Accessible eLearning: WCAG for the rest of us
Accessibility Resource Library
A curated list of resources valuable in the accessibility journey. Not exhaustive — the field is constantly evolving — but a solid starting point. If you discover a resource that transforms your understanding, pass it on. That’s how we all get better.
Official Standards and Laws
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2
The source document. Dense, technical, and authoritative. Knowing where to find it matters.
How to Meet WCAG (Quick Reference)
The version of WCAG you’ll actually use. Filterable by level and topic. Bookmark this one.
Federal law requiring accessibility in government technology.
Understanding the Human Side
W3C WAI: Accessibility — it’s about people
Perspective videos and user stories showing how real people with disabilities interact with technology. Return to these regularly.
WebAIM Screen Reader User Survey
Data on how screen reader users actually work. Updated periodically. Helps you understand real-world usage patterns.
Professional Development
International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP)
Offers certifications including CPACC and WAS. Start here to formalize your expertise.
Online courses from beginner to advanced. Known for high-quality, thorough instruction.
Search “accessibility” or “WCAG.” Check if your employer provides access — many do.
Testing Tools
NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access)
Free, open-source screen reader for Windows. The tool to use for testing your own work.
Enter two colors, get a pass/fail result for WCAG contrast requirements. Simple and essential.
WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool)
Browser extension that evaluates web pages for accessibility issues. Visual and easy to interpret.
PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker)
Free tool for checking PDF accessibility. More thorough than Acrobat’s built-in checker.
Microsoft Accessibility Checker
Built into Word, PowerPoint: Review → Check Accessibility
Won’t catch everything, but catches the obvious issues. Use it every time.
Books
Designing Accessible Learning Content — Susi Miller (Kogan Page, 2021)
Comprehensive guide to accessibility in eLearning, written for instructional designers. Practical and directly relevant. Highly recommended.
Design for All Learners — Sarah Mercier (ATD Press, 2024)
Accessible and inclusive learning design across modalities. Strong on mindset shift and organizational change. Excellent complement to technical guidance.
Platform-specific resources
Every eLearning authoring tool handles accessibility differently, and most are actively improving. Before assuming your platform can’t do something, check their current documentation. Look for accessibility documentation, roadmaps, release notes, and user communities.
Articulate Rise 360 Accessibility Maturity Plan
An example of platform accessibility documentation. Your preferred platform may have something similar.
Communities
Active community of eLearning developers. Accessibility conversations often apply broadly even if you don’t use Articulate.
Long-running email discussion list for web accessibility. Good for asking questions and learning from experienced practitioners.
Community-driven resource with articles, checklists, and links. Good starting point for exploring the broader accessibility community.
Alt Text Resources
Comprehensive guide with examples across different contexts. Good for edge cases and complex scenarios.
Interactive decision tree for determining what type of alt text to write.
Harvard Digital Accessibility: Alt Text
Practical guidance with academic context. Good examples of complex images.
Accessibility is a moving target. Tools improve. Standards update. Laws evolve. If you find a broken link or outdated information, search for the current version. And if you find something better, use it. This list is a starting point, not a boundary.