WCAG Level AA Accessibility Statement: ‘Ready-made’ Libraries

Off the Shelf Learning Libraries Design Principles

We want everyone who uses the Learning Pool Libraries to find the experience rewarding. In support of this vision, we strive to make them as accessible as possible to users, whatever their level of ability. Our goal for the ‘Ready-made’ Libraries is to meet the AA Standards of the WCAG 2.1 Guidelines

eLearning is unique in the sense that its web based but is hosted on an LMS or LXP and created with an authoring tool so the elearning course itself may be designed to be accessible and compliant but the platform or the authoring tool used in the elearning must also provide accessibility for the learners experience to be fully accessible to the required standards

Within WCAG Level AA Compliance, there are elements that cannot apply to the elearning course itself as it requires input from the authoring tool and/ or the platform on which it is hosted. Please read this accessibility statement, bearing in mind that all the below criteria applies to the ‘Ready-made’ Libraries created in conjunction with Adapt builder accessibility statement

According to the WCAG guidelines, there are four fundamental principles of accessible web content: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable and Robust. Each of these principles have criteria aligned to achieving the AA level of standards

Achieving Compliance:

The complete module must be WCAG compliant to achieve the AA Level standard.

It must conform to both Level A and AA on every page. If we cannot do this, then the entire module is deemed as non-compliant

When we apply the P O U R principles to our elearning content, we are considering how we can benefit the learner’s interaction and engagement with the content. Below, is how each of the WCAG principles are required to be applied to elearning development:

Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive. 

This means that learners must be able to access all the information that is presented to them regardless of their accessibility requirements up to WCAG AA guidelines. The criteria set out by WCAG guidelines is as follows: 

Text Alternatives (1.1), Time-based media (1.2) and Adaptable ( 1.3) Distinguishable (1.4)

What we do to make out content Level AA Compliant: 

Success Criteria: 1.1.1 Non-Text Content Level A

Success Criteria: 2.5.3 Labels in Name Level A

  • Fully descriptive Alt text is available to serve an equivalent purpose where required

Every image must have an Alt attribute:

  • An equivalent purpose relates to any images, charts, diagrams, images with text, flow charts etc that are part of the learning experience and should be read by a screen reader.

Using Alt text for these purposes: 

  • Describe the image in the context in which it is being used. For example, a picture of spinach used in the context of ingredients for cooking is not the same as a picture of spinach contaminated with E. coli.
  • Do not include ‘Image of’ in the alt text
  • If possible, keep the alt text under 125 characters: this may not be available for charts, diagrams etc
  • When an image is decorative or Already is accurately described in the body of the course:
    • Should have a Null Alt Text Attribute
    • This link shows good examples of Alt text options:

https://webaim.org/techniques/alttext/

Success Criteria: 1.2.2 Captions Level A

Success Criteria: 1.2.1 Prerecorded Video and Audio Level A

  • Provide transcripts/ AD and closed captions for all audio/video content

Success Criteria: 1.3.1 Info and Relationships Level A

Success Criteria: 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence Level A

Also relevant to Success Criteria 1.4.13 Level AA

  • All Navigation text should be clear in direction with the avoidance of Click Left/ Right and avoid navigations that can be perceived incorrectly

Success Criteria: 1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics Level A

  • In some languages, it is commonly understood that “above” refers to the content previous to that point in the content and “below” refers to the content after that point. In such languages, if the content being referenced is in the appropriate place in the reading order and the references are unambiguous, statements such as “choose one of the links below” or “all of the above” would conform to this Success Criterion.

Success Criteria: 1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics Level A

  • On Assessments, please ensure that Hidden Hotspots are not used as visually impaired users may not be able to complete the mandatory interaction. Hidden Hotspots can be used in the body of the course but they must be marked as optional with the appropriate feedback available in the Alt text of the image 

Success Criteria: 1.3.4 Orientations Level AA

  • Ensure content is adaptable through design features available in the Adapt Builder and design is responsive and easily accessible on multiple orientations

Success Criteria: 1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics Level A

Success Criteria: 1.4.1 Use of Colour Level A

Success Criteria: 1.4.3 Contrast Minimum Level AA

  • The use of significant colour contrast to distinguish background, foreground and text:

The WCAG Level AA requirement is a contrast of at least: 4.5:1 for Standard Text and 3:1 for Large text

  • Note for elearning: Where an Image is the background with Text in the foreground, the transparent colour layer between may pass the requirements as the transparent colour layer acts as a buffer between the foreground and background but the same colour, when used as a solid colour background for text can also fail i.e #dba92c
  • Note: Bold text [standard size] and Large text will pass with colours that standard text won’t
  • Note: If we cannot provide our main content module as WCAG Compliant, we can provide an alternative, however the entirety of the alternative must be WCAG compliant. Extensions within the courses meet this standard as they can be activated within the course and can also be adopted by the customer prior to the learning/ course activation This is in accordance with the Success Criteria 1.4.3 

Success Criteria: 1.4.10 Reflow Level AA

Success Criteria: 1.4.12 Text Spacing Level AA

Success Criteria: 1.4.4 Resize Text Level AA

  • The responsive nature of the Adapt Builder allows learners to Zoom while still viewing all of the content on the screen and working in conjunction with the Alt text functionality where zoom is not required
  • Ensuring all content is designed with an easily recognisable Font and text size to ensure the learner has an optimal learning experience

Success Criteria: 1.4.11 Non-Text Contrast Level AA

  • Graphic Elements have a colour contrast have a minimum Ratio of 1:3 
    • Note: Only Separating it from Background of the course 

Success Criteria: 1.4.13 Content on hover or focus Level AA

  • Features such as Flipcards, reveal, slider, Narrative or any other component that requires the learner to click on the screen to allow information to appear must be operational that when the learner moves the cursor away from the information, the information will still be present on the screen until the learner decides to dismiss it

Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable.

