Accessible Training for People with Disabilities: A Checklist for Content, Platform, Venue and Assessment

Why does accessibility start before the programme is advertised?

A trainee with a disability does not meet the programme only in the training room. They meet it first on the registration page, then in the pre-session materials, then on the platform or in the venue, and finally in the assessment and certificate. An obstacle at any stage may mean they never reach the next one.

CDC’s quality training standards make usability and accessibility one of their eight standards: plain language, easy navigation, media suited to the audience, and accessible content with accommodations where needed. ^[3] The practical rule is to test the whole journey before advertising, because fixing a platform or booking a sign language interpreter takes time you will not have once the programme has started.

What do the rules say in the UAE and Saudi Arabia?

Rules differ between Gulf countries, and one country’s law should not be presented as GCC-wide.

• UAE: Federal Law No. 29 of 2006 protects the rights of people of determination. Article 12, as presented on the official UAE Government portal, provides for equal educational opportunities, names vocational training, adult education and continuing education, and calls for materials in sign language, Braille or other suitable formats. ^[4]
• Saudi Arabia: the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, published on the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development website, provides for the right of persons with disabilities to education and training on an equal basis with others and to accessibility of the physical environment, information and communications, and defines reasonable accommodations (al-tartibat al-taysiriyya) as necessary and appropriate modifications that do not impose a disproportionate or undue burden and that ensure they enjoy their rights on an equal basis with others. ^[5]
• Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain: check the legislation in force and the competent authority in the country concerned before adopting any policy.

Content and files: start with what can be prepared in advance

WCAG 2.2, published by the W3C, rests on four principles: content should be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. ^[1] It is written for web content, but its principles are just as useful when preparing training files:

• Alt text for every image or graphic that carries information; this is a Level A criterion (1.1.1). ^[1]
• Structured headings in files using heading styles rather than enlarged text, so screen reader users can move between sections.
• Enough contrast and resizable text: Contrast (Minimum) (1.4.3) and Resize Text (1.4.4) are Level AA criteria. ^[1]

Video has its own requirements. The Web Accessibility Initiative explains that captions serve Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, audio description serves blind people and others who cannot see the video adequately, descriptive transcripts are needed by people who are Deaf-blind, and sign language should be provided where the audience needs it. It advises planning for accessibility from the start of video production. ^[2] A video in which the trainer says “as you can see in this chart” without describing it needs re-recording, not just captions.

The e-learning platform and registration

WCAG 2.2 became a W3C Recommendation on 5 October 2023, adding nine success criteria and removing 4.1.1 Parsing. ^[6] Some of the additions bear directly on training platforms, such as alternatives to dragging movements, signing in without a cognitive test, and not asking users to enter the same information twice. ^[6]

For a practical test, try it yourself:

1. Complete the whole registration using only a keyboard, without a mouse.
2. Read the pages with a screen reader and check that every page has a title describing its content (2.4.2, Level A). ^[1]
3. Open the online quiz and check that the time can be extended where needed, since Timing Adjustable is a Level A criterion. ^[1]
4. Upload the assignment and receive the result in the same way.

Live virtual sessions

A live session on a meeting platform has requirements that testing the learning platform does not cover:

• Send the slides and materials before the session, so screen reader or magnifier users can read them at their own pace.
• Turn on live captions if the platform offers them, and check their quality with specialist terminology before relying on them.
• Describe aloud the charts and figures on screen, and do not rely on colour alone to distinguish items.
• Offer at least two ways to take part, such as speaking and typing in the chat, and avoid activities that rely only on dragging or drawing.

Remember that WCAG is designed to be tested with a combination of automated testing and human evaluation; passing an automated tool does not mean a user can complete the task. ^[1]

The venue

Physical accessibility starts before the training room door. Check the route from the car park to the seat:

• Entrance, corridors and lifts, and a seating position with a clear view of the trainer and screen.
• Accessible toilets close to the room.
• Enough light on the trainer’s face for lip-reading, and a suitable position for a sign language interpreter if one is booked.
• An evacuation plan that names who assists trainees with disabilities and their exit route.

If the programme is held at a hotel or an external venue, ask the venue management for these details in writing before booking, and visit the route yourself where possible; a photograph of the main entrance does not show the step at the side door leading to the training room.

Assessment: an accommodation that does not change the skill measured

An assessment accommodation, such as extra time, an alternative format or assistive technology, exists so the trainee can show the same skill the test measures, not to be exempted from it. If the objective is “writes a formal reply to a customer”, the trainee may write it with a screen reader or dictation software, but the marking criteria for the reply stay the same.

Ask in advance: does the assessment platform support the approved accommodations? Can time be extended for one trainee without changing it for everyone? Is the certificate itself available in a format a screen reader can read?

How should individual accommodation requests be handled?

• Ask about the accommodation, not the diagnosis: “What do you need to take part fully?” is enough; there is no need for medical details that serve no purpose.
• Provide a private channel for requests at registration, away from the general form many people can see.
• Agree the arrangement with whoever has authority in the organisation, and record what was decided and who will deliver it.
• Share only what is necessary: the trainer needs to know that a trainee will have extra time, not why.

Hypothetical example: an upload button the screen reader cannot reach

Hypothetical example: in an online programme for a government entity, a blind trainee was able to register and read the files with a screen reader, but the button for uploading the final assignment could not be reached with a keyboard. The training team provided an approved alternative submission route by email, with the time of receipt recorded, so the trainee would not fall behind colleagues. At the same time it raised the issue with the platform provider, then tested the whole route with screen reader users before the next cohort, and added keyboard testing to the checklist before any platform update.

Conclusion

Test the trainee’s whole journey before advertising, prepare content and platforms against WCAG 2.2 using automated and human testing together, and review the venue and assessment accommodations. Handle individual requests through a private channel that asks about needs rather than diagnoses, and check the law in force in your country.