Digital Accessibility Checklist for Course Creators

Part of the Accessible Online Course Design Toolkit

This checklist is part of the Universal Design for Modern Course Creators Toolkit, a practical collection of resources designed to help you build learning experiences that are inclusive, effective, and accessible by design. It is intended for course creators, instructional designers, and educators working in digital spaces.

It complements the WAVE Accessibility Scan Guide, which shows you how to identify automated accessibility issues using the WAVE browser extension. While automated scans are useful, they cannot detect every barrier. This checklist focuses on the manual review steps that require human judgment, such as content structure, keyboard navigation, and text alternatives.

If you are looking for additional testing tools and accessibility support platforms, visit the Free Tools for Accessible Online Learning page.

Download Practice Files

Accessibility Checklist

Clear Content and Structure

Make sure your text and page layout are easy to read and navigate.

  1. Headings follow a logical hierarchy (H1, then H2, then H3, etc.)
  2. Content is organized into logical sections with descriptive headings
  3. Lists use proper HTML elements (ul, ol, li)
  4. Tables are used only for data, not page layout
  5. Tables include proper headers and row/column associations
  6. Text is left-aligned rather than justified
  1. Body text is at least 16px in size
  2. Line spacing is at least 1.5 times the font size
  3. Information is not conveyed by color alone
  4. Text meets contrast requirements (4.5:1 for normal, 3:1 for large text)
  5. Pages include proper landmarks (header, main, footer)
  6. Documents (PDFs, Word files) are accessible

Content Resources

WebAIM Contrast Checker: A quick tool to check if your text and background color combinations meet WCAG contrast standards.

W3C Headings Tutorial: A simple guide to using headings properly so screen readers and users can follow your content structure.

Inclusive Visuals and Media

Add descriptions to images and captions to videos so everyone can access them.

  1. All images include appropriate alt text (descriptive for content, empty for decoration)
  2. Icons have accessible labels or are marked as decorative with aria-hidden=”true”
  3. Complex images (charts, graphs) include detailed text descriptions
  4. Infographics provide equivalent text alternatives
  5. Background images with information have accessible alternatives
  6. Images are high quality and clear for all users
  1. Content avoids rapid flashing or blinking that could trigger seizures
  2. Videos include accurate captions
  3. Audio content provides text transcripts
  4. Media players work with keyboard navigation
  5. Media does not auto-play

Multimedia Resources

WebAIM Alt Text Guide: A detailed explanation of how to write effective and meaningful alt text for images.

Rev.com Caption Guide: A beginner-friendly overview of how to write captions for video content.

Navigation and User Interaction

Ensure all buttons, links, and forms work for keyboard and screen reader users.

  1. Skip links or anchors help users jump to main content
  2. Links use descriptive text that makes sense out of context
  3. Document links indicate file type and size (e.g., “Syllabus (PDF, 2MB)”)
  4. Links show visible focus indicators for keyboard users
  5. Duplicate links are consolidated when possible
  6. Navigation remains consistent across pages
  7. All interactive elements work with keyboard navigation
  1. Focus moves in a logical sequence
  2. Focus returns to appropriate location after dialogs close
  3. Form fields have associated labels
  4. Required fields are clearly marked
  5. Error messages are clear and helpful
  6. Users have sufficient time for interactions
  7. Session timeouts can be extended or disabled when needed

User Interaction Resources

WebAIM Keyboard Navigation Testing: A walkthrough to help you test if your content works without a mouse.

WebAIM Form Accessibility: A guide to making sure all form fields, labels, and errors are accessible.

Technical Setup and Compliance

Check that your website code and mobile design follow accessibility standards.

  1. Design respects user accessibility settings
  2. Content works fully on mobile devices
  3. Touch targets are at least 44×44 pixels
  4. Content adapts properly to different screen sizes
  5. Users can zoom to 200% without losing functionality
  6. Focus indicators remain visible and are not suppressed
  7. Semantic HTML is used instead of ARIA when possible
  1. ARIA roles are only used when no native HTML element exists
  2. Page language is specified (e.g., lang=”en”)
  3. Page titles are descriptive and unique
  4. ARIA attributes are used correctly when needed
  5. Selected/highlighted text maintains sufficient contrast
  6. JavaScript features have accessible alternatives

Design and Tech Resources

W3C WCAG Overview: A full explanation of the official Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2).

W3C Markup Validator: A free tool to check that your HTML is clean, valid, and well-structured.

Web.dev – ARIA vs. Semantic HTML: Explains when to use ARIA and when it’s better to rely on built-in HTML for accessibility.