Technology
Accessibility
Are you prepared for June 2025?
Let’s talk Accessibility
How can you create digital learning materials with Avallain Author that are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities?
Let’s delve into the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and explore practical strategies and best practices for designing and developing content that meets these standards.
You will:
Understand the importance of accessibility in digital learning content.
Familiarise yourself with the WCAG guidelines.
Learn techniques for creating accessible text, images, multimedia, and interactive elements.
Gain skills in remediating content and ensuring WCAG compliance
Understanding Accessibility
Accessibility refers to the practice of ensuring that digital content and technology are usable by people with disabilities. This includes individuals who may have visual, auditory, motor, cognitive, or other impairments that affect their ability to perceive, navigate, and interact with digital content.
Starting from 28 June 2025, digital businesses must ensure that their online experiences are accessible and in line with the WCAG guidelines to meet the requirements of The European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882).
Accessibility is a key initiative for Avallain focused on having Avallain Author, Avallain Magnet, and the Mercury Design Pack at AA standard. Consequently, Avallain will provide a comprehensive framework for clients, ensuring that both the content they generate and the platform used by their end-users to access the content adhere to the necessary accessibility standards.
Why accessibility matters
Accessible digital content is essential for promoting inclusivity and equal access to information and resources. By creating content that conforms to accessibility standards, we can ensure that all learners, regardless of their abilities, have the opportunity to fully engage with educational materials.
Accessibility also benefits the wider community
People using small screens, different input modes, etc.
Changing abilities due to ageing
“Temporary disabilities” such as a broken arm or lost glasses
People with “situational limitations” such as in bright sunlight or noise
People using a slow Internet connection
Types of impairment
Hearing
Impairment
Deafness
Cognitive
Memory
Dyslexia
Motor
Keyboard control
Mouse control
Slower response
Visual
Low vision
Blindness
Colour blindness
Dyslexia
Complex font styles and formatting
Poor text spacing and crowded layouts
Complex language structures and long sentences
Lack of visual cues and highlighting
Blindness
There is no verbal description or alternative representation of the equation.
Screen readers may struggle to articulate the symbols and mathematical notation.
There are no tactile or audio cues to help the user grasp the concept.
The font and background colours lack sufficient contrast to help readers with limited vision.
Motor
Lack of alternative input methods.
Many digital exercises rely heavily on mouse-based interactions, such as clicking, dragging, and dropping.
These interactions can be challenging or impossible for individuals with motor disabilities who may have limited dexterity or difficulty using a standard mouse.
Legislation
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – 1990
Adopted > 1996: Confirmed for web
– “Ensuring web accessibility for people with disabilities is a priority for the Department of Justice.”
– Congress enacted the ADA in 1990. Since 1996, the Department of Justice has consistently taken the position that the ADA applies to web content.
– Tested in case law numerous times
European Accessibility Act (EAA) – 2019
Adopted EU > 2022: Adopted Members > 2025: Enforced
– Landmark EU law which requires everyday products and services including websites and ebooks to be accessible for persons with disabilities
– Already adopted in the national law of all EU member states
– UK is governed by the EQA (2010 Equality Act), which holds similar provisions but for publishers working across borders, the EAA is likely to be the accepted standard
– As of 28 June 2025, customers will be able to file complaints before national courts or authorities
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
The W3C develops technical specifications, guidelines and supporting resources that describe accessibility solutions.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) explain how to make web content (including text, images and sounds) more accessible to people with disabilities.
– WCAG 2.0 was published on 11 December 2008.
– WCAG 2.1 was published on 5 June 2018.
– WCAG 2.2 was published on 5 October 2023.
Each version remains stable and is not superseded.
WCAG: the four principles
Perceivable:
users must be able to perceive the information being presented, it can’t be invisible to all of their senses
Operable:
users must be able to operate the interface – the interface cannot require interaction that a user cannot perform
Understandable:
users must be able to understand the information as well as the operation of the user interface
Robust:
content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies
Download the Executive Version of the Report
Discover how the 12 Ethical Controls can help your institution harness AI’s potential without compromising accountability, equity, or the human heart of education.
Laying the Groundwork for Responsible AI in Education
Through Avallain Intelligence and the pioneering work of the Avallain Lab, we are actively shaping the role of our AI solutions in supporting teaching and learning, with ethics at the core. As this report is released, we continue to expand upon it, developing a broader range of controls tailored to the needs of the educational sector, ensuring the design and implementation of trustworthy AI tools in education.
