Designing Inclusive eLearning: Practical Strategies for All Learners
In today’s educational landscape, creating accessible eLearning experiences is not just an added benefit—it is essential. At the heart of effective learning lies the principle of inclusivity, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their circumstances, can engage with educational material. However, many Instructional Designers face challenges in implementing these inclusive principles in practical terms. How can you craft a course that accommodates users with screen readers, learners with ADHD, or those accessing content via mobile devices with unreliable internet? This article aims to provide actionable strategies to help Instructional Designers create truly inclusive eLearning experiences. By leveraging established frameworks like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), we will share effective tools, authoring methods, and best practices that encourage meaningful design for every learner.
Creating inclusive eLearning goes beyond mere compliance; it’s about developing engaging and flexible experiences that acknowledge the rich diversity of today’s learner populations. This process begins not with policy papers but directly on the authoring screen. From structuring course layouts to selecting interactive elements and testing methodologies, we’ll provide insight into what inclusive course design looks like in practice.
Foundational Principles of Inclusive Course Design
While accessibility guidelines such as WCAG and frameworks like UDL lay the groundwork for inclusive design, putting these theories into practice demands a deeper understanding of the following:
- WCAG: Creating content that is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
- UDL: Offering various means for engagement, representation, and expression.
- Inclusive Mindset: Emphasizing empathy and proactive design rather than just compliance.
This practical knowledge directly influences our selection of tools, content creation, and testing procedures.
Practical Implementation of Inclusive Design
Modern Instructional Designers utilize various tools such as Articulate Storyline, Rise, Adobe Captivate, Elucidat, and Lectora, which increasingly incorporate features that support accessible authoring. Mastering these tools is essential for effective usage.
Example: Crafting an Inclusive Course Module with Articulate Rise
- Utilize the “Edit Alt Text” feature to provide meaningful descriptions of images.
- Avoid relying solely on color indicators for answers.
- Select high-contrast color schemes and legible fonts.
- Enable keyboard navigation and ensure a logical tab flow.
Most authoring tools include accessibility checklists or publishing guides. Familiarity with these settings and their functions is crucial.
Transforming Traditional Presentations
Consider receiving a dense PowerPoint presentation from a Subject Matter Expert (SME).
Step-by-Step Transformation:
- Structure content using headers and landmarks for screen reader compatibility.
- Utilize Elucidat to construct the module. Choose templates designed for high contrast and responsive layouts.
- Substitute charts with text summaries and accompanying alt text.
- Add closed captions for any voice-over.
- Incorporate interactive knowledge checks with clear instructions and keyboard accessibility.
Testing the module with screen readers like NVDA, along with tools like WAVE, guarantees a usable experience.
Inclusion in Media and Assessments
Accessibility considerations extend to video, audio, and interactive content:
- Video: Incorporate open captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions.
- Audio: Provide text alternatives.
- Images: Create descriptive alt text, especially for charts and infographics.
Assessment Approaches
- Offer various formats (quizzes, written reflections, audio submissions).
- Provide clear instructions and criteria for grading.
- Allow for flexible deadlines or formats for neurodivergent learners.
Collaborative Efforts for Inclusion
Designing inclusively is a collaborative endeavor:
- Collaborate with SMEs to eliminate jargon and address bias.
- Engage visual designers to ensure diverse imagery.
- Integrate accessibility reviews during quality assurance phases.
- Conduct pilot tests with a diversified group of learners.
Utilizing tools like Microsoft Accessibility Checker, Axe, and Stark plugins for Figma can streamline the early design process.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
- Don’t rely solely on color to convey meaning.
- Avoid inaccessible drag-and-drop or gamified interactions.
- Ensure mobile responsiveness is prioritized.
- Be vigilant about providing alt text and maintaining a consistent tab order.
Final Thoughts
Creating inclusive eLearning experiences begins during the authoring process, not just at the quality check stage. Instructional Designers must intentionally integrate accessibility into every aspect of the design, from the initial storyboard to the final interactive feature.
At Kashida, we prioritize empathy and possess a strong understanding of available tools. Our focus goes beyond mere compliance; we strive to create educational environments where every learner feels recognized, valued, and empowered.
Don’t wait to master everything at once. Start with small steps: implement one accessibility checklist, explore a single inclusive feature, or conduct a test with a new user. These incremental and practical actions can create lasting impacts.
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Kashida
We are dedicated to simplifying learning. Our team designs and creates custom educational content, deploying it across various platforms while enhancing the learning experience with technology. We were proud recipients of the Gold Award at the Learning Technologies Awards UK 2018 for Best Learning Technologies Project.
