Accessibility Audit: A Step-by-Step Guide for Educational Publishing

Web accessibility is not a choice but a necessity for both public and private organizations. Harvard University learned this the hard way. In recent news, the National Association of the Deaf filed a lawsuit against MIT and Harvard for failure to caption online courses, violating U.S. accessibility laws.

The lawsuits were settled, with Harvard paying $1.575 million in legal fees, underscoring the high accessibility audit cost of non-compliance. Hence, with growing lawsuits and regulations, the financial risk of non-compliance is a gamble no organization should take.

 

What is an accessibility audit?

An accessibility audit helps identify and fix issues that make your digital content hard to use for users with disabilities. An audit will check your digital assets’ compliance against standards like WCAG, suggesting areas for improvement.

Specifically for educational publishing, a WCAG accessibility audit can strengthen your content reach. Sure, an online audit accessibility checker can help you spot surface-level accessibility challenges, but a comprehensive audit of your digital materials and apps will prepare you better for compliance. All of this might sound overwhelming, especially if you’ve never conducted an accessibility audit before. This guide is designed to prepare you for an audit in a step-by-step process.

 

How to Conduct an Accessibility Audit for Educational Publishing

1. Define Clear Objectives for the Accessibility Audit with a Future Focus

The first step is to think beyond immediate accessibility issues. Ask any publisher, and they’ll confirm that accessibility is never a one-and-done. Once you’ve onboarded a professional accessibility audit team, try to build a process that adapts as your digital presence grows. Your auditor will sift through your asset libraries, online apps, and any digital materials. Be mindful to include interactive elements and multimedia assets too.

2. Prepare to Make Your AI Tools Accessible

As AI becomes more involved in content creation—like adaptive learning tools or gamified assessments— consider how these technologies affect auditing accessibility. AI tools should include features like alt-text and captions for users with disabilities. It’s also important to check AI systems for biases and auditing accessibility issues, as tools like text-to-speech and auto-generated captions don’t always work well, especially in areas like STEM. If not designed carefully, AI can unintentionally create barriers.

3. Move from WCAG 2.1 to 2.2

Be ready for the shift from WCAG 2.1 to the 2.2 guidelines. These new guidelines are designed for cognitive disabilities, which will impact how your digital content is structured.

4. Tools and Methodologies for Accessibility Auditing

When it comes to auditing accessibility, advanced AI tools like Axe-Core and WAVE are great for identifying basic errors, but they can’t replace human expertise. We see this happen a lot with complex content like immersive systems. These tools can spot simple issues but miss deeper ones, such as usability for people with cognitive disabilities.

While voice recognition and natural language processing (NLP) can transform your edtech product, they could hinder accessibility. For instance, search tools may not work well for users with speech impairments. They may also fail those relying on screen readers. These are areas that require deeper audits.

Another area that often gets overlooked is mobile learning. Be sure to audit mobile content for responsiveness and compatibility with screen readers for multiple device compatibility.

5.  Identifying Accessibility Barriers in Emerging Digital Tools

Traditionally, audits were focused on static content like PDFs and websites. Now, dynamic and interactive content, such as simulations, virtual labs, and gamified learning, brings new concerns. These interactions struggle to work well with assistive technology.

As 3D learning environments and VR/AR-based education become commonplace, there’s a growing gap in how they interact with assistive tools. Publishers should start including these platforms in their audits.

6. Adopt a Good Accessibility Strategy

Instead of just applying quick fixes, make accessibility a core part of your digital ecosystem. Your accessibility audit vendor needs to evaluate how your next-gen systems deliver personalized learning. They must also ensure consistent accommodations, such as text-to-speech and cognitive support tools, across different methods.

For complex multimedia content like interactive videos and animations, remediation now calls for advanced strategies. These include auto-generated captions, sign language avatars, and customizable user interfaces that address diverse accessibility needs.

7. Scaling Accessibility Audit with Advanced Tools and Teamwork

As digital learning platforms grow more advanced, auditing accessibility needs to be part of the entire content creation process. This requires collaboration across teams—technology developers, UX/UI designers, and content strategists.

Automated testing tools like accessibility audit tools are great for catching surface-level issues. But, they can’t replace the value of human user testing, which captures real-world scenarios and user needs.

8.  Ensuring Accessibility as a Competitive Advantage

By using data and analytics to track how accessible your content is over time, and by documenting findings in a clear accessibility audit report, you can identify areas for improvement and see the benefits firsthand.

Publishers who take a data-driven approach to auditing accessibility report higher engagement from students with disabilities. Beyond performance, auditing accessibility enhances your brand’s reputation.

Auditing accessibility goes beyond a one-time effort. It’s an ongoing responsibility that should be embedded in every publisher’s content strategy.

Magic EdTech is committed to helping organizations create inclusive digital learning experiences through expert accessibility solutions. Our team of CPACC and CPWA-certified professionals offers comprehensive web accessibility audit services, ADA compliance audits, design consulting, and remediation services tailored to educational platforms. To get a consultation on your accessibility challenges, get in touch with us.