A Simple Typing Mistake That Shows Why Accessibility Matters

One fine day when I was working on my lovely laptop, the battery was running low and the room was a little dimly lit. I was in the middle of typing something important when I suddenly realised I was pressing the wrong key. Instead of typing the ‘#’ symbol, I was repeatedly typing the ‘$’ symbol. Not once, not twice- at least three times in a row!

At first, it sounded crazy to me. How could I be making such a simple mistake when I’ve been typing for years? But then I paused. Despite having good eyesight, I was struggling in that moment because of low visibility caused by two simple factors: poor lighting and laptop keyboard backlit was off. Gladly, I was able to notice the mistake consciously, but it made me think deeply- what about people who live with low vision or no visibility at all?

That small experience, so ordinary and almost laughable, became an eye-opener.

The Everyday Struggles We Don’t See

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For most of us, accessibility issues don’t feel urgent until we encounter even a glimpse of them in our own lives. We take reading, typing, clicking and browsing for granted. Yet, something as minor as a dimly lit room can suddenly make everyday digital tasks more difficult.

Now imagine this as a constant reality.

• What if reading text was always a strain?
• What if identifying the right button or icon took triple the effort?
• What if a website’s design made it impossible to navigate without sight or with motor challenges?

My tiny struggle with the ‘$’ and ‘#’ keys was temporary, but it mirrored the real, ongoing difficulties faced by millions of users.

Accessibility Is Not Just About Disabilities

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One thing this moment taught me is that accessibility isn’t only about “helping people with disabilities.” It’s about designing for human situations.

• A person in bright sunlight trying to read low-contrast text.
• Someone holding a baby in one hand, trying to navigate a website with the other.
• A traveller in a noisy train station relying on captions because they can’t hear audio clearly.

All of these are temporary or situational disabilities. And accessibility ensures that technology adapts to all of us, not just the ideal conditions.

Why It Matters in Digital Design

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My small typing error under poor visibility conditions was harmless, but in digital spaces, inaccessibility can mean exclusion. For someone with a permanent condition, a poorly designed website can block them from:

• Filling out a job application form.
• Paying bills online.
• Attending an online class.
• Communicating with friends and family.

And when that happens, it’s not just a design flaw- it becomes a barrier to opportunity, independence and dignity.

What We Can Learn

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Experiences like mine remind us of one simple truth: accessibility is empathy in action. It’s about stepping into the shoes of people whose needs may be different from ours and recognising that we all share the same desire for ease, comfort and inclusion.

Here are a few things I took away from that day:

1. Accessibility starts with awareness. Small inconveniences in our own lives can help us empathise with bigger struggles of others.
2. Inclusive design helps everyone. Clear text, good colour contrast and accessible navigation improve usability for all users.
3. It’s not optional anymore. With global digital adoption, accessibility is becoming a responsibility- legally, socially and ethically.

Conclusion

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That little mix-up between a ‘$’ and a ‘#’ was nothing compared to what others may experience daily, but it was enough to shift my perspective. Accessibility is not a buzzword, a checkbox or an afterthought- it’s about making sure nobody feels left out because of how something was designed.

Next time you find yourself squinting at your screen, fumbling with tiny buttons or replaying an audio you couldn’t catch, pause and reflect. That moment of discomfort is the exact reason accessibility matters. It’s the bridge between exclusion and inclusion, between frustration and empowerment.

Accessibility, in its essence, is about making technology human.