Summary

Discover the importance of accessibility training and how it aligns with the European Accessibility Act, including the role of the AY Collective in promoting accessibility.

From reskilling to upskilling, the learning and development (L&D) industry is increasingly influenced by new technologies. Authoring software, business simulations, and gamified virtual learning are just the tip of the iceberg of training solutions — but is this content accessible?

After the COVID-19 pandemic, institutions shifted from conventional training approaches to online learning platforms. The transition resulted in remarkable advancements in education technology, improving learning accessibility. However, individuals with disabilities still encounter significant challenges in accessing equal educational or training resources.

Almost 1.3 billion individuals globally deal with some kind of disability. Moreover, studies indicate that the total number of individuals with disabilities is expected to grow two-fold by the end of 2050. Accessibility training should be a core part of every L&D initiative, from developing content to which tools are leveraged to create it.

Now is the perfect moment for businesses and organizations to explore the importance of accessibility training: What does it mean, and why does it matter?

That being said, this blog explores the significance of accessibility training in the context of digital learning, highlighting the contributions of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the A11Y Collective.

Table of Contents:

What is Accessibility in Online Learning?

The primary objective of accessibility learning is to guarantee that every individual, irrespective of their disabilities, can leverage online learning platforms effortlessly.

In today’s interconnected world, accessibility has become more important than ever. It refers to designing and developing learning tools and other resources that promote inclusivity and equal participation of all individuals.

Also Read: Unboxing Accessibility: Your Guide to Born-Accessible Design

What are the Features of Accessible Digital Platforms?

Some of the major features of digital platforms with accessibility include:

  1. Closed captions or additional text on videos to make them accessible to individuals with hearing impairments.
  2. Alternative text for images to make them accessible for individuals with visual impairments.
  3. Keyboard accessibility to ensure individuals with limited mobility can explore digital content using a keyboard over a mouse.
  4. Descriptive links and headings to make learning content easier to understand for individuals with cognitive impairments.
  5. The color contrast makes information easily readable for individuals with visual impairments.

What is the European Accessibility Act (EAA)?

The EAA is a breakthrough initiative by the European Commission, implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It addresses the issue of marginalization and the accessibility gap among individuals with disabilities.

It has been estimated that the EAA will benefit at least 87 million individuals—almost one in five Europeans with impairments. It will also help older people with temporary or partial disability. The EAA will improve individuals’ accessibility to e-books, computers, banking services, e-commerce, etc.

Enterprises and their customers will also benefit from the Act’s standardized accessibility mandates. For SMBs, complying with accessibility regulations will simplify cross-border trading and offer certainty for selling products and services throughout the European Union (EU). Similarly, the new law will encourage innovation by empowering businesses to provide customers with a more inclusive range of products and services at competitive prices.

The Importance of Accessibility Training

First and foremost, including accessibility in L&D programs is just the right thing to do. Every individual can learn, grow, develop, and contribute their ideas and perspectives.

Even when you look beyond the moral landscape, however, there are several benefits to making digital content as accessible as possible, from boosting productivity to regulatory mandates.

1. The Rise of Accessibility Compliance Mandates

Avoiding penalties and lawsuits is the best motivator to keep L&D resources more accessible. Moreover, legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the EAA mandates organizations to make learning inclusive for all individuals.

For companies looking to avoid lawsuits and fines, the W3C WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) mandate that all training resources should be built on these four key design principles:

  • Perceivable
  • Operable
  • Understandable
  • Robust

These design principles can be achieved using the right technologies and practices. For example, perceivable content requires alt text or video captions, while operable content includes keyword-only transcripts to support people with visual impairments.

2. Boosts Productivity & Training Outcomes

Amidst all the legal and moral barriers to accessibility training, it’s easy to miss the basic principle behind it. Accessibility training ensures that all individuals complete their L&D programs and engage with, absorb, and learn new skills.

A study by McKinsey indicates that the demand for online learning is rising, and good training design and delivery significantly impacts the performance and productivity of individuals.

3. Inclusivity Keeps Morality at the Heart of Digital Training

Adhering to accessibility guidelines isn’t just about keeping the lawmakers happy – it’s about showcasing that you genuinely care about individuals’ learning experiences. It’s a linear and thoughtful commitment to inclusivity that speaks to your organization’s brand voice, and all employees will appreciate your effort in this matter.

After all, accessibility training doesn’t just benefit people with disabilities – it also helps people with temporary impairments like:

  • Situational conditions like bright or noisy environments
  • Broken Bones
  • Age-related barriers
  • Challenges due to low internet bandwidth

According to Boston Consulting Group (BCG) research, organizations focusing on inclusive practices have better employee satisfaction and engagement rates. The study indicated that 81% of employees who feel their workplace is inclusive are also happy in their jobs.

This suggests that producing accessible training materials and resources is more than an obligation. It represents a business’s commitment to having happy, cared-for, and productive staff through inclusivity.

