In this episode of Beyond Barriers, Brian sits down with front-end developer Michał Madejsk to explore how developers can shift their perspective on accessibility. Michał shares how a simple exercise of “closing his eyes” while navigating the web changed his approach, and why designing with accessibility in mind from the start is far easier than retrofitting later.

They discuss lessons from government projects, the importance of context and clear communication for users, and how leaders can align accessibility with business goals. The conversation also covers third-party accessibility tools, the widget vs. native solution debate, and how AI is reshaping accessibility implementation.

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Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:14) Michał’s early perspective on accessibility
(03:25) The “close your eyes” moment that changed everything
(06:24) Startups, speed, and skipping accessibility
(07:47) Why decision-makers must be part of the conversation
(14:22) Lessons from government projects and user context
(17:45) The role of third-party accessibility tools
(20:35) Changing methods of digital interaction
(22:51) Balancing context, semantics, and usability
(27:55) Practical tools and first steps for developers
(33:02) The widget debate: quick fix vs. code remediation
(35:47) Why native accessibility improves UX and SEO
(38:34) Michał’s closing thoughts: accessibility as future-proofing

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