Accessibility is not a feature to add later. This post covers how to make document signing work for people with visual impairments, motor difficulties, cognitive disabilities, and limited digital literacy.
If your organisation works with vulnerable adults, tenants in social housing, beneficiaries of charitable services, or members of the public who may have disabilities, then the accessibility of your document signing process is not a technical nice-to-have. It is a fundamental requirement.
The Equality Act 2010 requires organisations to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not placed at a substantial disadvantage. This applies to how you ask people to sign documents, just as it applies to how you provide physical access to your building. A signing process that only works for people with perfect vision, steady hands, and a modern smartphone is not inclusive — and it may not be legal.
Accessibility covers a wide spectrum. When we talk about making signing accessible, we need to consider at least four categories of need:
VowTerra's signing experience is mobile-first, requires no account creation, and supports both draw and type signature methods — so people with motor difficulties can sign without barriers.
Explore our accessible signing experience →The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at level AA is the standard that most public-sector organisations and charities aim for. While WCAG was designed for websites generally, its principles apply directly to signing interfaces:
You cannot control every aspect of the signing platform you use, but you can control how you use it and what documents you put through it. Here are practical steps:
The single biggest barrier to accessible signing is not the technology — it is the document itself. A tenancy agreement written in dense legal prose with 12-point serif font is inaccessible regardless of how good the signing platform is.
If your organisation serves vulnerable people, the way you ask them to sign documents says something about your values. VowTerra is built with inclusion at the centre, not as an afterthought.
See how VowTerra supports inclusive organisations →Drawing a signature with a mouse or finger is the default expectation, but it excludes people with motor difficulties. A good signing platform should offer alternatives:
VowTerra supports both draw and type signature methods. For organisations serving people with motor difficulties, we recommend encouraging the type option in your pre-signing communications.
If you serve people who use screen readers, test the signing process with a screen reader yourself. On macOS, VoiceOver is built in. On Windows, NVDA is free. Turn off your monitor and try to complete the signing process. You will learn more in ten minutes of testing than in hours of reading accessibility documentation.
Technology should be the default, not the only path. For signatories who struggle with the digital process, offer a phone-supported option: a staff member walks them through the process while they sign on their device. This is a reasonable adjustment that maintains the benefits of digital signing while providing the support some people need.
Accessibility is not about building a separate process for disabled people. It is about building one process that works for everyone. When the signing experience is simple enough for someone with low digital literacy, it is better for everyone.
The PDF you upload matters just as much as the signing platform:
If your signatories include people whose first language is not English, the signing experience should minimise reliance on English text. A clean signing interface with clear visual cues ("Sign here" with an arrow, for example) is more accessible than a text-heavy page with multiple instructions.
For critical documents, consider providing a translated summary alongside the English original. The legal document may need to be in English, but understanding should not depend on fluency.
Accessibility is a journey, not a destination. Here is where we are and where we are heading:
If your organisation exists to serve people — especially vulnerable people, people with disabilities, or people from disadvantaged backgrounds — then the way you ask them to sign documents says something about your values. A signing process that is fast, simple, and works for everyone is not just operationally efficient. It is a statement that you take inclusion seriously, not just in your mission statement, but in your everyday operations.
Making signing accessible is not expensive, and it is not complicated. It starts with choosing tools that are designed for inclusion, writing documents that people can actually understand, and being willing to offer support when someone needs it.
Accessible signing is not a feature to add later — it is a reflection of your organisation's commitment to inclusion. VowTerra is designed for the people your charity, housing association, or social enterprise exists to support.
Ben builds tools designed for the unique needs of charities and housing associations. He writes about accessible technology, budget-friendly digital transformation, and making signing processes inclusive.
NGOs spend too much time on admin. This post identifies where the hours go, which digital tools actu...
Social enterprises juggle commercial contracts, partnership agreements, and grant funding. This guid...
The Charity Commission expects good record-keeping from every registered charity. This guide explain...