Steps Your Organization Can Take to Observe EAA

To conform to EAA, organizations must adopt these step-by-step approaches toward making their platforms more accessible to persons with disabilities:

  1. Accessibility Audit: Perform an overall accessibility review of your website and try to identify the need for the removal of all access barriers.
  2. Alternate Text of Images: Ensure alternative texts for images so that visually impaired users who are reliant on readers can have accessible content based on their descriptions for images.
  3. Keyboard Availability: Ensure that your website is usable by keyboard navigation for disabled people who may not have the ability to use a mouse.
  4. Easy Navigation for People with Cognitive Disabilities: Ensure that your web app is user-friendly and easy to navigate by people with cognitive disabilities.
  5. Compatibility with Assistive Technologies: Your website must support assistive technologies like screen readers and magnifiers.
  6. Accessibility at Every Stage of Development: Involve accessibility considerations at every level of your website’s design and development process
  7. Update Regularly: Don’t forget that a website has to be updated regularly. The older a website is, the fewer chances it will have at its next web accessibility audit.

Failure to comply with the European Accessibility Act will place fines, legal action, and erosion of one’s reputation, possibly lost business and higher costs in the coffers of a company.

Best Practices to Maintain Compliance with EAA

Here are some key strategies that organizations must follow to comply with EAA:

1. Clearly Define Roles and Responsibilities

State the EAA to everyone, from design and development to content authors. Educate on best practices and tools. It will help you achieve consistent adherence to the EAA standards throughout your organization.

2. Test Frequently and Gather Feedback

Plan accessibility testing at various points during development, as well as gathering feedback during the development process. Allocate an accessibility lead to handle compliance questions, support direction on accessibility needs, and help the project stay on track with issues.

3. Leverage Automated Tools for Accessibility

There are automatizing tools that can facilitate your activities of identifying and rectifying accessibility issues on your digital platforms, giving you more opportunities to address them promptly as well as tracking them permanently.

A clear accessibility policy should explain the steps you are taking to comply with relevant standards and be circulated to employees, customers, and other stakeholders.

4. Ongoing Review and Updates

To maintain compliance with accessibility standards, one must regularly check and update their website concerning ever-changing accessibility standards. This means responding to the problems that emerge immediately but also ensuring your platform is current with all the latest best practices and guidelines.

Three Compelling Reasons to Act Now in Keeping with The European Accessibility Act

The European Union implements the European Accessibility Act that obliges a wide range of products and services—including digital platforms that feature eCommerce and banking—to become accessible.

If your business sells its products and services to consumers within the EU, regardless of your location, you need to adhere to the EAA. Here are three key reasons why you need to start preparing now:

1. Why Compliance Extends Beyond Correcting Accessibility Issues

Organizations are wrong in the assumption that accessibility compliance is an event rather than a process. In other words, it involves technical audits, fixing issues, and purchasing compliance with standards such as EN 301 549, which means maintaining compliance with WCAG 2.1 A and AA as well as with WCAG 2.2.

Compliance with the EAA also involves sustainable processes such as continuous reporting, regular monitoring, and ongoing accessibility training. Early starts give you time to create a long-term accessibility strategy that will ensure compliance over time and help minimize the risks of introducing new barriers through updates later on.

2. Participation from Third Party Vendors

The EAA does not only apply to your digital products but also applies to third-party tools and services integrated into your platform. For example, if your site uses a chatbot or payment gateway from a third-party provider, then their products should also be accessible.

Assuring this with your vendors early will save you a delay and avoid non-adherence. Accessibility should be a non-negotiable requirement in the procurement of new products.

3. Severe Punishment for Non-Compliance

Failure to comply with the EU Accessibility Act on enforcement dates can lead your organization to severe financial and legal risks. The European Union nations will track and enforce compliance, and in some cases, they may suspend business operations as a possible fine.

In some countries, for instance, Ireland, organizations that are not compliant can even face a jail term. Non-accessibility also comes with a heavy opportunity cost.

Based on the statistics, one in every four adults in the European Union suffers from disability, making this an essential market that businesses that are not compliant risk missing out on. For that reason, there is a need to begin preparations now so as not to face risks and ensure that business continues as usual.

Also Read: Keyboard Navigation, Screen Readers, and More: Essential Tools for Accessible Software

Final Words

Accessibility training is vital to building a more inclusive and moral society. It not only helps organizations with accessibility regulations but also enhances user satisfaction, expands market reach, and improves brand reputation.

Organizations like Hurix Digital comply with the EAA and A11Y Collective practices and are crucial in raising awareness and providing training materials to create a more accessible world for everyone.

If your organization wants to achieve accessibility compliance and embrace inclusivity, Hurix Digital is here to make the journey easier! Contact our experts to learn about and implement the guidelines on your digital platforms.