What should accessibility in e-learning look like? Standards and considerations

Online learning is gradually replacing traditional workplace training. According to Deloitte, in its Global Human Capital Trends report, learning supported by digital formats—such as videos or interactive courses—is increasingly common in 73% of global organizations. However, despite this accelerated digital transformation in the learning landscape, accessibility in e-learning remains a critical challenge.

What is accessibility in e-learning?

The term e-learning accessibility refers to the ability of online learning materials and instructional systems to be used and understood by everyone, including people with disabilities. This group represents 15% of the world’s population—that is, 1.3 billion people, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Accessibility covers a wide range of limitations, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments. The integration of accessible technologies, the creation of accessible content, and raising awareness about the importance of accessibility are essential to ensure an inclusive and equitable learning environment.

However, data from the WebAIM Million reveals that 96.3% of the web pages analyzed contain automatically detectable accessibility errors, and it is estimated that 80% of online programs are not fully accessible to all users, underscoring more than ever the urgent need to develop accessible e-learning solutions.

Why should organizations ensure accessibility in e-learning?

E-learning accessibility is essential to guarantee equal opportunities. This means that everyone deserves access to the same information, training, experiences, and interactions as others, regardless of their condition.

Key reasons to prioritize accessibility

• Legal and regulatory compliance: In Spain, the General Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Royal Legislative Decree 1/2013) establishes the obligation to guarantee universal accessibility. At the European level, Directive 2016/2102 requires public sector websites and mobile applications to be accessible.
• Expanded reach and improved ROI: By including accessible learning solutions, organizations can reach the additional 15% of the population living with some form of disability, while also benefiting older adults, mobile device users, and those in environments with limited connectivity.
• Improved learning experience for everyone: Accessibility features such as captions, transcripts, and clear navigation benefit all users—not just those with disabilities.
• Corporate reputation and social responsibility: Companies that prioritize digital inclusion demonstrate a commitment to diversity and social responsibility, strengthening their brand image and attracting diverse talent.

Accessibility standards: What should accessible e-learning content look like?

There are currently international standards that ensure accessibility when developing websites, e-learning courses, or any type of content that is accessed exclusively online.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

The most widely used reference sources to measure the level of accessibility of a website are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), part of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

The current version is WCAG 2.2 (published in October 2023), which includes additional success criteria to improve accessibility on mobile devices and for people with cognitive disabilities.

WCAG are international standards used by organizations, governments, and individuals to create accessible web content. These guidelines apply to web content, including text, images, audio, code, and more.

The 4 fundamental WCAG principles (POUR):

The four fundamental WCAG principles (POUR) establish the foundation of any accessible digital experience and are especially relevant in the field of e-learning:

• Perceivable. All interface components and information must be presented in ways that can be perceived by any user, regardless of their sensory abilities. In e-learning, this means including captions in videos, audio transcripts, alternative text descriptions for images (alt text), and ensuring sufficient color contrast—at least 4.5:1 for normal text—to guarantee proper readability.
• Operable. The interface must be usable without barriers, allowing all users to interact with it. In digital learning environments, this involves enabling full keyboard navigation without relying on a mouse, designing buttons and links with sufficiently large clickable areas (at least 44×44 pixels), providing enough time to complete activities, and avoiding elements that flash more than three times per second to prevent cognitive or visual accessibility risks.
• Understandable. Both the information and the operation of the platform must be clear, consistent, and easy to understand. In e-learning, this translates into precise and consistent instructions, helpful and specific error messages, predictable navigation structures, and the use of simple, direct language adapted to the target audience’s reading level.
• Robust. Content must be developed in a way that allows it to be reliably interpreted by different browsers, devices, and assistive technologies. This requires using valid semantic HTML, properly implementing ARIA attributes, ensuring compatibility with screen readers such as JAWS, NVDA, or VoiceOver, and guaranteeing stable performance across different technological environments.

Section 508 Compliance

Section 508 is an amendment to the Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973, updated in 1998 and refreshed in 2018 to align with WCAG 2.0 Level AA. It is considered a benchmark for web accessibility requirements and standards.

Section 508 requires that all electronic and information technology developed, maintained, procured, or used by the U.S. federal government be accessible. Its standards apply to software, hardware, multimedia, and websites, and are also voluntarily adopted by many private organizations as best practices.

Key difference: While WCAG are international voluntary guidelines (unless incorporated into national legislation), Section 508 is a legally binding requirement for U.S. federal agencies. In practice, complying with WCAG 2.1 Level AA generally satisfies Section 508 requirements.

Web accessibility levels: A, AA, and AAA explained

To comply with WCAG standards, content must meet testable success criteria organized into three levels of conformance:

Recommendation: For most corporate e-learning courses, Level AA is the recommended standard, as it balances broad accessibility with practical implementation feasibility. Although Level AAA is ideal, it can be difficult to achieve across all content and is typically reserved for specific high-impact sections.

