The true cost of accessibility in eLearning
Accessibility matters big time. It's not just about avoiding fines or lawsuits; it's about inclusion and opening doors for everyone.
At the 2024 Learning Technologies Conference and Exhibition, Gemma Nunn, our accessibility expert, delivered a thought-provoking talk on the true cost of accessibility. Her presentation focused not only on the financial implications but also on the human impact.
In this blog post, we'll break down the seminar, highlighting the key points and valuable insights that Gemma shared.
“You can’t play with us!”
Gemma began the seminar with a simple yet powerful phrase:
"You can't play with us".
How often did you hear this phrase in the playground as a child?
Gemma challenged the audience to think back to a time when they felt excluded. How did it make you feel? Sad, depressed, angry, frustrated, rejected, unwanted, isolated - a lot of negative emotions that fundamentally make us feel that we don't fit in.
Believe it or not, we do this every time we neglect to consider the needs of disabled learners when we design digital learning content. We unintentionally make people feel left out and unwanted. We deny them access to resources many of us take for granted - services, entertainment, education. We're telling them, "You can't play with us."
Gemma stressed that accessibility deserves more attention and that its lack of discussion may be due to a lack of understanding surrounding the topic.
The business cost of accessibility
During the discussion on the business side of accessibility, Gemma dropped a statistic that made us sit up straight: "There are over 16.1 million people in the UK who have reported disabilities". Together, they’re holding an annual spending power worth £25 billion.
Neglecting accessibility is not only a missed opportunity to tap into the spending power of disabled consumers, but also restricts their options by not embracing inclusive design.
Rather than viewing it as a negative, we should see it as a creative challenge.
Gemma stressed the importance of baking accessibility into the design process right from the start. At Mint, we include accessibility in our design briefs for every project to ensure that we create content that is inclusive and accessible for everyone.
The legal cost of accessibility
Ensuring your content is accessible involves complying with specific regulations, including the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Bodies (Website and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
The pandemic highlighted the importance of digital accessibility, with a surge in lawsuits targeting inaccessible websites and digital content. Gemma shared real-life examples of companies facing repercussions for overlooking accessibility, emphasising that sometimes legal action is the wake-up call needed.
European Accessibility Act 2025
Looking ahead, Gemma touched on the upcoming European Accessibility Act 2025 coming into place in June 2025. Its objective is to establish a uniform set of regulations and guidelines to ensure that products are accessible to all.
Gemma pointed out just how important this new law is, especially now that the UK has bid farewell to the EU. Adhering to these regulations is crucial, particularly for businesses looking to engage with EU-based organisations.
It's essential to monitor the legislation closely and ensure that your learning and development (L&D) departments take the necessary measures to comply with it.
So, what is the true cost of accessibility?
As L&D professionals, we need to acknowledge the importance of accessibility in our work. By doing this, we can steer clear of four significant pitfalls:
Exclusion of an entire audience of learners
Financial penalties for non-compliance
Loss of potential business
The expense of retrofitting for accessibility
Taking action
So, what's the bottom line? Accessibility matters big time. It's not just about avoiding fines or lawsuits; it's about inclusion and opening doors for everyone.
Gemma shared four essential tips to minimise the cost of accessibility:
1. Learn about your audience and recognise exclusion.
Understand your audience and identify which learners you are excluding. Learn about your learners' learning needs and requirements.
2. Implement at the start of the project, not at the end.
Incorporating accessibility features from the start of your project can save you time and money in the long run. You'll avoid the headache of having to retrofit your content later on.
3. Adhere to WCAG.
Follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to identify areas in your work that needs improvement to make it accessible. While this may seem like a technical task, there are many online resources and experts, like Mint, who can help.
4. Regularly check your digital content.
Accessibility is not a one-stop shop. Check your courses at least once a year to ensure they are still accessible, as browsers, technology, and screen readers constantly evolve.
One last thing…
If you're feeling overwhelmed or don't have the resources to handle accessibility in-house, don't worry! There are many experts out there (like us!) who can help you out. We offer an accessibility auditing service where we dive deep into your content, meticulously reviewing it to identify and rectify potential accessibility barriers. You can learn more here.