What does digital exclusion really look like? Stijn's story.
“Everything seems to work at first, but somewhere along the way, there’s always a catch.” For Stijn, who has a visual impairment, using digital services means relying on a screen reader to navigate websites one element at a time. While some platforms are improving, many everyday tasks—from submitting forms to checking public transport—still present unexpected barriers. In this testimonial, Stijn shares what true digital accessibility means in practice, and where it still falls short.
How do you access digital applications?
Stijn Van Roey: I always use a screen reader. It’s a program that reads aloud the text on screen or converts it into Braille, which I can read with my fingers using a Braille display.
What kinds of problems do people with a visual impairment face online?
Stijn Van Roey: Not all websites are equally accessible. A screen reader literally reads everything from top to bottom, one item at a time. That means you can’t skim or scan the page quickly like a sighted person would. It takes longer to find what you’re looking for, and you sometimes miss important information that would normally jump out. Most screen readers do have smart features to speed things up, but you have to know how to use them.
What are your biggest frustrations online? Can you give a recent example?
Stijn Van Roey: Just today, I tried to submit a request on the VDAB website. These days, some services are only available online. To complete the request, I needed to create an account and confirm it with a captcha. It was probably an image asking you to recognise and enter numbers—but my screen reader couldn’t interpret it properly or turn it into Braille. So it didn’t work. I had to ask a colleague for help. (That’s no problem at my workplace, thankfully.) But this website actually carries an accessibility label, which makes it even more frustrating.
Are there specific tasks you’d like to do online but can’t?
Stijn Van Roey: Yes—checking public transport schedules, for instance. Some apps work well, others don’t at all. More generally, there are lots of everyday things—submitting forms, sending in meter readings—that I often ask someone else to do. It’s a kind of frustration-avoidance reflex. Otherwise, it can take a lot of time, only for me to get to the end and discover I can’t complete the task after all. Everything seems to work at first, but somewhere along the way, there’s always a catch—like a captcha.
Despite all the efforts and guidelines to improve accessibility, I still find that calling someone or talking to a real person works best.
What would make a website or digital service more accessible for you?
Stijn Van Roey: That’s a tough one, because I don’t know much about the technical side. But from what I understand, it’s important that all interface elements—buttons, links, headings—have clear labels. If not, my screen reader will just say “button” or “link,” and I’ll have no idea what it does. Image descriptions are also important. AI-generated ones are becoming more common, but they’re not nearly as accurate as descriptions written by humans.
Are companies doing enough? Should the government do more? Do you notice a difference between public and private websites?
Stijn Van Roey: There are still a lot of websites that aren’t accessible. But honestly, I don’t notice much difference between public and private sector platforms.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Stijn Van Roey: Despite all the efforts and guidelines to improve accessibility, I still find that calling someone or talking to a real person at a service desk works best for me—and I suspect that will always be the case.
By Michele Stynen