5 Key Takeaways From SODAR 2026

Level Access’s SODAR 2026 report includes some very important insights for the future of accessibility. I summarized the 5 points that caught my attention the most below. Make sure to check out the report.

• Our costs won’t go down. AI usage has increased, and 22% of organizations say they need less manual testing. However, only 6% say they are spending less money on accessibility. Up until now, we didn’t have time for other critical issues because of the time spent on testing. Now, it is easier for us to focus on human judgment and connect usability with accessibility. That is why accessibility is not an area where we can cut costs yet. It’s just that we can finally focus on areas we couldn't prioritize before.
• The SDLC sequence might change. While 61% of participants say they develop faster with AI, the speed-up rate in QA is only 39%. Not just for accessibility, but across the software world, the cycle we call the SDLC might change.
• Without legal action, the urgency fades. While 57% of participants in the US expect legal risks in the next year, this rate is only 34% in the EU. Not seeing real cases under the EAA seems to have an impact here. If an accessibility law is passed, all preparations must be ready and enforcement should follow immediately so that organizations feel the risk and take action.
• Accessibility stays on paper. There are issues not only at the legal level, but within organizations themselves. 91% of respondents say their organizations have an accessibility policy, but only 60% say that policy has a major impact on their operations. The gap between theory and practice harms the field. Maybe we should focus on a workable policy rather than a perfect one at the start.
• Is the problem training or quality? While more than 90% of organizations offer accessibility training, only 49% rate these trainings as effective. Accessibility training and curricula are much more important than we think.