eLearning Accessibility Quick Wins
Simple changes that can make your learning more accessible
Accessibility doesn’t have to mean completely redesigning your course.
There are plenty of small changes you can make during design and development that can make a big difference to how learners experience your content.
Use this quick guide as a starting point when creating, reviewing or updating your eLearning.
Video and Audio
Video can be a really effective way to bring learning to life - but only if everyone can access the information it contains.
Quick wins:
Add closed captions to every video. This helps learners who struggle with their hearing, as well as anyone learning in a noisy or quiet environment.
Provide a transcript where possible. A transcript gives learners another way to access the information in your video or audio.
Let learners control playback. Avoid autoplay and give learners the choice of when to start and pause media.
Keyboard Navigation
Not everyone navigates a course using a mouse. Some learners rely on a keyboard or other assistive technology.
Quick wins:
Make sure interactive elements can be accessed using Tab, Enter and Space.
Don't rely on mouse-only interactions.
Make the learner's current position obvious with a visible focus state - such as a border, box or glow.
Screen Reader Considerations
Screen readers interpret content in a particular order, so the way your course is structured matters.
Quick wins:
Make sure headings follow a logical hierarchy: Title → H1 → H2.
Use meaningful link and button descriptions. Instead of "Click here", try "Download the report".
Make sure interactive elements have clear, descriptive names.
Images and Alt Text
Images aren't automatically accessible just because they're visible.
The right approach depends on why the image is there.
Quick wins:
If an image adds meaning to the learning, describe what it shows and why it matters in the alt text.
If an image is purely decorative, mark it as decorative so assistive technology can ignore it.
Don't add unnecessary descriptions to decorative images - sometimes less is more.
Colour and Contrast
Colour can help learners understand and navigate content, but it shouldn't be the only way information is communicated.
Quick wins:
Don't rely on colour alone to communicate meaning. Use labels, icons or text too.
Check that text has enough contrast against its background.
Be particularly careful with light text on light backgrounds and dark text on dark backgrounds.
Use an accessibility checker or browser extension to test your course.
One last thing…
If you're feeling overwhelmed or don't have the resources to handle accessibility in-house, don't worry! There are many experts out there (like us!) who can help you out.
We offer an accessibility auditing service where we dive deep into your content, meticulously reviewing it to identify and rectify potential accessibility barriers. You can learn more here.