Creating An Accessible Online Course – Five Tips To Benefit All Learners
Updated: Apr 11, 2023
Written by: Tracy Sherriff, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
According to the World Health Organization, around 15-20% of people in the world have some form of disability. When creating online courses, it is important to design them with the needs of people with disabilities in mind, including those with visual, auditory, or physical impairments. Making the course accessible to everyone will improve the learning experience and elevate the impact of your course, content and brand.
Here are some tips to help you create accessible online courses:
1. Think about accessibility from the beginning. Choose a course platform and tools that work well with assistive technology and meet accessibility standards.
2. Design your course platform with accessibility in mind. It should be easy to use and engaging for all learners. Provide closed captions and transcripts for videos. These enhancements benefit all learners and is necessary for some.
3. Ensure course compatibility with assistive technology. Incorporating alternative text is crucial for individuals with visual impairments who rely on screen readers.
4. Provide alternative formats for course materials. Having content presented in different formats helps people with different ways of learning to access the content.
5. Test your course for accessibility. Use accessibility-testing tools to identify accessibility issues and make necessary changes before launching your course.
By following these tips, you can create an online course that is accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities. This will not only benefit learners with disabilities but will also enhance the learning experience for all learners.
For more information on accessibility guidelines for online courses, visit the Centre for Teaching Innovation and Support at the University of Toronto’s website.
For assistance with creating a course with accessibility in mind, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website.
Tracy Sherriff, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Tracy Sherrif is a curriculum specialist and course operations expert who helps entrepreneurs, coaches, and service-based professionals scale their business online. Her podcast, Scale Your Course, focuses on helping her audience with the process of designing and delivering impactful courses and online programs. She is the founder of Course Design School™ a program that supports coaches and other experts with organizing their unique solutions into actionable learning experiences that changes people's lives. She also offers 1:1 consulting and Done With You services.