Learners need to be able to complete and carry out the actions required in each course. Within the WCAG criteria, it is required to ensure that the content meets the defined as Keyboard Accessibility (2.1), Enough Time (2.2), Seizures and Physical Reactions (2.3), Navigable (2.4), Input Modalities. (2.5)

What we do to make out content Level AA Compliant: 

Success Criteria: 2.1.1 Keyboard Level A

Success Criteria: 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap Level A

Success Criteria: 2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts: Level A

  • Our eLearning courses are perceivable and operable with Keyboard navigation in conjunction with the approved screen readers listed from the open-source Adapt authoring tool

Success Criteria: 2.2.1 Timing Adjustments Level A

  • Avoiding time-limiting challenges
    • Note: We cannot have interactions such as count down timers that the Learner cannot either slow down, opt out or pause. All timed components within a course need to be controllable by the end user. This is in the form of an ‘opt-out’ of the timed portion while still being able to complete the interaction. This specifically relates to the ‘YES/NO’ interaction

Success Criteria: 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide Level A

Also relevant to Success Criteria: 1.4.2 Audio Control Level A

  • Use of learner controlled pause and play functionality
    • Note: All Video/audio  content must be able to be controlled by the learner with pause/ play
    • Note: expectation when “An animation that occurs as part of a preload phase or similar situation can be considered essential if interaction cannot occur during that phase for all users and if not indicating progress could confuse users or cause them to think that content was frozen or broken.”

Success Criteria: 2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Level A

  • Seizures and Physical Reactions
    • Ensuring all our content does not have any interaction that flashes more than 3 times in a one second period, and must abide by general thresholds of online design. We avoid any flashing elements where possible 

Success Criteria: 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks Level A

Success Criteria: 2.4.5 Multiple ways Level AA

  • Making the content navigable through the design of the course and an ability to locate course pages in multiple ways 
    • Home button available 
    • Exit course button available
    • Next/ Back options etc
    • Optional dropdown menu with course structure

Success Criteria: 2.4.2 Page Titled Level A

Success Criteria: 2.4.3 Focus Order Level A

Success Criteria: 2.4.6 Heading and Labels Level AA

Also relevant: Success Criteria: 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence Level A

  • All Content is Navigable through menus, selection of pages that are titled and relate back to the main menu with a clear and established goal for each section. Courses are designed with learning objectives that concentrate on the focus order of the course and ensuring the content has a logical and meaningful order

Success Criteria: 2.4.4 Link Purposes Level A

Success Criteria: 2.5.3 Label in text

  • All Links should tell the learner about the destination and make clear that it is a link
    • Note: It should make sense out of context (avoid ‘Click here’ etc)
    • Note: Its should stand out visually from the rest of the text with colour and underlining

Success Criteria: 2.4.6 Heading and Labels Level AA

Also relevant to Success Criteria: 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence Level A

  • Ensuring that all elearning is correctly and effectively labeled with a clear focus on all content.
    • Headings, Quizzes and Assessments etc must have clear labels 
    • Labeling content in the same manner and not using the same headings for multiple meanings
    • Providing clear instructional text throughout the course

Success Criteria: 2.4.7 Focus Visible Level AA

  • A progress bar is available on all pages within each course to highlight where the learner is within the course

Success Criteria: 2.5.1 Pointer Gesture

  • We’ve designed our learning so that elements of the course that are ‘Hidden Hotspot’ or Dragging features are not required for completion of the course. They are optional, also see 1.3.3 on Hidden hotspots

Success Criteria: 2.5.2

  • Deep scroll element of the courses allows us to avoid unwanted clicking, tapping and other actions throughout the course

Understandable: Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable. 

This means that learners should be able easily read and understand the information within a user interface that they are presented with. This criteria is defined by WCAG as Readable (3.1), Predictable (3.2) and Input Assistance (3.3). 

What we do to make out content Level AA Compliant:  

Success Criteria: 3.2.1 On Focus Level A

Success Criteria: 3.2.2 On Input Level A

  • Efficient instructional design that alerts users of an interaction that will change the current view to the course ahead of the interaction in terms of components such as Reveal, Hot Graphics, Flipcard and other interactive components. Users will be able to select or have sufficient time before the interaction is activated. 

Success Criteria: 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation Level AA

Success Criteria: 3.2.4 Consistent Identification Level AA

  • Consistent navigable layouts throughout the elearning process that have a focus on the learners journey with Buttons and links are structured, available and instructionally designed- as also described in the above section relating to Success Criteria: 2.4.2 Page Titled 2.4.3 Focus Order, 2.4.6 Heading and Labels, 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence

Success Criteria: 3.3.1 Error Identification Level A

Success Criteria: 3.3.2 Labels or instructions Level A

Success Criteria: 3.3.3 Error Suggestions Level AA

  • Our courses will not allow the learner to submit answers to an assessment or knowledge check until the question is answered in its entirety. The ‘Submit’ button will not become available until this has been completed, when an answer has been submitted the required buttons will become visible. Our Learning Designers provide feedback to all the submitted answers in forms of constructive feedback and is accessible in the same manner as the ‘submit’ button

Robust: 

Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. 

Level A: This criteria is defined by WCAG as Parsing, Name, Role & Value and Status Messages.

For our review on ‘Robust’, our dependable QA Team reviews all courses to ensure they’re robust for learners’ needs. The Adapt authoring tool has undertaken a v5 Update which removes the need for the user to manually enable accessibility features. We’ve ensured to the best of our ability that an option for users who use assisted software such as screen readers to access the content is available. The Adapt builder complies with NVDA and JAWs as required