Accessibility Resources

🌱 Improving Accessibility: A Peer Review of 'Orchards and Vineyards'

In today’s rapidly evolving digital classrooms, accelerated by the pivot to online and hybrid learning models, designing truly accessible online content has transcended mere courtesy to become a foundational necessity. This imperative extends beyond ethical considerations, aligning with legal mandates like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the growing emphasis on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. The core of this necessity lies in ensuring that all learning materials can be seamlessly accessed, effectively navigated, and fully understood by every student, irrespective of their unique learning styles, technological capabilities, or potential disabilities. This encompasses a wide spectrum of needs, from visual and auditory impairments to cognitive differences and motor disabilities. True educational equity hinges on providing an inclusive learning environment where no student is inadvertently excluded due to design flaws, where screen readers can interpret images, videos offer accurate captions, and navigation is intuitive for everyone.

As a pragmatic application of these critical principles, this peer evaluation assignment tasked me with conducting a comprehensive accessibility review of a simulated online learning object. Dubbed “Orchards and Vineyards,” this object, which encompasses a blend of text, images, interactive elements, and embedded multimedia, served as a practical case study. My primary objective was twofold: firstly, to systematically identify common accessibility barriers that might impede learning for diverse student populations, such as missing alternative text for images, insufficient color contrast, lack of captioning for audio/visual content, illogical heading structures, or non-keyboard navigable components. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, my goal was to then meticulously revise the document. This revision process was rigorously guided by evidence-based best practices, primarily drawing from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standards and established Universal Design for Learning (UDL) frameworks, ensuring the implemented changes were not only compliant but also genuinely enhanced the learning experience for all.

🔎Accessibility Barriers Identified

The original document contained numerous accessibility issues that could hinder learners who rely on assistive technologies. According to the WebAIM framework, content must be Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust—commonly referred to as the POUR principles (WebAIM, 2024). Violations of these principles included missing semantic headings, lack of alt text, inaccessible links, and inconsistent formatting.

• Headings were not tagged using Microsoft Word styles (Heading 1, Heading 2), preventing screen reader users from navigating effectively.

• Images were missing alt text, leaving learners with vision impairments unable to access visual information.

• Raw URLs were used instead of descriptive hyperlinks, creating a tedious experience for screen reader users.

• Caption text was misused, with “Caption: Orchard” and “Caption: Grapes” written as plain text.

• Font sizes and styles lacked consistency, impacting readability.

• Color contrast concerns were also considered, though this document had acceptable contrast.

✏️Revisions and Best Practices Applied

Using Microsoft Word’s Track Changes, I corrected six of the most prominent accessibility issues. Each change was marked with a highlighted note for clarity:

• Applied proper heading styles: The title and section headings were structured using Heading 1 and Heading 2 styles.

• Added alt text guidance: Notes were added for both images to suggest meaningful alternative text descriptions.

• Replaced raw URLs: A descriptive hyperlink was added for clarity and usability.

• Eliminated redundant captions: Plain text captions were noted for removal or reformatting.

• Standardized formatting: Font size and styles were made consistent across the document.

These changes align with the guidelines from WebAIM (2024) and CAST’s Universal Design for Learning (CAST, 2018).

🧰 Accessibility Tools I Recommend

1. Microsoft Word Accessibility Checker – Detects document formatting and structural issues.

2. WebAIM.org Checklists – Provides detailed instructions on accessible document design.

3. CAST UDL Guidelines – Offers strategies for inclusive content representation and engagement.

🖼️ Before and After Screenshots

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👩🏽‍💻 Conclusion

Improving accessibility doesn’t require large-scale redesigns. It begins with awareness, intentional formatting, and the use of reliable tools. When educators and designers prioritize accessibility, we make content more inclusive and empowering for all learners.

📚 References

CAST. (2018). Universal design for learning guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.orgWebAIM. (2024). Introduction to web accessibility. https://webaim.org/intro/