Cultivating Inclusion: A Guide to Creating Accessible Learning Materials

As education continues to expand into digital spaces, the need to provide accessible online learning materials is more critical than ever. Accessibility ensures that all students, regardless of physical, cognitive, or sensory impairments, can engage with content seamlessly.
by Nathan Ulrey

​As education continues to expand into digital spaces, the need to provide accessible online learning materials is more critical than ever. Accessibility ensures that all students, regardless of physical, cognitive, or sensory impairments, can engage with content seamlessly. Failing to provide accessible materials not only risks legal noncompliance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508, but it also creates unintended barriers that exclude learners from equitable educational experiences (Huss, 2022). Creating accessible content isn't just about following rules; it is about designing from a foundation of inclusion so that every student has an equal opportunity to succeed.

Recently, I was tasked with evaluating a simulated learning object titled “Orchards and Vineyards.” While the document provided clear and informative text about agricultural practices, its digital design presented several significant barriers for students utilizing assistive technologies like screen readers.

(Before pictures)

To improve the accessibility of this learning object, I utilized Microsoft Word’s built-in tools to make the following six critical changes:

1. Implementing Proper Heading Styles: The original document used bold text to indicate sections like "Planting Trees" and "Grafting Procedures," but lacked structural formatting. Screen readers cannot navigate visual-only formatting. I applied Word’s built-in Heading 1 and Heading 2 styles to create a navigable, logical reading order.

2. Adding Alternative (Alt) Text to Images: The first image of the document lacked alt-text, meaning a visually impaired student would not know what the image portrayed. I added descriptive alt-text ("Rows of young apple trees growing on trellises in a green orchard") so screen readers could accurately convey the visual information.

3. Correcting Inaccurate Captions: The second image depicted purple plums, yet the caption incorrectly labeled them "Grapes." This creates a severe cognitive barrier and spreads misinformation. I corrected the caption to read "Plums" and ensured the underlying alt-text matched.

4. Resolving Embedded Text in Images: The third image included the text "Graft Union" physically embedded into the picture. Assistive technologies cannot read text trapped inside an image file. I resolved this by explicitly writing the phrase into the image’s alt-text and adding a detailed caption underneath to ensure all students received the same instructional vocabulary.

5. Creating Descriptive Hyperlinks: In the references section, a raw, bare URL was used. Screen readers read every single letter and symbol of a raw URL aloud, which is frustrating and confusing. I removed the raw link and created a descriptive hyperlink out of the article’s title, "Grafting a scion to a rootstock," making the link’s destination immediately clear (ACE, 2023).

6. Fixing Structural Spacing: The original author repeatedly pressed the "Enter" key to create visual space between paragraphs. Screen readers announce each of these spaces as "blank," which disrupts the flow of reading. I deleted these blank returns and used Word’s "Paragraph Spacing" tool to create visual breaks without breaking the structural integrity.

(After pictures)

Tools for Your Accessibility Workflow
Building accessible materials doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here are three excellent resources to help you identify and remove barriers:

1. WebAIM’s WAVE Tool: A highly recommended browser extension that evaluates web pages and clearly highlights accessibility errors, such as missing alt-text or broken links (Huss, 2022).
2. WebAIM Contrast Checker: A simple, free tool that ensures your text and background colors have a high enough contrast ratio for students with low vision or color blindness.
3. Microsoft Word Accessibility Checker: A built-in feature in the "Review" tab of Word that automatically scans your document for missing alt-text, reading order issues, and unformatted headings.

By utilizing these tools and proactively applying inclusive design practices, we can ensure our digital classrooms are welcoming, equitable, and accessible to everyone.

References

American College of Education. (2023). TECH6363 - Technology Use in Educational Environments: Module 3 – Accessibility and online learning. Canvas. https://2571531.kaf.kaltura.com/playlist/dedicated/405157422/1_z72zs8z5/1_2e212a4f 

Huss, J. A. (2022). A high school website is a school community's communication center... But is it ADA compliant? School Community Journal, 32(1), 245–264.​