Creating inclusive, accessible digital content isn’t an extra step or just good practice; it’s essential to ensuring every learner has equal access to the resources they need to succeed.

As more teaching, learning, and communication happen in digital spaces, accessibility becomes part of our everyday responsibility. Slide decks, documents, LMS pages, videos, and websites all shape how students experience learning. When those materials are not accessible, barriers are often created, unintentionally.

What is Digital Accessibility?

Digital accessibility means designing and sharing content so that it can be used by everyone, regardless of disability, device, environment, or learning need.

This includes people who:

- - Use screen readers or other assistive technology
  - Have low vision or color blindness
  - Are Deaf or hard of hearing
  - Experience cognitive, attention, or learning differences
  - Access content on mobile devices or small screens
  - Learn or work in noisy, shared, or low-bandwidth environments

Accessibility supports all users, not just those with documented disabilities.

A person works on a laptop with electronic components and wires spread out on a desk.

Why Accessibility Matters in a STEELS Context

Accessibility is not separate from instruction; it is part of how we design learning experiences.

Within STEELS, students are asked to think critically about design, systems, and users.

Digital accessibility reflects those same ideas in practice:

- - Design Thinking: Creating solutions that meet the needs of all users
  - Systems Thinking: Recognizing and removing barriers within learning environments
  - Equity in STEM: Ensuring every student can access and participate in learning

When we model accessible design, we show students that strong solutions are inclusive by design, not retrofitted later.

Understanding ADA, Section 504/508, and WCAG

Accessibility is grounded in both legal and ethical responsibility.

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)

The ADA is a civil rights law that ensures individuals with disabilities have equal access to programs and services, including public education. Under Title II of the ADA, schools and educational institutions are required to ensure that students can access digital materials and learning experiences in a comparable way to their peers. In practice, this means digital content, documents, videos, platforms, and instructional materials, should not create barriers to participation.

Section 504 and Section 508

- Section 504 ensures that students with disabilities can access education on an equal basis
- Section 508 focuses specifically on making electronic and digital content accessible

Together, these reinforce that accessibility is not optional—it is part of providing equitable access to learning.

Why WCAG 2.1 AA Matters

The strategies shared here align with the WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards, which serve as the current baseline for accessible digital design and are widely used to support compliance with Title II of the ADA.

While the ADA outlines what must be achieved, equal access, WCAG provides guidance on how to achieve it in digital environments.

For educators, this means WCAG translates legal expectations into clear, actionable design practices. While WCAG can feel technical at first glance, its purpose is straightforward: to provide a shared framework for making digital content usable for more people.

At its core are four principles. Content should be:

- Perceivable: Information can be seen or heard
- Operable: Navigation and interaction are possible
- Understandable: Content is clear and consistent
- Robust: Works with assistive technologies

Many effective classroom practices already align with these principles. In many cases, improving accessibility is not about learning entirely new systems—it is about making intentional adjustments to how content is created and shared.

WCAG helps bridge the gap between policy and practice, giving educators practical ways to ensure their digital materials meet both legal requirements and the needs of all learners.

Quick Wins You Can Start Today

The goal is not perfection. The goal is progress. Small, intentional changes can significantly improve access for all learners.

Structure: Use Headings and Bullets

Use clear headings to organize content instead of just bold text.

Why it matters:

Headings are a navigation tool. Screen readers and keyboard users rely on them to move through content efficiently. Without them, navigating becomes difficult and time-consuming.

Using Headings to Organize Content

Fonts: Use Sans-Serif Fonts at an Appropriate Size

Choose simple, readable fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Open Sans. Avoid decorative or script fonts for body text.

Why it matters:

Fonts directly affect how easily someone can read, process, and understand information. Small, tight, or overly styled fonts can create barriers for students with dyslexia, low vision, or anyone reading on a screen.

Choosing Fonts Everyone Can Read

Alt Text: Describe Meaningful Images

Add short, clear descriptions to images that convey important information.

Why it matters:

Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers. Alt text ensures students can understand what the image shows and why it matters, even if they cannot see it.

Making Images Meaningful with Alt Text

Contrast: Ensure Text is Easy to Read

Use strong contrast between text and background. Avoid light text on light backgrounds or color combinations that are difficult to distinguish.

Why it matters:

Low contrast makes content difficult or impossible to read for students with low vision or color blindness and increases strain for all learners. Strong contrast improves clarity, focus, and comprehension.

Using Color Contrast to Improve Clarity

Captions: Turn Them On for Videos

Enable captions for recorded and live video whenever possible.

Why it matters:

Captions make audio content accessible for students who are Deaf or hard of hearing and support comprehension for multilingual learners and anyone who benefits from seeing and hearing information at the same time.

How to start:

Use built-in captioning tools in platforms like YouTube, PowerPoint, or Teams, and review captions for accuracy when possible.

Links: Use Clear, Descriptive Text

Write links that clearly describe where they go or what they do. Avoid phrases like “click here” or “read more.”

Why it matters:

Screen readers pull links into a list. Vague text like “click here” provides no context, making it difficult to navigate. Clear links help users understand where they are going before they select it.

Sharing Links That Are Clear

Digital Accessibility: An Introduction (Asynchronous)

This is a one-hour prerecorded session that introduces digital accessibility and how it connects to Title II of the ADA.

Designed for beginners, this session provides a foundation for understanding WCAG 2.1AA as we approach the April 2026 and 2027 compliance deadlines. We will briefly review why accessibility matters and how it supports all learners.

Participants will learn and practice a small set of high-impact strategies for everyday work, including using heading styles correctly, writing meaningful alt text, selecting readable fonts, and checking color contrasts. The focus is on quick wins that can be implemented immediately.

Register for Digital Accessibility: An Introduction