Case study: why Microsoft is still one of the most exciting accessibility innovators
When we think of Microsoft, we may think “big legacy tech company”, but in accessibility, their journey is bold, experimental, and deeply human-centered, full of surprising moves that go beyond compliance.
Quick chronology
2016: Launch of the Inclusive Design Toolkit - shifting the whole industry from “compliance” to “design for one, extend to many.”
2018: Xbox Adaptive Controller (XAC), co-designed with disabled gamers and NGOs. It becomes a global symbol of inclusive hardware.
2020: AI-driven accessibility in Office: automatic alt text, live captions, real-time accessibility checks.
2021–2023: Accessibility becomes embedded across product teams, not just central units.
2024–2025: Accessibility telemetry, automated regression detection, and deeper integration into Copilot and Windows AI features.
Surprising facts you might not know about Microsoft’s accessibility innovation
The Xbox Adaptive Controller’s packaging was designed for accessibility too: loops in the packaging let people with limited mobility open the box easily - designers even tested it with users who use their teeth.
Microsoft’s Inclusive Tech Lab isn’t just an office: it’s a physical space designed for “live, work, play, learn,” and has hosted over 25,000 visitors to educate about inclusive design.
The Game Accessibility Workshop Toolkit (released by Xbox Research) is publicly available - other game developers can use it to run workshops and learn from Microsoft’s inclusive design process.
Through its Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Xbox is helping to push industry-wide standards: they’re part of the Accessible Games Initiative, which adds “accessibility tags” to games so players can more easily find ones adapted to their needs.
Microsoft’s Surface Adaptive Kit came out of direct co-creation: they ran an “Inclusive Design Sprint” with people with low vision, ALS, and other disabilities.
But which gaps remain?
Cognitive accessibility still needs work: Copilot outputs can be too complex.
Legacy components (older Windows/Office modules) slow down full modernization.
Global product versions vary in accessibility maturity.
Third-party developers in the Microsoft ecosystem don’t always follow best practices.
What can other companies learn from Microsoft?
Accessibility = innovation: Microsoft’s making accessibility a catalyst for new design, not just a compliance checkbox.
Embed inclusive design across teams - bring in diverse perspectives from the start.
Use real user feedback, not assumptions: co-design with disabled users.
Open your tools and processes: Microsoft publishes its toolkits (like the Game Accessibility Workshop) so others can learn too.
Useful links:
Xbox Adaptive Controller (XAC): https://blogs.microsoft.com/accessibility/xbox-adaptive-controller-available-today-at-microsoft-stores/
Surface Adaptive Kit: https://blogs.microsoft.com/accessibility/surface-adaptive-kit/
Article about the design of Xbox Adaptive Controller: https://www.wired.com/story/xbox-adaptive-controller-packaging/
Microsoft’s Inclusive Tech Lab: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/inclusive-tech-lab/
Game Accessibility Workshop Toolkit: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/articles/2024/05/game-accessibility-workshop-toolkit/