What Simulations Are Available on Disability Simulator?

Updated

Disability Simulator currently offers seven interactive simulations across three categories: visual impairments, motor impairments, and cognitive impairments. Six more are listed as "Coming Soon," covering hearing, seizure disorders, autism, memory, aging-related needs, and combined disabilities. All available simulations run in the browser and are designed to show how people with disabilities experience the web.

Visual Impairments

Simulation What it demonstrates
Blindness Screen reader navigation
Low Vision Blurred and limited vision
Color Blindness Color perception differences

The blindness simulation focuses on navigating a page with a screen reader rather than sight. The low vision simulation reproduces blurred and restricted vision. The color blindness simulation shows how color perception differences change what a user can distinguish on a page.

Motor Impairments

Simulation What it demonstrates
Keyboard Only Navigation without a mouse
Limited Control Reduced ability to control input
Tremor and Precision Tremor and precision challenges

These three cover the common ways motor limitations affect web use: relying entirely on the keyboard, having limited control over input, and struggling with tasks that demand fine precision such as hitting small targets.

Cognitive Impairments

Simulation What it demonstrates
Dyslexia Reading and text processing
ADHD Attention and focus challenges

The dyslexia simulation addresses reading and text processing difficulties. The ADHD simulation focuses on attention and focus.

Coming Soon

These simulations are announced but not yet available:

  • Hearing Impairments — deaf and hard of hearing experiences
  • Seizure Disorders — photosensitive epilepsy triggers
  • Autism Spectrum — sensory processing differences
  • Memory Impairments — short-term memory challenges
  • Aging-Related — age-related accessibility needs
  • Multiple Disabilities — combined accessibility challenges

How to Choose Which Simulation to Try

  • Testing a text-heavy page or form? Start with Dyslexia or ADHD.
  • Checking color contrast or status indicators? Use Color Blindness.
  • Auditing keyboard and focus behavior? Use Keyboard Only, then Limited Control or Tremor and Precision.
  • Evaluating screen reader structure? Use Blindness.
  • Reviewing general readability and layout? Use Low Vision.

The site frames the purpose around scale: it cites 1.3 billion people with disabilities, notes that 98% of websites have barriers, and points to $13 trillion in annual disposable income. Those figures are the site's own framing, not an audit of any specific page.

If you need a simulation that isn't listed yet — hearing, seizure, autism, memory, aging, or multiple disabilities — it isn't available on the site at this time.