Accessibility: Online language training despite visual impairment
What standards must an eLearning platform fulfil so that people with a visual impairment can also use it effectively? The example of a learner shows typical hurdles and practical solutions for accessible eLearning.
Martina is now also responsible for personnel development at the European subsidiaries of a pharmaceutical company. She would like to improve her English skills for this new role. As she suffers from a severe visual impairment, she navigates through a language learning platform with the help of screen readers and keyboard commands. However, her first experiences are anything but smooth. On many pages the content is unstructured, images are missing, alternative descriptions and important functions are only accessible using the mouse. Martina is frustrated, because without the right navigation, language learning becomes a challenge.
Key criteria for accessible eLearning
The accessibility of a website or eLearning platform is extremely important for blind users. According to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which are the international standard for the design of accessible web content, websites must provide clear structures and descriptions that can also be interpreted by assistive technologies such as screen readers. Martina, for example, needs a well-structured navigation bar that allows her to quickly switch between the different learning modules. All images also need to be labelled with so-called ‘alt tags’, which provide a textual description of the image, as Martina can only hear the text.
The interactive elements of the website are also particularly important. Forms, buttons or input fields must be correctly labelled and instructed so that Martina can interact with the site without any problems. An eLearning platform that fulfils these basic standards enables her to learn the language in a way that is just as effective for her as it is for sighted learners. However, it is not only the technical standards that are crucial, but also the design of the content. Martina needs to be able to navigate through the content with her assistive technologies without encountering barriers.
In June 2025, the German Accessibility Reinforcement Act (BFSG) will come into force, further strengthening the accessibility requirements for websites and mobile applications in Germany. The law will help more companies and institutions to align their digital offerings with the needs of people with disabilities and enable barrier-free access to products and services. This is an important step towards a more inclusive society in which people with disabilities can participate on an equal footing.
With LinguaTV, Martina has finally found a language learning platform that fulfils her requirements. With a well-structured, accessible website that is optimised for her screen reader, she can now learn English with ease and would also like to try out the Spanish courses in the near future. By improving digital accessibility, people like Martina can achieve their educational goals and learn a new language without encountering barriers.
Do you have further questions?
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