Accessibility Statement for Learning Pool Ready-made Libraries

As the provider of the Learning Pool ‘Ready-made’ Libraries, we are committed to providing elearning courses that are accessible to the widest possible audience

We want everyone who uses the Learning Pool Libraries to find the experience rewarding. In support of this vision, we strive to make them as accessible as possible to users, whatever their level of ability. Our goal for the ‘Ready-made’ Libraries is to meet the AA standards of the WCAG 2.1 Guidelines

According to the WCAG guidelines, there are four fundamental principles of accessible web content: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable and Robust. Each of these principles has criteria aligned to achieving the AA level of standards

When we apply the P O U R principles to our elearning content, we are considering how we can benefit the learner’s interaction and engagement with the content. Below, is how each of the WCAG principles is required to be applied to elearning development:

 

Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.

This means that learners must be able to access all the information that is presented to them regardless of their accessibility requirements. The criteria set out by WCAG guidelines is as follows: Text Alternatives, Time-based media and Adaptable, Distinguishable.

We’ve made certain the update to our ‘ready-made’ Library of courses meet the AA Level of standards by:

• Providing transcripts for all audio content where the text is not in the body of the course
• The content is adaptable through design features available in the Adapt Builder and design is responsive and easily followed through a recommended screen orientation
• The use of significant colour contrast to distinguish background, foreground and text
• Fully descriptive Alt text is available to serve an equivalent purpose where required
• The responsive nature of the Adapt Builder allows learners to Zoom while still viewing all of the content on the screen and working in conjunction with the Alt text functionality where zoom is not required
• Ensuring all content is designed with an easily recognisable Font and text size to ensure the learner has an optimal learning experience
• Implementation of a learning difficulties filter which allows the learner to change the filter over the screen, easing their symptoms and increasing their ability to understand.

 

Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable.

Learners need to be able to complete and carry out the actions required in each course. Within the WCAG criteria, it is required to ensure that the content meets the defined as Keyboard Accessibility, Enough Time, Seizures and Physical Reactions, Navigable, Input Modalities.

The update of our ‘Ready-Made’ Library of courses ensured that we address the criteria to the AA Level of Standards by:

• Designing content in a logical order of learning and enabling the learner to easily follow the path of the course
• Providing clear instructional text throughout the course
• Avoiding time-limiting challenges and use of learner controlled pause and play functionality
• Making the content navigable through the design of the course and an ability to locate course pages in multiple ways
• Ensuring that all elearning is correctly and effectively labelled with a clear focus on all content.

 

Understandable: Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable.

This means that learners should be able to easily read and understand the information within a user interface that they are presented with. This criterion is defined by WCAG as Readable, Predictable and Input Assistance.

We’ve updated our Content making it easy to read and understand. We’ve aimed to ensure that our content:

• Utilises easy to use language
• Screen Reader compliant punctuation
• Easily navigable layouts throughout the elearning process that have a focus on the learner’s journey

 

Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.

This criterion is defined by WCAG as Parsing, Name, Role & Value and Status Messages.

For our review on ‘Robust’, our dependable QA Team reviews all courses to ensure they’re robust for learners’ needs. The Adapt authoring tool has undertaken a v5 Update which removes the need for the user to manually enable accessibility features. We’ve ensured to the best of our ability that an option for users who use assisted software such as screen readers to access the content is available.

 

Accessing Our Updated Content

Over the following weeks, we’re releasing updates to all of our Library content in batches. It would be recommended to avoid copying a module until the batch containing that module has been released. This is to avoid the risk of the updated version overriding the information from the original module.

 

Let us know what you think

If you continue to enjoy using the Learning Pool ‘ready-made’ libraries, or if you had trouble with any part of it, please get in touch. We’d like to hear from you in any of the following ways:

email us at [email protected]
call us on +44 345 074 4114
get in touch at learningpool.com
Enforcement Procedure:
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

 

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 08/10/2020 when it was first published.