Meet Josh: a sportsman who has spinal muscular atrophy
Posted on by Henny Swan in User experience
Meet Josh, a sportsman who has spinal muscular atrophy. Between training for the Paralympics and his busy day job, Josh talks to us about how navigating the web is constantly evolving, how he adapts to various assistive technologies, and his hopes and concerns for artificial intelligence (AI).
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Tell us about yourself
I was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at 18 months old. For the first ten years of my life, I could walk and stand to some extent, but by my teenage years, I was using a wheelchair permanently.
I do Paralympic sports, and my goal is to compete in the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games. My event is rifle shooting, specifically the 10-meter air rifle, and possibly the 50-meter air rifle as well. I've been training seriously for about five or six years, which is still relatively new in the sport. It typically takes 10 to 12 years to reach peak international performance, so I'm working hard to close that gap. Beyond sport, I spend a lot of time outdoors and taking on fundraising challenges. Last year, we raised £42,500 for charity, with my friend Maxwell, who also has SMA, climbing Snowdon. Unfortunately, I had to miss out due to pneumonia and was stuck in hospital, which was gutting.
As a progressive condition, SMA leads to gradual physical changes over time and in recent years, I've noticed changes in my hand dexterity. Now, at 31, the dexterity in my hands is really starting to go. I’m becoming more aware of assistive technology and how I can use it to help me overcome certain situations.
I currently use voice control, eye tracking, and transcription tools are the biggest game changers for me in the digital space. One of the biggest changes for me has been relying more on voice commands. When my hands get cold, they become almost unusable, making tasks on my phone difficult. Instead of struggling, I now use voice dictation more often.
Apple recently introduced eye-tracking technology, which has been a game-changer. When my hands aren't functioning well, I can hold my phone and use my eyes to move the cursor around the screen. I'm still getting used to it, but I can already see how valuable it will be, especially during winter months when my hands are at their worst.
Typing has become increasingly difficult for me. My speed has slowed down significantly, and long typing sessions leave my hands exhausted. That's why using Otter.ai for transcription during meetings has been so helpful. Instead of wearing out my hands trying to take notes, I can record conversations, get a full transcript, and stay fully engaged in discussions without worrying about typing.
What's been most surprising is the mental shift that comes with adopting new technology. For so long, I did things the way I was used to, not realising there was a simpler, faster way. The moment I started using voice dictation, eye tracking, and transcription tools, I thought, "Wow, this is so much easier!" It's only when you experience the difference firsthand that you realise the impact it can have.
I often find myself wondering, "Will I still be able to do all the things I do now in ten or fifteen years?" But seeing how fast technology is evolving, it feels like the answer is yes. As technology evolves, I know I'll keep adapting, finding new ways to work and communicate more efficiently. And honestly, I can't wait to see what comes next.
What barriers have you experienced using the web?
For me, the biggest challenge isn't access to assistive technology itself, but how well it works.
Take voice dictation, for example. I often use it to send messages hands-free, but the accuracy is inconsistent. Frequent errors in grammar, punctuation, and word choice mean I have to spend extra time correcting messages. That defeats the purpose of using voice input in the first place as it can be time-consuming.
Eye-tracking software is another tool I've started using, but it's also hit or miss. Sometimes, the cursor moves somewhere I didn't intend, or the software selects things I never meant to click, especially if I blink involuntarily.
In terms of websites themselves, many collapse into a mobile view, but some try to cram too much information from their desktop layout into a small screen. This makes navigation incredibly difficult, especially when buttons are tiny and close together. Trying to select small elements with eye-tracking can feel almost impossible.
On the other hand, websites with clean, simple layouts, large buttons, readable text, and easy navigation work much better with eye-tracking software. When a site is designed well, moving through it with just my eyes becomes much smoother.
When there's a lot of content, I often find it overwhelming. I struggle with too much information at once. I get information overload, and if content isn't broken down into small, bite-sized chunks, I find it hard to digest. I either skim past it, get frustrated, or give up entirely. I often don't return.
Clear, concise content makes all the difference. When information is structured well, it's much easier to absorb and engage with.
Are there any websites you find especially accessible?
Apple does good design. Harvard University has done some good stuff around accessibility and has great resources. Open Inclusion (where I work) is also good. When building the website, we focused on regular user reviews with people using different assistive technologies and took an iterative development approach. For us, accessibility is an ongoing process, something that evolves and improves continuously rather than a one-time fix. We are also transparent about our accessibility efforts. Websites should set clear expectations for customers by saying:
We're doing everything we can meet accessibility requirements, but we recognise it may not be perfect for everyone. If you experience challenges, we welcome your feedback, so we can address them.
It's about honest communication, showing a commitment to improvement, and making sure users feel heard and valued. Take Cornwall Airport for example, they have an assistance and accessibility link at the very top of the site. This means that people browsing with a keyboard or browsing with a desktop screen reader, encounter this link first when tabbing through content. From there, they can open accessibility tools and access an accessibility information page about the airport
It was a simple but effective way of improving access for a small airport and demonstrating a commitment to inclusive design.
What features or improvements would you like to see on the web?
The missing piece is usability testing with disabled users. Even with good intentions, accessibility efforts can fall short without real user involvement. And the trick to making this happen is to budget for it at the beginning. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are the bare minimum, usability testing with disabled users is the layer that truly makes websites inclusive.
The other thing I'd like to see is the integration of responsible artificial (AI). Society's expectations around technology have shifted rapidly in the last five years and will only change more with the rise of AI. I'm really excited to see where ChatGPT, DeepSeek and Claude go. For example, using natural conversation to book an accessible Airbnb instantly, with all payment details handled seamlessly. Almost like screenless browsing. I guess what we don't want is AI to make us lazy in the accessibility space, which I think it could do. There's a responsibility on people that are producing AI to ensure that it's ethical and inclusive. For example, ensuring AI includes accessibility requirements when generating code.
My final improvement is around hardware. For me, tech should be intuitive, ergonomic, and easy to hold, especially for people with limited dexterity. Large screens are great, but as screens get bigger, devices naturally become heavier, making them harder to hold for long periods. I'd love to see devices designed with lighter materials, so larger screens don’t come at the cost of usability. On top of that, improving eye-tracking technology and making voice dictation more accurate would be real game-changers, saving time and reducing the need for constant corrections. Those would be quick wins in making tech more accessible.
Next steps
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