Summary
As we shift into a mobile first world, are you struggling to conceptualize and design accessible mobile experiences? While screen readers are included on both IOS and Android, it can be difficult and overwhelming for designers to learn about them. This session will help you get started! Samuel Proulx, Fable’s accessibility evangelist and a life-long screen reader user, will guide you through the ins and outs of screen readers on mobile. This interactive live demo will show you what an excellent mobile experience can sound like, give you some ideas of things to keep in mind during design, and help you make the case for bringing the voices of assistive technology users into the training and testing at your organization.
Key Insights
-
•
Both iOS and Android have strong accessibility features, but their screen readers differ: Android offers multiple options and high customizability, while iOS provides one consistent but configurable screen reader.
-
•
Customization is critical in accessibility because users have unique needs and preferences; one size does not fit all.
-
•
Using a screen reader effectively requires skill and muscle memory developed over years, making it difficult for novices to accurately test accessibility by themselves.
-
•
Developers and designers testing screen readers on their own often misunderstand user experiences, sometimes seeing accessibility as harder than it actually is for experienced users.
-
•
Testing with real users who rely on assistive tech provides rich, actionable insights that cannot be replaced by simulated testing or personas.
-
•
Fable facilitates accessibility by providing training (Fable Upskill) and connecting teams with real users remotely (Fable Engage) for practical research and testing.
-
•
VoiceOver on iOS relies heavily on gestures like swipe to navigate elements and double tap to activate, which can be customized extensively including speech rate and voice.
-
•
Apple’s screen curtain is a privacy and battery-saving feature that blanks the screen while still providing audio feedback.
-
•
Conducting virtual accessibility research is feasible and effective, especially supported by platforms like Fable that allow video, audio, and screen sharing with assistive tech users.
-
•
Accessibility advocacy should focus on integrating real user feedback into all stages of a product lifecycle, not just technical compliance checks.
Notable Quotes
"With great customizability comes great complication."
"Accessibility isn’t one size fits all; it’s about customizability because people need to access information when, where, and how they need."
"Using assistive technology is a skill and muscle memory built over years."
"Designers and developers can turn on a screen reader to do a technical test, but they can’t understand the real user experience without actual users."
"The secret is that accessibility isn’t hard if everyone takes their small piece of the pie."
"VoiceOver gestures like swipe right move the focus through elements; double tap activates them."
"Screen curtain blanks the screen for privacy and battery life, so no one can look over my shoulder."
"Testing with real users humanizes the problems and reveals simple fixes like changing one label or color."
"At Fable, our platform lets you do generative and exploratory research with real assistive tech users remotely."
"Apple has thought hard about letting people unbox and set up their phone entirely without help, including turning on VoiceOver."
Dig deeper—ask the Rosenbot:
















More Videos

"Our learning framework does not prescribe but supports reflection in action and demonstration or action."
Yoel SumitroActions and Reflections: Bridging the Skills Gap among Researchers
March 9, 2022

"We need to move the speed of trust. If I don’t trust you, how can I feel safe with you?"
Zariah CameronReDesigning Wellbeing for Equitable Care in the Workplace
September 23, 2024

"Our essential skill in this next era will be managing disruptive change."
Doug PowellDesignOps and the Next Frontier: Leading Through Unpredictable Change
September 11, 2025

"Creating a roadmap built enough space to make meaningful design changes for developers to implement."
Darian DavisLessons from a Toxic Work Relationship
January 8, 2024

"Safe money has solid returns, so fiscally responsible companies demand higher returns from new investments especially with inflation."
Mike OrenWhy Pharmaceutical's Research Model Should Replace Design Thinking
March 28, 2023

"One operations person for every ten designers is when you start to feel the pain of coordination."
Jacqui FreyScale is Social Work
March 19, 2020

"The V2MOM stands for Vision, Values, Methods, Obstacles, and Measures and is a framework every Salesforce employee uses."
Kim Holt Emma Wylds Pearl Koppenhaver Maisee XiongA Salesforce Panel Discussion on Values-Driven DesignOps
September 8, 2022

"When we build accessibility into an environment, especially if we do it subtly, it becomes the new normal."
Samuel ProulxFrom Standards to Innovation: Why Inclusive Design Wins
September 10, 2025

"Soft skills doesn’t always represent active listening, so we updated to be more specific."
Laine Riley ProkayHow DesignOps can Drive Inclusive Career Ladders for All
September 30, 2021