I started by conducting research on the specific ways in which Duolingo falls short of accessibility standards.
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Usually, we'd go about this by conducting a round of user interviews, but I wanted to simulate real-world time constraints where I'm unable to dedicate the level of thoroughness and attention to detail I'd typically prefer. So, we decided that the next best thing was to scout out reddit forums, particularly r/duolingo, and look for common needs, frustrations, and concerns discussed by users.

We noticed that many users favored the website version of Duolingo because they could use browser extensions to customize the experience in ways that make it more accessible to them. This mass migration and reliance on third-party extensions underscores the detrimental impact of Duolingo's lack of native accessibility features. Some users even took it upon themselves to create solutions. Smart, but never something that users should feel the need to resort to.

For some accessibility issues (particularly those affecting people with learning disabilities), a few users argued for the opposite approach, saying that the whole point of learning is challenging yourself. This emphasizes that abilities vary greatly among individuals, as do their attitudes. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, users need choices that allow them to tailor their experience to suit their needs.

Visual impairments, such as poor vision or color detection, may present significant challenges for users interacting with digital interfaces. Poor contrast, small font sizes, and cluttered layouts can exacerbate these challenges, leading to feelings of frustration and helplessness.

Some users rely on screen readers to access digital content, while others require adjustable size/contrast settings or alternative color schemes to enhance visibility.

Dyslexia is a common learning disability that primarily hinders a person’s ability to read and write. Someone with dyslexia may experience difficulty reading fluently at an average pace, telling similar words apart, and spelling accurately. This means that they often go about these tasks slowly and are particularly prone to mistakes.

Factors such as font, color, and spacing can play crucial roles in dyslexic individuals' reading experiences. For example, dyslexic individuals generally read faster when the text has a lower color contrast.  

People with hearing impairments may have difficulty perceiving spoken instructions, dialogue, or auditory cues, hindering their ability to fully participate in the audio-based exercises that are so prevalent in Duolingo. Some ways that users may improve their auditory experience include using captions, adjusting playback speed, or employing visual cues (such as lipreading) to enhance audio content.