eLearning Accessibility: Simple Fixes with Big Impact
- LMSPortals
- Apr 17, 2025
- 5 min read
eLearning has become a staple in education, training, and professional development. But accessibility—making sure content is usable for everyone, including people with disabilities—is still an afterthought in many programs. That’s a problem.
The good news? You don’t need to overhaul your entire system to make a difference. In fact, a few simple, strategic changes can dramatically improve the experience for all learners.
This article walks through some of the most impactful, low-effort fixes you can make to your eLearning content—whether you're designing courses, managing a platform, or just uploading materials.
Why Accessibility Matters
Let’s start with the basics. Accessibility in eLearning isn’t just about compliance—it’s about fairness, inclusion, and effectiveness. Roughly 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. lives with a disability, according to the CDC. That includes vision impairments, hearing loss, mobility issues, learning disabilities, and cognitive differences.
If your content isn't accessible, you’re shutting the door on millions of learners.
And here’s the kicker: accessibility improvements don’t just help people with disabilities. They improve usability for everyone. Think captions in a noisy room, or screen readers for multitasking. When you build for the margins, everyone benefits.
Simple Fix 1: Add Alt Text to Images
What it is: Alt text (alternative text) is a short description of an image that screen readers read aloud.
Why it matters: Without alt text, visually impaired users miss out on important information. Even decorative images should be tagged as such so screen readers know to skip them.
How to do it right:
Be concise but descriptive. “Chart showing sales increase from Q1 to Q4” is better than “chart.”
Don’t start with “Image of…” Screen readers already say “image.”
If the image is purely decorative, mark it as null (alt="").
Tools that help:
Microsoft Word and PowerPoint have built-in alt text features.
LMS platforms like Moodle, Canvas, and Blackboard support alt text on uploads.
Simple Fix 2: Use High Color Contrast
What it is: Color contrast refers to the difference in brightness between text and background colors.
Why it matters: Poor contrast makes content hard to read, especially for users with low vision or color blindness.
How to do it right:
Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text.
Don’t rely on color alone to convey meaning—use labels, icons, or text as well.
Quick test: Black text on a white background passes. Light gray text on a pastel background? Probably not.
Tools that help:
WebAIM Contrast Checker (free, simple)
Chrome extension: “Color Contrast Analyzer”
Simple Fix 3: Caption All Videos
What it is: Captions are text versions of spoken dialogue and important sounds in videos.
Why it matters: Deaf and hard-of-hearing users rely on captions to access content. So do non-native speakers, multitaskers, and people in quiet (or loud) environments.
How to do it right:
Use accurate, synchronized captions.
Auto-captions are a start, but always review and correct errors.
Include descriptions of meaningful sounds (e.g., [laughter], [door slams]).
Tools that help:
Simple Fix 4: Structure with Headings
What it is: Headings organize content into logical sections (like chapters in a book).
Why it matters: Screen reader users rely on headings to navigate pages. Without them, content becomes a frustrating wall of text.
How to do it right:
Use built-in heading styles (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2) instead of just bolding text.
Follow a hierarchy (H1 for title, H2 for sections, H3 for subsections).
Avoid skipping levels (e.g., going from H1 to H4).
Bonus: Good heading structure also boosts SEO and readability for all users.
Simple Fix 5: Make Links Descriptive
What it is: Descriptive links explain where the link goes or what it does.
Why it matters: Screen readers often read a list of all links on a page. “Click here” or “Read more” doesn’t tell the user anything useful.
How to do it right:
Use phrases like “Download the course syllabus (PDF)” instead of “Click here.”
Include the file type if linking to a document.
Avoid using full URLs as link text.
Simple Fix 6: Ensure Keyboard Navigation
What it is: Keyboard navigation lets users move through content using only the keyboard—no mouse required.
Why it matters: Some users can’t use a mouse due to mobility impairments. If your course relies only on mouse interactions, they’re stuck.
How to do it right:
Make sure all buttons, menus, and forms can be accessed via Tab, Enter, and arrow keys.
Use visible focus indicators (like outlines) to show where the user is on the page.
Avoid using hover-only features with no keyboard alternative.
Test it: Try navigating your course with just the Tab key. Can you get everywhere?
Simple Fix 7: Write in Plain Language
What it is: Clear, straightforward writing that’s easy to understand.
Why it matters: Complicated jargon, dense sentences, and academic tone can be a barrier for many learners—especially those with cognitive or reading disabilities.
How to do it right:
Use short sentences and paragraphs.
Define unfamiliar terms or acronyms.
Stick to active voice and common words when possible.
Bonus: Everyone appreciates clarity, especially in online learning where attention spans are short.
Simple Fix 8: Use Accessible Fonts and Text Size
What it is: Fonts and text sizes that are legible and readable across devices.
Why it matters: Fancy fonts and tiny text may look nice but can make reading harder, especially for users with dyslexia or vision impairments.
How to do it right:
Stick to sans-serif fonts like Arial, Verdana, or Calibri.
Use a minimum font size of 12pt for body text.
Avoid ALL CAPS and underlining (except for links).
Bonus tip: Line spacing and sufficient white space help too.
Simple Fix 9: Use Accessibility Checkers
What it is: Tools that automatically scan your content for common accessibility issues.
Why it matters: You can’t fix what you don’t know is broken. Accessibility checkers give you a heads-up.
How to do it right:
Use built-in checkers in Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat.
Install browser extensions like WAVE or Axe.
If you're using an LMS, check if it has built-in tools (like Ally in Blackboard).
Simple Fix 10: Provide Multiple Formats
What it is: Offering content in more than one format—text, audio, video, etc.
Why it matters: Different learners have different needs. Some prefer to read, some to listen, some to watch. Providing options supports everyone.
How to do it right:
Include transcripts for videos and podcasts.
Offer downloadable PDFs of slides or notes.
Use visuals and descriptions to explain concepts.
It’s not about more work. It’s about smarter design.
The Bottom Line: Start Somewhere
Accessibility can feel overwhelming if you try to tackle everything at once. But you don’t have to.
Start with the low-hanging fruit—alt text, headings, captions. Build the habit. Then expand. The return on investment is huge: more learners, better engagement, and a more inclusive experience.
And don’t wait until someone complains. Make accessibility part of your workflow, not an afterthought.
Final Thought
Accessible eLearning isn’t about doing more work—it’s about doing smarter, more inclusive work. These simple fixes don’t require a design degree or a massive budget.
They just take a bit of awareness and care.
If you’re creating learning experiences, you have the power to open doors—or close them. Choose to open them.
About LMS Portals
At LMS Portals, we provide our clients and partners with a mobile-responsive, SaaS-based, multi-tenant learning management system that allows you to launch a dedicated training environment (a portal) for each of your unique audiences.
The system includes built-in, SCORM-compliant rapid course development software that provides a drag and drop engine to enable most anyone to build engaging courses quickly and easily.
We also offer a complete library of ready-made courses, covering most every aspect of corporate training and employee development.
If you choose to, you can create Learning Paths to deliver courses in a logical progression and add structure to your training program. The system also supports Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) and provides tools for social learning.
Together, these features make LMS Portals the ideal SaaS-based eLearning platform for our clients and our Reseller partners.
Contact us today to get started or visit our Partner Program pages
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