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Industry · Education and e-learning

Learning without barriers, from sign-up to submission

A video without captions, a quiz with a fixed timer, a matching task that only works by dragging: on learning platforms, small details decide who keeps up. We test course booking and the learning environment with keyboard, zoom and screen reader.

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Which rules apply to education providers

Education is not a category of its own in the European Accessibility Act. Which rules apply depends on who you are and how you offer your courses.

  • Public institutions such as public universities are public sector bodies under Directive (EU) 2016/2102 and their national rules. That Directive lets member states exclude the websites of schools, kindergartens and nurseries, except content relating to essential online administrative functions. Whether your country does so is set out in national law.
  • Private providers that sell courses online to consumers provide an e-commerce service when they do so: on the wording of the EAA, booking, payment and concluding the contract are covered. Whether the learning platform used after the purchase is covered as well is not stated expressly. Ask a lawyer.
  • Learning platforms for companies and their staff do not rest on a consumer contract. Here, the question usually comes from buyers in public tenders.

Two questions, one answer

Does the EAA apply to you?

Your industry is already selected. Answer two questions and the EAA check shows an assessment, the reasons and next steps. You can change every answer there.

Who are your customers?
How big is your company?

A first orientation, not legal advice. Nothing is stored.

Where learners get stuck

Videos and lectures

Recordings without captions, live lectures without a transcript, players that do not work with a keyboard.

Quizzes and tests

Time limits without extension, questions that only work through colour or images, error messages without guidance.

Interactive exercises

Drag-to-match, fill-in-the-gap and clickable hotspots on images: often only solvable with a mouse or finger.

Handouts and slides

Material as scanned PDFs or slide decks without structure, formulas as images without a description.

Course booking and sign-in

Course calendars, instalment payments and log-ins across several systems, with time limits and picture puzzles.

Forums and submissions

Text editors with an inaccessible toolbar, file uploads without feedback, grades nobody gets announced.

The criteria that matter for learning

  • 1.2.2Captions (Prerecorded)

    Recorded videos with sound need captions, including lectures uploaded after the event.

  • 2.2.1Timing Adjustable

    Time limits on quizzes and tests must be adjustable, extendable or possible to switch off. Exceptions apply only where the time limit is essential.

  • 2.5.7Dragging Movements

    New in WCAG 2.2: drag-to-match tasks need a simple click or tap alternative.

  • 1.1.1Non-text Content

    Figures, charts and formulas shown as images need a fitting text alternative.

  • 3.3.2Labels or Instructions

    Answer fields in quizzes and forms need visible labels and clear instructions.

  • 2.1.1Keyboard

    Player, editor, exercises and platform navigation must all work without a mouse.

How we test your learning journeys

  1. Clarify your role

    Public body, private course provider or platform for companies: this decides which kind of proof helps you.

  2. Agree the journeys

    Find and book a course, sign in, complete a lesson with video and exercise, hand in an assignment. With a test account from you.

  3. Test

    Scan of the public pages, then a reviewer walks the learning journeys with keyboard and screen reader. Handouts in PDF are included when they belong to the journey.

  4. Report and certificate

    Every finding with location and criterion. Useful in tenders and in conversations with your platform supplier.

Proof for public tenders

Public buyers can require accessibility to EN 301 549 when they procure learning platforms. The web chapter of version V3.2.1, the version cited in the Official Journal, is based on WCAG 2.1 AA. We test against WCAG 2.2 AA, which builds on 2.1 and adds new criteria. More in our guide to public tenders.

If you are a public body yourself, the accessibility statement and feedback mechanism are covered on public sector.

Frequently asked questions

We are a university. Does your certificate help with our legal duties?

Our certificate is a private mark, not a decision by an authority. It documents that a person reviewed all 55 WCAG 2.2 AA criteria for the agreed scope. That is a solid basis for the accessibility statement you publish yourself.

Our learning platform is an off-the-shelf system. What can we change ourselves?

Often more than you think: theme, settings, plug-ins and above all the content. We sort every finding so you see what you can fix yourself and what to report to the vendor.

Do you test interactive content such as quiz components?

Yes, as long as they run in a browser and belong to the agreed learning journey. Each type of component is tested on examples, not every single exercise.

Do we need captions on every video?

For recorded video with sound, WCAG requires captions (1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded)). Our guide to captions and audio description shows how to get there.

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