ADA Compliance for Online Course Design

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures equal access for people with disabilities in all areas of life, including online spaces. For online course creators, this means designing content that is accessible to everyone. When Online Learning talsk about "accessible" courses or "accessibility" of course materials, we are referring to meeting federal requirments for ADA compliance.

Why ADA Compliance Matters

Under ADA Title III, websites are considered public accommodations and must be accessible. Courts often refer to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as the standard for compliance. Making your courses accessible not only avoids legal and accreditation issues but also supports an inclusive learning environment for all students.

Benefits of Accessible Design

Accessible courses empower all learners, including those with disabilities. Features like captions and clear structure benefit all users by making content easier to find and easier to take in.  

In cognitive load theory, this equates to reduced extraneous load (the mental effort needed to understand how information is presented) and more capacity available for germane load (the mental effort required to process new information into long-term memory), which results in more successful learning and a better overall learning experience.

Key Accessibility Standards (WCAG)

To meet ADA compliance, courses should follow WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines, which are based on four principles:

1. Perceivable: Ensure content can be understood. Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
   1. Provide text alternatives for any non-text content.
   2. Make it easier for users to see and hear content including separating foreground from background.
2. Operable: Make navigation easy. User interface components and navigation must be operable.
   1. Make all functionality available from a keyboard.
   2. Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are
3. Understandable: Use clear language and predictable design. Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable.
   1. Make text content readable and understandable.
   2. Make Web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.
4. Robust: Ensure compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers. Content must be robust enough that It can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies
   1. Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.

Practical Steps for ADA Compliance

Below are fundamental steps to make your course pages, documents, and materials accessible. Online Learning provides wholly accessible templates for online, hybrid, and even enhanced face-to-face courses for instructors to use in Blackboard. More information for each point below available from any of the Instructional Designers in Online Learning.

• Employ and follow rules for proper structure in all documents
• Ensure proper color contrast (e.g., text contrast ratio of 4.5:1).
• Add captions to audio and video media and include audio descriptions where applicable in videos. Audio descriptions explain visual elements, such as graphs or demonstrations, ensuring all students can follow the material.
• Use alt text for meaningful images.
• When providing PDFs and PPTs and other documents to students, be sure to check for and fix accessibility issues, including tags and reading order.
• When providing MS Word and similar documents to students, be sure to check for and fix accessibility issues, including structure

The Risks of Non-Compliance

Failing to meet ADA standards can lead to lawsuits, harm your reputation, and exclude valuable members of your audience.

Final Thoughts

Creating ADA-compliant courses ensures inclusivity, legal protection, and a better learning experience for everyone. By addressing accessibility, you promote equality and foster a welcoming educational environment.

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