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What are Accessible Learning
Materials? Indicators of
Accessibility
Accessible learning materials are educational materials that give students with disabilities the
opportunity to gain the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same
services as students without disabilities. There are many challenges in determining whether or
not learning materials are accessible. However, the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) has
created four primary principles that help us understand what accessibility means. These
principles are the basis for the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0. The principles are—
1. Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to
users in ways they can perceive.
This means that users must be able to perceive the information being presented
(it can't be invisible to all of their senses)
2. Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable.
This means that users must be able to operate the interface (the interface cannot
require interaction that a user cannot perform)
3. Understandable: Information and the operation of user interface must be
understandable.
This means that users must be able to understand the information as well as the
operation of the user interface (the content or operation cannot be beyond their
understanding)
4. Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a
wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.
This means that users must be able to access the content as technologies
advance (as technologies and user agents evolve, the content should remain
accessible)
Source: http://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/intro.html#introduction-fourprincs-head
What to Look For?—Indicators of
Accessibility
The following “short list” of accessibility features expands on the four WCAG 2.0 principles
(perceivable, operable, understandable, robust) to assist individuals involved in the
consideration, selection, and purchase of digital instructional materials. This is certainly not a
comprehensive list but rather a starting point for thinking more about whether or not the material
is accessible.
It is important to note that both the content and the technology used to deliver and interact with
the content need to be accessible. For example, both an e-book (content) and an e-book reader
(delivery system) need to be accessible. The same applies to e-learning systems. Technology
used to access information and content within an e-learning system needs to be accessible. If
only one component is accessible, then the materials will not be accessible to all learners.
Content should be perceivable
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Content is represented in multiple ways so it can be used based on what students might
need or prefer (e.g., video captions, alt text, audio, text-to-speech, digital braille)
Mathematical, scientific, and music symbols, formulas, and notations are represented in
multiple ways (e.g., explained with text, MathML)
Content should be operable
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Both visual and non-visual forms of navigation are possible (e.g., keyboard
shortcuts/mapping, screen gestures, voice)
Location and progress supports are included (e.g., page numbers, progress bars)
If writing is required, there are multiple ways to enter text (e.g., word prediction, onscreen keyboards, voice input)
Timing and pace as the student progresses through content can be controlled
Content should be understandable
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Content is structured in a predictable, coherent, and logical way
Content is at an appropriate level for the students
Supports and scaffolds for difficult content are available to students (e.g., glossaries,
highlighters, sentence starters, spelling checkers, graphic organizers)
Feedback on errors and progress is provided to students
Content should be robust
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Content can be used on multiple devices and with different assistive technologies
There is nothing to prevent access to built-in accessibility features or necessary assistive
technologies (e.g., digital rights management [DRM])
Products are tested by the publisher/developer to ensure compatibility with assistive
technology (AT) (e.g., screen readers, refreshable braille, text-to-speech, human-voice
reading software)
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Additional Resources for Accessibility
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Diagram Center: http://diagramcenter.org/index.php
WebAIM: http://webaim.org
Web2Access: http://www.web2access.org.uk
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative: http://www.w3.org/WAI/
International Digital Publishing Forum, EPUB 3 Accessibility:
http://www.idpf.org/accessibility/
Learn more about the PALM Initiative at: http://aem.cast.org/navigating/palm.html
Updated: May 2015
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