility isn’t just a compliance buzzword. For billions around the world, including over 1 billion people with disabilities, it's a matter of participation and potential. How can you study, work, or shop if you can’t see the screen, hear the audio, or simply navigate an app? As governments begin to tighten regulations, public pressure, and lawsuits rise, the stakes have never been higher.

Yet tech giants: Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Amazon stand out not just for their scale, but for their influence in setting industry norms. How do their accessibility commitments play out in real educational, workplace, and daily-life scenarios? And what does it really look like to embed accessibility into the heart of digital transformation?

Why does this topic keep gaining urgency?

In 2024, tech titans are no longer judged just by their platforms’ reach, but by their ability to welcome everyone. This year alone saw a surge in global legislation (like the European Accessibility Act), class-action lawsuits, and, perhaps most importantly, innovation. Educators and startups are watching closely, knowing that when big tech moves, the rest of the market tends to follow.

Consider this: Online learning, remote work, and digital public services have exploded since 2020. For schools, universities, and everyone building digital products, accessibility isn't optional; it's a prerequisite for equity, retention, and even basic compliance.

How big tech tackles accessibility?

Microsoft: embedding accessibility at the core

Microsoft has long promoted its "accessibility by design" approach. Their Accessibility Commitment sets ambitious standards: accessibility training for all employees, accessible workplace technology, and regular reporting. Notable actions include:

• Office 365’s built-in accessibility tools, like the Accessibility Checker and dictation features, foster accessible documents, emails, and presentations. (Think of the impact for teachers, students, and business users.)

  
  

• Immersive Reader aids those with dyslexia or ADHD.

  
  

• The Xbox Adaptive Controller redefines gaming, showing that inclusive hardware is possible at scale.

Education example? In partnership with schools, Microsoft provides accessibility training for teachers and promotes the use of accessible Microsoft Teams features. Their public progress dashboards let educators and institutions track their progress and see practical case studies. Microsoft’s commitment isn’t just policy; it’s woven into product roadmaps and developer guidelines.

Apple: “Accessibility is a human right.”

Apple raises industry expectations with polished, seamlessly integrated accessibility features. Visit their Apple Accessibility portal, and you see the ethos: if you buy an Apple device, you get best-in-class features like:

• VoiceOver: a sophisticated screen reader that works system-wide.

• Live Captions and Sound Recognition for users who are deaf or hard of hearing.

• Innovations like AssistiveTouch (for people with limited mobility) and eye-tracking, enabling not just access, but creative expression.

Apple’s tools work out of the box, no additional purchase required. Their design process often includes users with disabilities as engineers, testers, and advisors. For example, Apple’s ongoing collaboration with schools and NGOs is spotlighted in its regularly updated accessibility stories and guides. Teachers leveraging iPads for inclusive classrooms find Apple provides resources spanning from vision and auditory aids to cognitive and physical accessibility.

Google: open source, AI, and education partnerships

Google pursues accessibility across multiple fronts, including Android, Chrome OS, the web, and key apps like Drive and Classroom. Their Google Accessibility blog and developer documentation drive awareness and adoption. Core strategies include:

• AI-powered features like Live Transcribe and Lookout, turning smartphones into assistive devices.

  
  

• ChromeVox (Chrome OS) and TalkBack (Android) screen readers, open-sourced for continuous improvement.

  
  

• Major initiatives for accessible education, such as adding captions to YouTube and supporting accessible assignments in Google Classroom or voice typing in Google Docs.

  
  

Notably, Google enables educators (and, increasingly, students themselves) to improve accessibility with their own tools. Its open-source developer guidelines have become a reference point for edtech startups and teachers building custom apps.

Amazon: accessible shopping, reading, and Alexa

Amazon’s Accessibility Center covers web accessibility, Kindle ebooks, Fire tablets, and Alexa. Noteworthy elements:

• All Amazon websites and shopping apps are expected to conform to the current WCAG standards. Screen reader-friendly design is a focus, but user reviews and advocates say there’s still work to do.

  
  

• The Kindle and Fire OS support font adjustments, screen readers, and voice commands.

  
  

• Alexa offers a bridge for users with mobility or visual impairments: voice controls lights, books, reminders, and even shopping lists.

  
  

In education, Amazon has partnered with universities and K-12 districts on accessible reading initiatives, providing device grants and demonstrating how Echo devices can support independent learning for students with disabilities.

Key strategies and observations

1. Accessibility as an "innovation layer."

For all four companies, accessibility is no longer just a compliance exercise. It’s a source of core product innovation. Apple and Microsoft invest in hardware, not just software. Google’s AI teams see accessibility as a “proving ground”, technology that can serve everyone. Amazon links inclusive design to its customer-obsessed culture: if shopping or reading doesn’t work for you, it isn’t just “bad UX”, it’s lost business.

2. Accessibility is continuous, not a project

The biggest lesson from big tech? Accessibility efforts are perpetual. Platforms update constantly; new standards arise; user needs change. Microsoft’s dashboards, Apple’s annual OS enhancements, and Google's constant AI-enabled updates reflect the fact that accessibility work is never “finished”; it needs leadership, budget, and user feedback loops at every stage.

3. Community and open collaboration matter

Progress often starts with partnerships and open tools. Google and Microsoft publish their guidelines and open-source key tools. Apple and Amazon share customer stories and highlight partnerships with educational institutions and NGOs. The message: accessible design isn’t something one team can do alone or in a vacuum. Collaboration with teachers, students, accessibility experts, and developers creates more robust solutions.

4. Gaps, challenges, and critique

Is Big Tech doing enough? While the four giants have made strides, challenges remain. Critics point to:

• Inconsistent accessibility across apps and geographies (especially on Amazon’s sprawling global network).

  
  

• Not all third-party apps on their platforms are fully accessible, despite guidelines.

  
  

• The pace of innovation sometimes means features that launch with accessibility flaws, only to be patched later.

  
  

And while product updates make headlines, practical support and documentation for educators or small businesses can still lag.

Some takeaways...

• Accessibility isn’t a roadblock to innovation, it’s a catalyst.

  
  

• “Baking it in” from the start makes better products, and minimizes risk of exclusion (and litigation!) later.

  
  

• Borrow from big tech’s playbook: update regularly, seek user feedback, and make accessibility everyone’s job, not just the web team’s.

  
  

• In education, choose platforms and tools that offer robust accessibility features and ongoing support.

  
  

• Test your digital assets, don’t just trust feature lists or check compliance boxes.

  
  

• Experience your own products with a screen reader, keyboard navigation, or speech input.

Want tactical inspiration? Our previous article, “Does Accessibility Have an Impact on SEO? It’s More Than ALT Tags” explores how building with inclusion in mind can also boost visibility and engagement. Or, for a practical angle, review how platforms and services approach custom software development with accessibility at the forefront.

Digital accessibility as a shared standard

Tech’s biggest companies are moving the accessibility conversation from “regulatory checkbox” to “product-making default.” For schools, universities, companies, and digital creators, that’s both an opportunity and a call to action. Accessible design isn’t just about compliance - it’s about dignity, independence, and reach. The next generation of innovation belongs to the builders who invite everyone in.

What’s one way your organization or product has benefited from better accessibility, or what barriers remain? Join the conversation below or read more in our Accessibility category.