Accessibility for eLearning: A Checklist for Inclusive Online Education

Online learning offers a flexible and convenient way to learn new skills. But if it's not accessible to all, online learning can worsen educational inequality. It can also lead to legal risks. Section 508 requires that federal agencies make technology accessible to those with disabilities. 

For these and other reasons, it's crucial to ensure that eLearning platforms are accessible to all. 

This takes effort and planning. Learners have diverse abilities, disabilities, and learning styles. These may include:

• visual impairments
• hearing impairments
• neurological conditions
• motor disabilities
• cognitive factors 
• language barriers

Plus, accessibility standards are always evolving. Staying up to date on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) requires ongoing effort. 

Our eLearning team has created a comprehensive checklist to help you enhance accessibility. This is not an exhaustive list. Accessibility is a lifestyle, not a check-the-box exercise. But the following tips will help you avoid common errors and improve the accessibility of any learning environment. 

1.    Provide Alternative Text for Images.

Sometimes images can portray concepts better than text alone. But images can also present challenges to those with visual impairments. You can prevent those challenges by providing alternative text ("alt text") descriptions. 

Alt text serves as a text version of the visual content. When a screen reader encounters an image, it reads the alt text aloud. This provides valuable context for users with visual impairments. It also helps them decide whether to interact with an image, which saves time and ensures efficient navigation. 

To write effective alt text: 

• Keep the alt text brief and to the point, ideally 125 characters or less. 
• Clearly explain the visual content of the image.
• Consider the surrounding text and provide alt text that complements it. 
• Test your alt text by listening to screen readers or getting feedback from those who are visually impaired.

2.    Use Descriptive Link Text. 

eLearning courses often use hyperlinks to provide resources and references. When creating links, avoid generic calls to action such as "click here" or "learn more." Instead, inform users about the destination of the link. This context is helpful for all users and essential for those who use screen readers or struggle to use a mouse. 
Writing effective descriptive link text is like writing alt text. Keep it short and to the point. Use specific and meaningful language. Then, test and iterate. 

3.    Provide Transcripts and Captions. 

Videos and audio files can improve learner engagement. But they can also create barriers for those with hearing impairments or technical limitations. To prevent this, pair your videos and audio files with accurate transcripts and captions. 
Transcripts and captions help individuals with hearing impairments understand the content. They also benefit learners who prefer reading or need to review the material in a different format.

4.    Use Clear and Consistent Navigation:

Clear navigation menus allow users of diverse abilities to understand and navigate your eLearning easily. To organize content this way, you need a deep understanding of your target audience. 

What words do they use to describe things? How do they categorize information? The answers may be very different from those of the people who developed the learning course. Consider performing usability testing, such as a card sort or tree test. This will help you uncover insights about user mental models. Then use analytics or additional testing to improve your navigation over time.

5.    Choose Accessible Color Schemes.

Colors have the power to evoke emotions and set the tone of the learning environment. They can convey meaning and improve retention. Despite these benefits, colors can prevent challenges for those with visual impairments.
Approximately 8% of men and 0.5% of women have some form of color vision deficiency. Many others have low vision and visual acuity loss. 

You can still use color to your advantage when designing online learning. Start by ensuring your color contrast meets WCAG 2.2 standards. Online contrast checkers available can give you an exact contrast ratio.
When conveying important information, pair color with other visual cues. These can include icons or patterns. In taking these steps, you can ensure equal access to information.

6.    Ensure Keyboard Accessibility.

Some learners may have mobility impairments. Others prefer using a keyboard instead of a mouse. 

Many users prefer 'tab navigation.' This allows them to navigate interactive elements using the "Tab" key on their keyboard. When a user presses the Tab key, the focus moves from one element to the next. These elements can include links, buttons, form fields, and other focusable components.

If you're a web developer or designer, ensure your tab order follows a sequential flow. Provide a clear and visible focus indication for keyboard users. Include skip links to bypass repetitive content. Finally, test your work with keyboard navigation. This will help you ensure a seamless user experience for all learners.

Conclusion: Inclusive eLearning Benefits Everyone
Ensure that all learners can engage with and enjoy your course content. By following this accessibility checklist, you can foster inclusivity and provide equal educational opportunities to individuals with disabilities.

Need extra support? Take your online training or learning experiences to the next level of accessibility. Contact us, or watch d'Vinci's presentation at Training Industry's Leader Talk: But First, Accessibility: Making It a Priority, Not an Afterthought.

By Katie Langan, Learning Quality and Support Specialist