○ WCAG 2.1
What is WCAG 2.1?
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provides clear technical specifications for creating a website that directly benefits users who have accessibility needs due to disabilities.
Examples:
- Users might be colour blind or have low vision, which makes it harder to distinguish elements on a webpage. Therefore the platform should provide enough contrast for texts and backgrounds.
- Users might have a disability that prevents them from using a mouse properly. Therefore the platform should be completely navigable by using a keyboard.
- Users might have a visual impairment. Therefore the platform should be able to be interacted with via a screenreader.
We find that everybody should be able to make use of our platform. Therefore we are implementing these guidelines in our platform in order to become WCAG 2.1 compliant.
Complying to the WCAG guidelines means that everyone is able to perceive, understand, navigate and interact with our platform and that every user is able to follow a learning journey in our platform.
WCAG 2.1 categories
First we have divided all the WCAG guidelines in 4 different categories. In this way we can focus on one category at a time instead of doing everything at once.
We divide the following categories:
- Contrast
Texts and non-text elements on the page have a decent contrast ratio. - Keyboard Operability
Each webpage is navigable and interactable via a keyboard or keyboard alternative. - ScreenReader Accessibility
Each webpage can be navigated via a screenreader in a meaningful way. - The Uncategorised
This covers a few guidelines that don't necessarily fit within the mentioned categories above.
Implementation plans
We created an overview of the different implementation plans based on the different categories. It is important to note that the planning is a rough estimation and not a commitment. This is a big project and things will become more clear as we go forward.
Section(s) | Category | Estimated delivery |
Entire platform (learner- and backend side) | Contrast | Done |
Results page | Keyboard | Done |
Content parts in activities (in the player) | Keyboard | Done |
Navigation in the player | Keyboard | Done |
Questions in the player | Keyboard | Done |
Login & Home screen, Learning Journey | Keyboard | Done |
Catalogue, Communication Center, Results overview, Account settings & Portfolio | Keyboard | Done |
Player (All activities) | Keyboard | Done |
Assessment flow | Keyboard | Done |
First milestone: learner side and assessment flow is now keyboard operable | ||
Non-text content (images, videos and sound fragments) can include alternative text and are accessibile for screenreading services in content parts and questions | ScreenReader | Done |
Login & Home screen | ScreenReader | Done |
Learning Journey & Player: Buttons, Tabs, Text-fields, Checkboxes and Radios | ScreenReader | to be determined |
Notes | ScreenReader | to be determined |
Catalogue, Communication Center, Results Overview, Account Settings & Portfolio | Screenreader | to be determined |
Assessment flow | Screenreader | to be determined |
Entire learner-side | Uncategorised | to be determined |
Assessment flow | Uncategorised | to be determined |
Second milestone: learner side and assessment flow is now fully AA compliant | ||
Creating and managing courses | Contrast & Keyboard | to be determined |
Creating a learning journey (building templates) | Contrast & Keyboard | to be determined |
Assessment flow | Screenreader | to be determined |
Creating questions & content parts | Contrast & Keyboard | to be determined |
Managing users | Contrast & Keyboard | to be determined |
Creating and managing courses | Screenreader | to be determined |
Creating a learning journey | Screenreader | to be determined |
Creating questions & content parts | Screenreader | to be determined |
Managing users | Screenreader | to be determined |
Assessment flow | Uncategorised | to be determined |
Creating and managing courses | Uncategorised | to be determined |
Creating a learning Journey | Uncategorised | to be determined |
Creating questions & content parts | Uncategorised | to be determined |
Managing users | Uncategorised | to be determined |
To summarise:
- We started by making the learner side and the backend side compliant to the contrast related guidelines. This implementation has been finished already.
- The next thing we start working on are the keyboard related guidelines. This focuses on the more important pages of the learner side first, for example the login screen, the Home screen and the learning journey.
- After implementing the keyboard related guidelines, this will be reflected and documented so we can start with the keyboard related guidelines for the assessment flow for instructors. Reflecting and documenting the efficient implementation of the guidelines will make it easier and quicker for future implementations.
Latest additions to make the platform accessible for all learners
- Keyboard accessibility: the Activity player is completely keyboard accessible now: within all activities learner can navigate with their keyboard.
- Screenreader accessibility: Non-textual content like images, videos and sounds can include alternative text. This text can be read by screenreader so all content is accessible for ever learner. Text alternatives can be added by:
- Authors that make use of files in questions and content parts;
- Designers that make use of images in the template;
- Resellers that make use of images for their catalogue products;
- Tenants that make use of files in the look & feel.