Accessibility starts before the resource is shared
A digital lesson can be visually attractive and still create barriers. A learner may be unable to hear a video, understand a poorly structured document, navigate a task without a mouse or distinguish important information from its background. Digital accessibility means designing content so that more people can perceive, understand and use it.
The European Commission describes web accessibility as making sure that everyone, including people with disabilities, can use and interact with websites and applications. Its Digital Education Action Plan also sets a common European vision for high-quality, inclusive and accessible digital education.
Teachers do not need to become accessibility specialists to make useful improvements. The four principles of WCAG 2.2 provide a clear framework: content should be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.
1. Make information perceivable
Perceivable content gives learners more than one way to access important information.
- Add meaningful alternative text to informative images.
- Mark decorative images as decorative so they do not create unnecessary noise for screen-reader users.
- Provide captions for instructional videos and a transcript when practical.
- Do not communicate meaning through colour alone.
- Use readable text size, clear spacing and sufficient contrast.
Alternative text should explain the purpose of an image in the lesson, not simply describe every visible detail. If a diagram shows the stages of the water cycle, the alternative text should communicate that learning purpose. If the image is only decorative, it may need no description.
For video, automatic captions are a useful starting point but should be checked for names, technical terms and punctuation. If learners need to study a visual demonstration, describe important visual information in the audio or provide it in the transcript.
2. Make activities operable
Operable content can be used through different input methods and does not depend on a single physical action. A simple classroom check is to try the resource without a mouse.
- Can you move through links, buttons and form fields using the keyboard?
- Is the current focus visible?
- Can learners pause, stop or control moving content?
- Does the activity provide enough time to read and respond?
- Are links and buttons labelled according to their purpose?
When sharing a document or learning platform activity, avoid instructions such as “click the green button on the right” unless the same control is identified by text. Use descriptive labels such as “Download the worksheet” or “Submit your reflection”.
3. Make the lesson understandable
Understandable design reduces avoidable confusion. Use a clear heading structure, short paragraphs and consistent instructions. In a long document, built-in heading styles are more useful than simply making text bold, because assistive technologies can use the structure to help users navigate.
Give one set of instructions at a time. Explain unfamiliar terms and provide an example of the expected response. If learners must complete several steps, number them. Keep the same labels for the same actions throughout the lesson.
Forms and quizzes should identify required fields, explain errors in plain language and tell learners how to correct them. A message such as “This answer needs more detail” is more helpful than “Invalid input”.
4. Keep resources robust
Robust content works across different browsers, devices and assistive technologies. This is particularly important when learners use school computers, personal devices or mobile phones with different settings.
Whenever possible, share documents in formats that preserve structure. Use real headings, lists and tables rather than formatting text manually. Check that links work, files open correctly and the resource remains usable when the screen is enlarged.
Do not assume that an accessibility overlay or an automated checker can solve every problem. Automated tools can identify some issues, but they cannot judge whether alternative text is meaningful, whether instructions are clear or whether a video explains its visual content.
A ten-minute accessibility check
Before sharing a digital resource, run this quick review:
- Read the title and headings. Is the purpose clear?
- Navigate the main controls with the keyboard.
- Zoom in and check whether content remains usable.
- Review image descriptions and captions.
- Check that colour is not the only way information is communicated.
- Open the resource on a second device if possible.
- Ask a learner or colleague whether any step feels confusing.
Accessibility is not a one-time technical task. It is a design habit that improves clarity for everyone, including learners using mobile devices, working in a second language or studying in a noisy environment. Start with the barriers most likely to affect your learners, then improve resources progressively.
