From Experience to Expertise – Web Accessibility with the User Perspective at the Centre

How can lived experiences of digital barriers become a path into the labour market – and at the same time contribute to a more inclusive society? That is the core idea behind Expertise from Experience (EFE), a small Central Baltic project that, over the past year and a half, has brought together expertise from Åland and Sweden. The goal has been both clear and grounded in real need: to train persons with disabilities to become experts in digital accessibility, with a focus on the public sector.

The project is a collaboration between Funktionsrätt Åland (AX) and Stiftelsen Funka (SE), two organisations that have long identified a dual societal need:

“We saw two issues that should be possible to solve together: the urgent need for expertise grounded in real user experiences of inaccessibility, and the fact that persons with disabilities are underrepresented in the labour market. We believed these two challenges could be addressed in parallel.”

A Training Programme Grounded in Reality

The project developed a new educational concept in which participants – all persons with various disabilities – received practical, hands-on knowledge about web accessibility. Through lectures, group work, tool practice, and internships, participants were trained to work as user experts and advisers in the field of digital inclusion. What makes this project particularly unique is that the training does not require any IT background. Instead, the participants’ personal experiences of inaccessibility form the core of the curriculum – something that is still rare both in the Nordic countries and internationally.

“We’re not aware of anyone else who trains people with no technical background in accessibility in this way. Basing the selection process on participants’ own lived experiences makes it even more distinctive.”

Real-World Impact – From Theory to Practice

During the course, participants learned about how different types of disabilities affect access to digital services, how to test accessibility, what legislation requires – and how to communicate their insights to public sector clients. The greatest challenge when it comes to web accessibility is the lack of knowledge – both within the public sector and among suppliers who design and develop websites. The shortcomings identified in this project include issues such as: people with motor impairments being unable to navigate websites, people with hearing impairments missing out on video content, users with cognitive impairments not receiving support when filling out forms, and people with severe visual impairments being unable to access parts of interfaces due to poor coding. The impact of having these issues identified by individuals who personally face them – rather than by external consultants – has proven powerful.

“Our experience is that it’s much easier for developers and designers to understand and prioritise accessibility when they realise it stems from actual user needs. Legislation and standards help get the issue on the agenda – but real change doesn’t happen until editors, designers, and developers meet real users and realise their work can exclude people from access to information and services.”

Participants also expressed high satisfaction with the training, with many eager to continue working in the field.
“The best part of the course was hearing how different assistive tools really work and how they help people in everyday life – and the instructors were fantastic at explaining everything in an understandable way.”
– Participant

Collaboration and Cross-Border Learning

The collaboration between Swedish and Åland-based actors played a key role in the project’s success. Throughout the process, the two organisations have worked very closely and for example compared accessibility standards and approaches – and discovered important differences.

“The maturity level around accessibility differs more between Sweden and Åland than we expected. This affected how the concept worked in practice, but also revealed significant development potential.”

The partnership also led to the creation of shared qualifications, allowing participants to apply their new skills in both Sweden and Finland/Åland. In this way, the project has laid the groundwork for continued cross-border cooperation.

What Happens Next?

Although the project has formally concluded, its impact will live on. All participants have joined a test panel and will be offered assignments even after the project ends. Interest from public authorities has been strong, and the organisations that tested the model have reported new insights and concrete benefits.

“We see great potential in training user experts and hope to further develop this concept in the future. There is also a significant need for this throughout the Central Baltic region – and across the EU. We hope our project can serve as inspiration for many others.”

Text: Jenny Jonstoij, National Contact Point Åland, 2.7.2025