Digital inclusion is about making sure everyone has a fair chance to take part in the digital world. We know for a fact that most people are online these days, but access is not just about having an internet connection. It is about being able to use digital tools in ways that are useful and relevant.
Not everyone has the same starting point. Many people face barriers that prevent them from accessing or using technology effectively. These barriers can be practical, like not being able to afford a device or internet connection. Although others, that have the same importance, can be overlooked, such as a lack of digital skills, unfamiliarity with certain platforms, or poorly designed websites that exclude people with disabilities. Language, literacy, and cultural differences also play a role. Digital inclusion is about recognising these inequalities and actively working to remove them—through better infrastructure, inclusive design, digital education, and community support.
We can all agree that to access most essential services in our personal or professional lives, we need to be connected to the internet, using a computer, smartphone or any other device. And although this may seem like a basic part of the routine, it is not a reality for everyone. This way, a significant part of the world’s population is being left behind.
According to the WHO “An estimated 1.3 billion people – about 16% of the global population – currently experience significant disability. This number is increasing due in part to population ageing and an increase in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases.”
While web accessibility focuses on resolving technical issues to accommodate people with disabilities, digital inclusion intends to bring benefits to individuals, businesses, and society as a whole.
When digital inclusion is prioritised, communities experience greater participation, improved access to education, and better health outcomes. Research from the UK’s Good Things Foundation shows that digitally included people save money, feel more independent, and experience less social isolation.
According to the World Economic Forum, bridging the digital divide could boost GDP growth by up to 2.5% in developing countries. In the UK, a report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research found that full digital inclusion could add £63 billion to the economy annually.
As digital services become embedded in public life, access becomes a human rights issue. The UN has declared internet access a basic human right. Inaccessible digital systems can result in discrimination and legal challenges under laws like European Accessibility Act (EAA) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) .
For individuals, digital inclusion means greater independence, improved skills, and better job prospects. For businesses, it opens access to underserved markets, drives innovation, and fosters customer loyalty.
While its importance is clear, research shows that there is still a long way to go before digital inclusion is fully achieved.
Millions still lack access to reliable devices or affordable broadband. In Ireland, for example, 11% of households remain without internet access (CSO, 2023). Globally, 2.6 billion people remain offline, the majority in rural or low-income regions.
Having a device is not enough—users must have the skills to navigate digital environments safely and effectively. In the EU, nearly 46% of adults lack basic digital skills, making it difficult to access essential online services.
A big part of the internet is dominated by English-language content, limiting accessibility for non-English speakers or those from culturally marginalised groups. This can lead to alienation and underrepresentation.
Digital exclusion often mirrors existing inequalities. Low-income individuals, older adults, and rural populations are disproportionately affected by the digital divide.
Many websites and apps still fail to meet basic accessibility standards. This includes missing screen reader support, lack of keyboard navigation, poor colour contrast, and absent captioning for multimedia content. According to WebAIM 2024 report, 96.3% of the top million websites had detectable failures on their homepages.
Knowing what digital inclusion is not enough. From the previous data and statistics, it is not hard to say that closing the digital divide requires an extensive effort around politics, education, business, design, and much more.
To start, there are some strategies that would have an important impact from the day one.
Investing in digital literacy from the beginning is essential. Without the skills to navigate, evaluate, and use digital tools effectively, users are excluded from essential services, employment opportunities, and social participation.
National initiatives like Ireland’s Digital Skills for Citizens programme and the UK’s Essential Digital Skills framework help individuals build the capabilities needed to thrive online.
While digital accessibility will focus on designing products that are accessible, digital inclusion will make you think if everyone has access to the internet. Without affordable internet or a reliable connection, the users will not have the possibility to access services or products online. The same applies to devices.
Projects like the European Commission’s “Connecting Europe Facility” are working to improve broadband infrastructure in underserved regions.
Beyond access and skills, the way digital products are designed plays a critical role. Inclusive web design and accessibility must be incorporated from the start. With access and skills, many users can face a poor design, which certainly will result in a difficult experience.
Organisations should invest in training to ensure that teams have the knowledge and tools to build inclusive digital products and maintain accessibility standards.
