Design with Accessibility in Mind

Welcome to Design with Accessibility in Mind, a blog focused on making online and e-Learning content accessible, inclusive, and meaningful. Whether you’re building a course in Brightspace or creating custom modules in Articulate Storyline or Rise, this space offers clear, practical guidance grounded in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). You’ll find actionable tips, real-world examples, and tools to help you design digital learning experiences that work for everyone.

A workspace with a laptop and sticky notes labeled "Accessible," "Equity," and "Design," representing inclusive digital learning design.
5
min read

Why WCAG Matters: A Practical Guide to Accessible eLearning Design

Learn how four essential WCAG criteria can help you create accessible eLearning in tools like Articulate Storyline, Rise, and Brightspace.

Combined logo of L'Etoile Education and Growth for All. The text 'LEtoile Education' is centered at the top with a circular border and star accents. Below, the 'Growth for ALL' logo features leaves sprouting from the word 'Growth,' flanked by trees. Silhouettes of diverse people appear beside a tree, and raised hands of different colors appear beside another tree.
1
min read

Hands-On with NVDA

3-day NVDA workshop for instructional designers. Learn to test, audit, and design accessible learning. Nov 3–5, 2025. Register now.

illustration of a computer monitor with a webpage, a keyboard, and a mouse on a blue background.
5
min read

How Disability Models Shape Course Design and Accessibility

Understanding disability models helps instructional designers create inclusive, accessible learning environments that work for all learner.

illustration showing key elements of accessible virtual learning: a person on a computer screen wearing a headset, a countdown timer set to five minutes, a group of three participants, and an easel with presentation symbols.
5
min read

Does WCAG Apply to Live Training Sessions?

Explore how WCAG applies to live virtual sessions, including breakout rooms, timing, and best practices for inclusive, accessible online training.

Illustration of a woman calmly walking from a dark shadowed area into warm sunlight. Behind her is a tangled black scribble symbolizing inner turmoil, while in front of her are soft, colorful cloud-like shapes representing clarity or hope. She wears a light dress and a blue-gray cardigan, with a peaceful, reflective expression. The setting is minimal, focusing on the emotional transition from darkness to light.
3
min read

When Accessibility Work Becomes Personal

How working in accessibility helped me understand my own hidden disabilities, and why true inclusion starts with being seen, heard, and valued.

Text on image reads: "Why ADA Title II Requires Accessible LMS Content". To the right of the text is a cream circle containing a simplified accessibility icon: a human figure with a raised hand and a rectangular symbol representing digital content.
5
min read

Why ADA Title II Requires Accessible LMS Content: A Roadmap to Accessibility

Digital learning content must meet WCAG 2.1 AA to comply with new ADA Title II rule by 2026 and 2027.

A worried woman sits at a desk with a laptop, surrounded by icons representing flashy content elements like autoplay videos, pop-ups, drag-and-drop interactions, and carousels. The header reads: “The Hidden Cost of Flashy Content: When ‘Engaging’ Design Hurts Learners.” The visual highlights the cognitive overload caused by overly complex or inaccessible eLearning design.
5
min read

The Hidden Cost of Flashy: When ‘Engaging’ Design Hurts Learners

Flashy eLearning design can backfire. Learn how accessible instructional design aligned with WCAG boosts learning performance—not just clicks.

2D digital illustration of a computer screen displaying multimedia content, surrounded by three circular icons: an ear symbolizing auditory access, a person symbol representing universal accessibility, and a pair of glasses indicating visual support.
6
min read

Designing for Access: How WCAG and UDL Work Together

Combining WCAG 2.2 and UDL creates inclusive, accessible online learning experiences that support all learners from the start.

Logo for the "Summer of Access Webinar Series" from the Accessibility L&D Community. The design features bold blue text, a bright yellow sun graphic on a light blue background, and a small white cloud.
5
min read

Summer of Access Webinar Series: Design with Accessibility in Mind

Join the Summer of Access Webinar Series—a free event running June through August for educators, instructional designers, and L&D professionals.

office setting, deskop with text on the screen accessible, equity, design
5
min read

Why I Don’t Use Packaged Authoring Tools

Why I Don’t Use Packaged Authoring Tools (And Why You Might Want to Rethink Them Too): build natively in the LMS for accessible, flexible learning.

A woman types on a laptop in front of a large desktop screen displaying text and images. Speech bubbles with icons for communication and accessibility appear nearby.
5
min read

Modeling Accessibility in Professional Learning: A Course That Walks the Talk

This course doesn’t just teach accessibility. It models it. Learn how accessible PD leads to real impact and lasting change.

A hand-drawn black-and-white illustration shows a person sitting at a desk, watching an auto-playing e-learning video on a desktop computer. The individual appears surprised or overwhelmed, with one hand covering their ear. The computer screen displays a play icon and the words "AUTO-PLAYING E-LEARNING." A keyboard, open book, and small potted plant are also visible on the desk.
3
min read

Inclusive Design in E-Learning: Why Auto-Play Isn’t the Best Choice

Auto-playing videos meet WCAG but aren't truly inclusive. Discover why user control matters and how to improve accessibility in e-learning courses.

A modern, well-lit desk setup with a computer screen displaying the words 'accessible,' 'equity,' and 'design. A vase of yellow tulips sits on the left side of the desk, and a lit desk lamp, notebook, and office supplies are arranged neatly on the right.
3
min read

Is Your E-Learning Tool Accessible? Here’s How to Find Out

Is your e-Learning course accessible? Learn how to go beyond the VPAT, test like a user, and fix real issues with WCAG-based audits.

Designing for Everyone: A Step-by-Step WCAG 2.2 Guide for Online Accessibility" displayed on a dark blue background. Below the title, four cream-colored icons visually represent web accessibility concepts, including a checklist, multimedia content, keyboard navigation, and visual magnification. The layout is clean and modern, emphasizing clarity and inclusivity.
5
min read

A Roadmap to WCAG 2.2 for Instructional Designers

A practical WCAG 2.2 guide for e-Learning pros to design accessible, inclusive courses using POUR, key criteria, testing, and sustainable workflows.

A woman giving a presentation at a podium, speaking to an audience. She points to a screen showing an upward arrow and browser window, with an accessibility symbol displayed behind her.
3
min read

Becoming an Accessibility Champion in L&D: Leading the Shift Forward

Learn how L&D professionals can lead organizational change by embedding accessibility into e-Learning design from the start.

Ready to take the next step?

Get in Touch

Contact us to request a personalized consultation today!

Email
nletoile@letoile-education.com
Location
Saunderstown, Rhode Island

All form fields are required and must be completed with valid entries before the form can be submitted.

By contacting us, you are confirming that you agree with our Terms & Privacy policies.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.