Increase Navigability

Online courses should be easily navigable for everyone, regardless of their disabilities. Ensure to have ticked the below checklist:

• Choose simple layouts.
• Avoid using colors for important navigable content cues.
• Include clear calls to action. Instead of using “click here,” use “learn more about…” Make it more descriptive, and tell users what action they are going to take.

Make Text More Readable

Another item in the ADA-compliant online course checklist is a readable text. To make it happen, here’s what you can do:

• Ensure the text has ample spacing between lines and that sentences are not too text-heavy, breaking them into shorter, readable pieces.
• Whenever possible, make use of bullet pointers and infographics.

Use Clear Headings

Apart from coming up with the appropriate content for your online courses, it is also important to have proper formatting. One crucial aspect is the correct use of headings. Here’s how you can implement them effectively:

• Use the appropriate heading tags: <h1> for main headings, <h2> for subheadings, and so on.
• Do not skip heading levels.
• Maintain a logical structure to help screen readers navigate the content seamlessly.
• Avoid relying on bold or larger text to indicate headings. Maintain a proper tag hierarchy for assistive technologies.

Read more: Accessible Heading Structure

Include Captions in Videos

Another key factor that makes online courses ADA-compliant is the inclusion of captions in videos. They provide a text-based representation of spoken dialogue and important audio cues. Keep the following best practices in mind when adding captions to a video:

• Autogenerated captions may contain errors; always review and correct them.
• Along with spoken words, captions should also contain background music or sound effects that contribute to understanding.
• Captions should appear in real time with the audio for a seamless viewing experience.

Read more: What is Closed Captioning

Add Audio Descriptions in Videos

ADA-compliant online courses should also include appropriate audio descriptions of the video content. Below are some pointers to keep in mind:

• The audio should be crisp and easy to understand.
• Choose one compatible player that works across multiple operating systems with standard, free plug-ins.
• Maintain an optimal audio length without unnecessary details.

Read more: Audio Descriptions

Ensure Keyboard Navigation

Online courses that are compliant with ADA standards should also be easily navigable with a keyboard. Accessibility is not just limited to people with visual or auditory impairments. People with limited mobility also access online courses and hence, content should be made available to them by ensuring it is properly accessible with a keyboard.

Keep the following best practices in mind:

• Enable play, pause, volume, and navigation using Tab, Shift + Tab, Space, Enter, and arrow keys.
• Implement code adjustments to support seamless keyboard navigation.

Read more: Keyboard Accessibility

Add Alt Text to Images

Alt text helps visually impaired users understand images. This text is a description of meaningful images that are displayed in the digital content. To make your online courses ADA-compliant, follow the below instructions:

• Provide clear explanations for meaningful images.
• Leave the alt text blank (alt="") to hide them from screen readers.
• Add alt-text correctly so assistive tools can interpret it.

Read more: Alt Text on Images

Include Descriptive Link Text

Well-written link text helps users, especially those relying on screen readers, understand where a hyperlink leads. To improve accessibility and make your online courses ADA-compliant, keep these best practices in mind:

• Ensure that links clearly describe their destination.
• Avoid using the same link text for different destinations.
• Mention if the link leads to a PDF, video, or external site.

Read more: Accessible Hyperlinks

Maintain Proper Color Contrast

Proper color contrast ensures readability for users with low vision. Poor contrast can make text difficult to read, reducing the effectiveness of your content. Here’s how you can properly form a contrast between the text and the background for ADA-compliant online courses:

• Use a minimum ratio of 4.5:1 for standard text.
• A 3:1 contrast ratio is acceptable for text 18pt or larger.
• Apply contrast rules to link text, buttons, and on-screen content

Read more: Color Contrast for Accessibility

Ensure PDF Accessibility

PDFs are a part of the e-learning course material. But the surprising fact is that even after being one of the most popular formats for digital learning, only 3.2% of PDFs met the accessibility standards.

To make PDFs and other digital documents accessible to readers with disabilities, perform the process of document remediation, which includes:

• Using proper color contrast.
• Add descriptive alt text to meaningful images.
• Keep a logical heading hierarchy.

Read more: Document Accessibility