Join us for a live presentation and interactive discussion
August 2026
August 20, 2026
Join Knowbility and Allyable as they examine common overlay claims, their real-world impact, and the role these tools can appropriately play.
Date and Time
- Thursday, August 20th
- 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM (CT)
- Presenter: David Adi & Jan McSorley
- Online via Zoom
What Should an Accessibility Overlay Actually Do?
Accessibility overlay tools have a bad reputation — and for good reason. But the conversation has calcified around a technical concept that's more nuanced than the marketing wars suggest. Overlays that promise automated, permanent fixes with no human review can create real harm. At the same time, a "virtual layer" used to test changes before they ever reach production is a legitimate, useful part of a modern development workflow.
Join Knowbility and Allyable as they provide a quick grounding in what overlays actually are and why the false-claims problem persists. From there, the conversation pivots forward to where the industry's terminology may have failed us and what a marketplace that's dissatisfied with "yesterday's overlay" should actually expect from its tools.
Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of three primary barriers that some overlays can create for people with disabilities, including marketing claims that may not align with actual functionality, code changes introduced without user consent, and the lack of standardization across overlay features. Through practical examples and real-world scenarios, our presenters will help participants evaluate overlay claims, understand their impact on user experiences, and make more informed accessibility decisions.
Takeaways:
- Gain a basic understanding of terminology related to overlays.
- Understand three primary barriers created by some accessibility overlays for end users.
- Discern how the marketing claims align to functional features and how users may be affected in real time.
Meet Your Presenters
1
David Adi, Co-founder & CEO of Allyable
David Adi is Co-Founder and CEO of Allyable, a recognized leader in digital accessibility. Inspired by his own experience with a hearing disability, he founded Allyable to help organizations create more accessible digital experiences. He has advised and spoken before the United Nations, European Union, and U.S. government on accessibility innovation and policy.
Jan McSorley, Director of Strategy at Knowbility
Jan McSorley serves as Knowbility’s Director of Strategy and works as an independent consultant with K-12 organizations on accessibility efforts and systems change. She also serves as an invited expert on the W3C Cognitive Accessibility Task Force (COGA) and serves as co-chair of the W3C Global-Inclusion Community Group. Jan has more than 27 years of experience advancing accessibility across education, corporate, and nonprofit sectors.