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

Is Your Welcome Video Actually Welcoming?

Picture this: You've carefully crafted an onboarding module for your learners. As soon as they open the course, a welcome video bursts to life with dynamic motion graphics, upbeat music, and clear voiceover narration. You’ve even included pause and stop buttons, making your design technically compliant with WCAG 2.2.2 (Level A). Great job, right?

Not quite.

While your auto-playing video meets the minimum WCAG criteria, providing users the ability to pause, stop, or hide moving content lasting more than five seconds, technical compliance alone doesn't always mean your design is truly inclusive.

Let’s dig deeper.

Why Auto-Play Isn’t Inclusive

Here’s the reality: automatically playing videos can unintentionally create barriers for many learners, even if you've added pause and stop controls. Here are a few reasons why auto-play might not be the most inclusive choice:

• Loss of User Control: Learners should always have control over when and how they engage with content. Auto-play removes this choice, which can be frustrating or overwhelming.
• Interference with Screen Readers: Learners who rely on assistive technology like screen readers might find auto-playing content disruptive. It could drown out important audio cues or announcements from their device.
• Cognitive Overload: Sudden and unexpected media can add unnecessary cognitive load, making it harder for learners, especially those with cognitive disabilities or learning difficulties, to process information effectively.
• Environmental Disruptions: Imagine being in a quiet office or public space when an e-learning module starts loudly playing music. Auto-play can be disruptive, embarrassing, and inconvenient.
• Sensory Sensitivities: Learners sensitive to rapid movements, loud sounds, or sudden changes may experience discomfort or even disorientation from unexpected multimedia elements.

Accessibility Scenarios

Let’s explore how these issues might play out through a brief scenario:

Scenario: A learner opens their company’s onboarding module during a quiet moment in a shared workspace. The sudden music and voiceover from the auto-playing welcome video immediately disrupt those around them. Flustered, they scramble to find the pause button. The unexpected sound catches them off guard and makes it difficult to focus on what’s being said, leaving them feeling overwhelmed and distracted from the learning experience.

By designing your course without enabling autoplay, you can prevent scenarios like this and provide a better experience for everyone.

What WCAG Guidelines Suggest

Two WCAG guidelines apply here:

• WCAG 2.2.2 (Pause, Stop, Hide - Level A): Users must be able to pause, stop, or hide any content that moves, scrolls, blinks, or auto-updates for more than five seconds.
• WCAG 2.3.1 (Three Flashes or Below Threshold - Level A): Your content should not contain anything that flashes more than three times in a one-second period, to avoid triggering seizures or other harmful reactions.

While these guidelines outline baseline accessibility compliance, great design goes beyond minimum standards.

Best Practices for Inclusive Video Content

Instead of auto-play, follow these practical tips:

• Set videos to select-to-play, giving learners complete control over playback.
• Use video players with clearly marked pause, stop, and volume controls.
• Always include captions and transcripts to support diverse learners, including those with hearing impairments or who may prefer reading to listening.

Resources to Help You Dive Deeper

• WCAG 2.2 Quick Reference Guide (opens in a new tab)
• Understanding SC 2.2.2: Pause, Stop, Hide (opens in a new tab)
• Understanding SC 2.3.1: Three Flashes or Below Threshold (opens in a new tab)

Ready to Design with Accessibility in Mind?

If you're looking to dive deeper into topics like WCAG 2.2.2, 2.3.1, while learning how to audit and improve your own digital learning content, join my course:
Making Online Content Accessible for All. We learn together in a cohort, apply accessibility standards, and create better experiences for every learner.