A crucial portion of digital inclusion comes from inclusive web design. Building digital products and services recognising human diversity from the start is the first step to ensure usability to all audiences, regardless of ability, background, or circumstance.
As mentioned previously, accessibility alone is important but not sufficient. To achieve an inclusive web design, developers need to go beyond the specific technical standards (e.g. WCAG) and have a broader mindset, considering a wide range of user needs and designing to a more flexible and intuitive experience.
At Nexus Inclusion, we believe that working on inclusive web design from day one is essential. We offer services that support teams on their journey towards compliance and digital accessibility. But more than that, we advocate to digital inclusion and are on a mission to show to companies how they can be part of the movement to close the digital divide.
We often say that work on digital inclusion is simply the right thing to do. But we also recognise that companies are driven by results. That is why it is important to highlight its impact not only on people’s lives, but also the business value of investing in an inclusive digital environment.
Inclusive web design allows companies to serve a broader audience. For example, making products more accessible opens the door to the global disability market, which has over $2.6 trillion in spending power (Return on Disability Report, 2024). That is a massive opportunity many businesses are still missing.
Research from Accenture shows that companies leading in disability inclusion see, on average, 28% higher revenue and double the net income compared to other businesses in the same industry. Another data to reinforce that digital inclusion is profitable.
With new regulations like the European Accessibility Act coming into force in 2025, digital compliance is no longer optional. Organisations that fail to meet accessibility standards risk fines, legal action, and damage to their reputation.
Another important benefit is that being inclusive builds trust. Companies known for inclusive practices have stronger brand loyalty and public perception. Compromising with inclusive web design shows that an organisation respects and values all users.
While meeting accessibility standards is important, achieving digital inclusion requires practices across every level of digital strategy and culture. We have separated below some of the key strategic pillar's organisations can focus on to drive sustainable, inclusive digital transformation.
Creating a roadmap is the first step to ensure that digital inclusion becomes a structured part of business planning. This should outline short-, medium-, and long-term goals, assign responsibilities, and integrate inclusion checkpoints into development cycles.
Digital inclusion should prioritise inclusive web design and accessibility from the start. Whether adopting new technologies, migrating platforms, or redesigning services, inclusion must be considered a non-negotiable requirement. Use procurement and vendor processes to ensure third-party technologies also meet inclusion standards.
Measurable progress is essential for accountability. Set clear metrics and KPIs tied to digital inclusion, such as accessibility scores, user satisfaction among diverse groups, compliance rates, and representation in user testing. Transparent reporting on these metrics helps demonstrate commitment and track improvements over time.
True inclusion is informed by real-life perspectives. Involve people with disabilities and other groups throughout the design and evaluation process. This includes co-creation workshops, inclusive user research, and long-term advisory relationships. Direct involvement leads to more relevant and impactful solutions.
Inclusive digital strategies must be driven from the top. Organisations should build diverse leadership and governance structures that reflect the communities they serve. Leaders with lived experience or strong equity backgrounds are more likely to champion meaningful, long-term change. Inclusion should also be part of leadership performance indicators.
At Nexus Inclusion, digital inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is to move beyond digital accessibility and ensure that inclusion is considered at every step of the product development process from idea, design, development, testing, content management, product management and maintaining inclusion post go live.
It is important for us that the barriers of making something accessible and inclusive are broken down and that it is simply part of the overall steps that every company takes in releasing digital products to their customers. We focus on finding the best solution and not the problem.
And this is just the beginning. Founded by accessibility advocate Kyran O’Mahoney, our team brings together experts to solve real-world challenges.
Now that we have explored what is digital inclusion and the mission we have in the digital world, it is time to introduce our tool — designed to help companies with detection, analysis and guidance towards web accessibility and inclusion. Sign up to join our waiting list and be the first to know about our tool, training, and resources for teams building inclusive digital futures.
At the heart of WCAG is a fundamental principle represented by the acronym POUR: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.
Shruti Sawant, Former Contributor, Accessibility Expert
At Nexus Inclusion, we believe that digital platforms should be welcoming and accessible for all.
Shruti Sawant, Former Contributor, Accessibility Expert
Digital accessibility is creating websites, apps, and digital products that everyone can use, regardless of their abilities.
Shruti Sawant, Former Contributor, Accessibility Expert
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