Accessibility Barrier Cards
A deck of 20 double-sided cards that let people experience accessibility barriers first-hand — then see exactly how to fix them. No slides. No reading. Just the barrier, the reveal, and the conversation that follows.
People learn accessibility by feeling it, not reading about it
Telling people that low contrast is a problem is one thing. Handing them a card where the text is barely visible — and watching them squint — is something else entirely. That moment of friction is the lesson.
The Brickfield Accessibility Barrier Cards are built around a single insight: the most effective accessibility training is experiential. When someone has to work to read justified text, or loses track of the page when all caps text removes word shape, they understand the barrier in a way that no amount of explaining can achieve.
The best accessibility training happens before someone turns the card over — in the moment they realise they are experiencing the barrier themselves.
Each card is intentionally designed to make the bad version feel bad. The good version is on the reverse — the fix, the explanation, and the principle behind it. The reveal is the teaching moment.
Red side, green side — the reveal mechanic
Every card follows the same structure. The red side is the barrier. The green side is the fix.
The red side shows the inaccessible version — genuinely hard to read, genuinely difficult to use. The green side shows the same content done correctly, with a short explanation of why the barrier matters and who it affects. A category pill in the footer tells you which area of accessibility the card covers.
Three ways to use the cards
The cards work in different settings depending on your group size, time available, and learning goals. Here are the three most effective formats.
One card at a time. Red side up — read it, sit with it, notice what is difficult. Then turn it over. See the fix. Read the explanation. Pass it on.
Works well at the start of a workshop to build shared awareness before any discussion begins.
Place four cards face down (red side up) at a table of four to six people. Without turning them over, ask the group: what is wrong here? What makes this hard to use? Who does this affect?
Let the conversation develop before anyone turns a card over. The reveal becomes a group moment — confirmation, surprise, or debate.
Distribute one card to each participant, red side up. Give them two minutes to read it silently. Ask for observations — what did they notice? What did they struggle with?
On your signal, everyone turns their card over. Take the group through the explanation together. Then rotate — each person passes their card clockwise and repeats with a new barrier.
Running a barrier cards session
A full barrier card session takes 30 to 45 minutes and works with groups of any size. Here is a step-by-step structure that has been designed to maximise the experiential learning moment.
Set the scene (3 minutes)
Before distributing the cards, explain to participants that they are going to experience accessibility barriers directly — not read about them. Ask them to pay attention to how the card makes them feel, not just what they think about it. The physical experience is the data.
Distribute red side up (1 minute)
Give each person one card, red side facing up. Remind them not to turn it over yet. Give participants at a table the same card so they can discuss it as a group, or give different cards to spark a richer whole-room conversation.
Silent reading (2 minutes)
Ask participants to read their card and notice what is difficult. No discussion yet. This quiet moment is important — it lets the barrier do its work without the group’s conversation filling the space.
Discuss the barrier (5 minutes)
Open the room. Ask: what did you notice? What made your card hard to read or use? Who do you think this barrier affects most? Avoid naming the barrier yet — let participants identify it themselves. This is where the deepest learning happens.
The reveal (1 minute)
Ask everyone to turn their card over simultaneously. The shift from red to green — from the problem to the solution — is a deliberate visual signal. Read the explanation panel together. Note that the same content becomes significantly easier to read and use.
Reflect and connect (5 minutes)
Ask participants: where have you seen this barrier in your own work? In content you have created, or systems you have designed? What would it take to fix it? This is where the cards move from awareness to action.
Rotate and repeat (15 minutes)
Pass each card clockwise to the next person or table. Repeat steps 3 to 6. Running three to four rotations covers a good range of barrier types in a single session and gives participants the experience of encountering multiple different barriers.
Close with commitment (5 minutes)
End by asking each participant to name one thing they will do differently as a result of the session. Keep the barrier card as a desk reminder — the red side is a prompt, the green side is the answer. Both belong on the desk.
20 barriers across six categories
The cards cover the most common, most impactful accessibility barriers found in everyday digital content — from text formatting and colour choices to forms, navigation, and media. Each barrier is chosen because it is both common in practice and immediately demonstrable on a single card.
- Low contrast text
- Decorative fonts
- Justified text
- Tiny font size
- All caps text
- Italic body text
- Too many fonts
- Wall of text
- No headings
- Tight line spacing
- No whitespace
- Centred body text
- Colour as only information
- Busy background
- Colour blindness
- Meaningless links
- Underlined non-links
- No focus indicator
- Tiny tap targets
- Unhelpful error messages
- No captions
- Autoplay with sound
- No transcript
- Inaccessible PDF
- Image of text
- Audio without chapters
All sample content uses a library theme — familiar, neutral, and relevant to a wide range of participants.
For anyone who creates or commissions digital content
The cards are designed for teams who are new to accessibility, as well as those who know the principles but benefit from a tangible, shareable reminder. They work equally well as a standalone session resource or as a prompt to accompany a broader accessibility programme.
Available soon as a practical workshop kit
The Accessibility Barrier Cards will be available as a complete physical workshop kit — everything you need to run an experiential accessibility session with your team. Pricing and bundle details coming soon.
In the meantime, get in touch to register your interest or to discuss how barrier cards can support your accessibility training programme.
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