E-learning accessibility checklist: WCAG 2.2 Level A/AA compliance

This checklist will help you audit and remediate the critical components of your e-learning courses. It includes WCAG 2.2 Level A/AA criteria, prioritized based on their real impact on the user experience.

Videos and multimedia content

Make sure that:

• All audio content includes synchronized captions (WCAG 1.2.2) — High Priority (A)
• Relevant visual content includes audio descriptions or an alternative transcript (WCAG 1.2.3) — High (A)
• Playback controls (play, pause, volume) are accessible via keyboard — Medium (AA)
• No content flashes more than three times per second (WCAG 2.3.1) — High (A)

Interactive activities and assessments

Verify that:

• All form fields include clear, descriptive labels (WCAG 3.3.2) — High (A)
• Error messages are specific and include suggestions for correction (WCAG 3.3.1, 3.3.3) — Medium (AA)
• Buttons and interactive areas have a minimum size of 44×44 pixels (WCAG 2.5.5) — Medium (AA)
• Users have sufficient time to complete activities or can extend/disable time limits — High (A)
• The system provides immediate and understandable feedback on correct or incorrect responses — Medium (AA)

Course navigation and structure

Check that:

• Navigation is consistent across all course pages (WCAG 3.2.3) — Medium (AA)
• Skip links are available to allow direct access to the main content (WCAG 2.4.1) — High (A)
• Pages include descriptive titles (WCAG 2.4.2) — High (A)
• The focus order is logical and the visible focus indicator is clearly displayed (WCAG 2.4.3, 2.4.7) — High (A/AA)
• The hierarchical structure of headings (H1, H2, H3) is consistent and without skipped levels (WCAG 1.3.1) — High (A)
• The course includes a location indicator, such as breadcrumbs or a progress bar — Medium (AA)

Accessibility evaluation and testing tools

Accessibility evaluation requires a combination of automated tools and manual testing. Here are some of the most effective tools:

Essential steps for manual testing

Automated tools detect approximately 30–40% of accessibility issues. Manual testing is essential for a comprehensive evaluation:

1. Keyboard navigation test: Disconnect your mouse and navigate the entire course using only the keyboard (Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, arrow keys). Verify that all interactive elements are accessible and that the focus order is logical.
2. Screen reader test: Use NVDA (Windows, free), JAWS (Windows, paid), or VoiceOver (Mac/iOS, built-in). Close your eyes and complete a lesson from the course. Can you understand the content? Can you complete the activities?
3. Zoom and text scaling test: Increase your browser zoom to 200%. Verify that all content remains visible without horizontal scrolling and that functionality remains intact.
4. Color contrast test: Use tools such as WebAIM Contrast Checker or Colour Contrast Analyser to verify contrast ratios of 4.5:1 (normal text) and 3:1 (large text, >24px).
5. Color independence test: View the course in grayscale (using browser extensions). Verify that information does not rely exclusively on color (e.g., error messages, charts, status indicators).
6. Captions and transcripts test: Play all videos without sound and verify that captions are accurate, synchronized, and cover all relevant audio elements (including music and sound effects when meaningful).

Do your courses comply with the European Accessibility Act?

The new European Accessibility Act (EAA) requires that all corporate digital content comply with EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards. Are your courses ready? Download our free e-learning accessibility test and find out.

How to ensure accessibility in e-learning from the design stage: the role of the authoring tool

Complying with WCAG 2.2 Level A/AA should not rely exclusively on post-production audits or complex manual reviews. Accessibility in e-learning must be integrated from the moment the course is created—that is, directly within the authoring tool.

When the creation platform does not structurally incorporate accessibility criteria, the training team ends up spending additional time correcting errors, reviewing code, rebuilding interactions, or implementing external fixes. This not only increases production costs but also raises the risk of non-compliance with regulatory frameworks such as EN 301 549 or the European Accessibility Act.

An authoring tool aligned with WCAG standards simplifies this process by natively incorporating:

• Proper semantic structure and automatic heading hierarchy.
• Keyboard-accessible navigation across all interactions.
• Automatic caption and transcript management.
• Configurable color contrast aligned with recommended ratios.
• Compatibility with screen readers such as NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver.
• SCORM exports compatible with accessible LMS environments.

In this context, isEazy Author integrates accessibility criteria directly into the content architecture, enabling you to create interactive courses, assessments, and multimedia learning experiences aligned with WCAG standards—without requiring advanced technical knowledge. In addition, its design system and templates make it easier to maintain structural consistency and predictable navigation, two key elements for achieving Level AA compliance.

Accessibility is not an afterthought. It is a strategic decision that must be embedded in instructional design, the technology used, and the organization’s commitment to inclusion. Choosing tools that integrate accessibility from the outset not only reduces legal risk but also improves the learning experience for all users.

If you want to create accessible courses without sacrificing interactivity, request a demo and discover how to integrate accessibility into your e-learning courses from the very first click.