Examining the Accessibility of Generative AI Website Builder Tools for Blind and Low Vision Users: 21 Best Practices for Designers and Developers

Generative artificial intelligence tools are capturing the attention of the public and business since the introduction of ChatGPT. While this technology offers many productivity tools, their accessibility to screen reader users is little studied. Most of the technical and professional communication research about these tools focuses on their applied potential. This paper reports the findings of a mixed methods study on the user interfaces of three websites on which GenAI tools reside and the accessibility of their web editors. Studying the accessibility of these firms’ websites and their builder platforms is important because without accessibility features, blind customers cannot access these tools and create websites. This study found that none of the three builder websites, or the web editors for their tools, had WCAG 2.1 level AA accessibility. To improve these tools’ accessibility and usability, these website builders will need to invest resources to develop accessibility knowhow on web development and AI. Involvement of disabled users as co-designers and testers is essential to ensure accessibility in this AI infrastructure. This paper contributes 21 best practices for designing accessible interfaces for generative AI tools.