Global Accessibility Awareness Day (15 May 2025) is a timely reminder that technology should work for everyone. For businesses, it’s more than just a one-day initiative. It’s an opportunity to evaluate how inclusive your digital systems truly are. In 2025, that means making digital access an essential part of your IT strategy.
At The Unite Group, we believe accessibility begins with the right infrastructure. That’s why our Managed IT Services are built around the idea that technology should be intuitive, reliable, and accessible to all users, regardless of ability.
What Is Digital Access?
Digital access means ensuring everyone can use and benefit from your digital tools, systems, and platforms. In fact, that includes websites that work with screen readers, software that supports keyboard navigation, and communication tools that offer clear audio, captions, or visual cues. Therefore, It’s not just about ticking a compliance box. It’s about creating systems that work better for everyone.
In the UK, over 14 million people live with a disability. Without accessible technology, many of these individuals can be unintentionally excluded from services, workplaces, and communication. That’s why now, more than ever, digital access should be a priority.
Managed IT Services and Accessibility Go Hand in Hand
When accessibility is built into your everyday IT systems, it becomes easier to maintain, scale, and improve over time. That’s exactly what our Managed IT Services are designed to do.
Expert, Personalised Support
Our team of engineers provides direct, responsive support from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, with out-of-hours help available when needed. Whether it’s setting up accessible workstations, troubleshooting email across multiple devices, or helping staff make the most of Microsoft 365’s built-in accessibility features, our experts are always ready to assist.
Proactive Maintenance
We don’t wait for issues to arise. In fact, our systems monitor and maintain your devices in the background, ensuring software is updated and functioning effectively. This includes updates that support accessibility features, so your systems remain inclusive and current.
Microsoft 365 Integration
As a certified Microsoft Partner, we help businesses transition to Microsoft 365 and make full use of its powerful accessibility tools.In addition, from Live Captions in Teams to the Immersive Reader in Word and Outlook, our engineers make sure these tools are set up and optimised for your staff.
In addition to these features, we also support the use of:
- Dictate: A speech-to-text function available in Word, Outlook, and Teams that helps users who prefer voice input or who have mobility challenges.
- Accessibility Checker: This built-in tool scans documents, spreadsheets, and emails for accessibility issues and offers recommendations to fix them.
- Automatic Alt Text: This feature uses AI to generate image descriptions for screen readers, enhancing visual content for users with visual impairments.
- Read Aloud: Ideal for users with dyslexia or reading difficulties, this tool reads selected text aloud in Word and Outlook.
- Immersive Reader: Already mentioned, this supports readers with learning differences by customising text size, spacing, font, and background colours.
By helping your business configure and utilise these Microsoft 365 features, The Unite Group ensures your digital environment supports a wide range of users and working styles.
Inclusive Communication Tools
We provide and support cloud-hosted communication systems that are accessible to every user. Whether your team needs clear VoIP calling or collaboration tools that support different learning and communication styles, we make sure your setup works for everyone.
Why Accessibility Is Good for Business
Prioritising digital access doesn’t just benefit users with disabilities. It makes your systems more usable for everyone. Clearer navigation, better structure, and flexible user interfaces often lead to improved productivity, stronger client relationships, and lower support demands.
Investing in accessibility also helps your business:
- Meet legal and industry standards
- Improve website and platform performance
- Strengthen brand reputation
- Attract a wider range of customers and employees
- Boost staff satisfaction and retention
Making your IT systems more inclusive is one of the most practical ways to build a smarter, more resilient organisation.
What You Can Do Today
Global Accessibility Awareness Day is the perfect time to take a closer look at your current IT setup. At The Unite Group, we help businesses take the first step by offering clear, actionable advice on how to improve digital access across their systems.
Here are a few ways to get started:
- Conduct an accessibility audit of your website and internal systems
- Review your IT support model and ensure it includes all users
- Use Microsoft 365 features to support inclusive working environments
- Choose a managed service provider that prioritises accessibility
Partner With The Unite Group
True digital access isn’t achieved overnight. As a matter of fact, It takes consistent effort and a reliable partner who understands both the technical side and the human impact. That’s where The Unite Group comes in.
Our Managed IT Services are tailored to meet your goals, timelines, and user needs. Plus, we provide regular strategy meetings to 24/7 support, and we provide the tools and expertise you need to create a more inclusive digital environment for your team and your customers.
If you’re ready to make accessibility a core part of your IT strategy, contact us, as we’re here to help.
Get in touch with The Unite Group to discover how we can support your business with reliable, accessible, and user-focused technology solutions.