There’s an estimated 5.5 million disabled individuals in work and about 20 per cent of the UK’s adult population are neurodivergent. The latter figure is actually likely higher due to those undiagnosed or unaware of their neurodivergence.
Recently, we have seen an overhaul of the Disability Confident scheme, the introduction of ‘Right to Try’ to support disabled individuals into work and confirmation of upcoming disability pay gap reporting.
Also, in recent years there has been a significant increase in neurodivergence awareness and workplace support.
While employees might have adjustments at an individual level that support with accessing L&D, it’s only a matter of time before L&D is in the spotlight to do more to improve accessibility at an organisational level, in design and delivery practices.
Where traditional learning methodologies fall short
Traditional learning methodologies help to develop learning that is suitable for different learning styles, but do not cover different accessibility needs.
Learning platforms are useful tools to deliver content and maintain learning records, but limitations in design and functionality can impact accessibility. Also, third party accessibility tools like screen readers may not work effectively with some platforms.
Learning is often a ‘one-size-fits-all’, an approach that falls short when it comes to access and understanding. On record, your people are completing their learning, but is it effective and are they having a good learning experience?
It’s only a matter of time before L&D is in the spotlight to do more to improve accessibility at an organisational level
Time to make changes
There are simple changes you can make relatively easily and quickly, through to more systematic changes that require greater investment.
It has often been down to the individual to highlight if they require adjustments. However, some of the improvements suggested below, when available to all learners, will make your learning more accessible to all.
The accessibility and dynamic of learning differs whether it is live (online or in-person) or on-demand (digital resources and e-learning), so the guidance on improvements has been categorised as such.
Improving accessibility for in-person learning
Accessibility for in-person learning goes beyond just the learning event, including preparatory and post-learning steps. This can help individuals prepare and improve the learning experience.
- Before the learning, provide clear instructions, details of what to expect, any pre-work, along with information about making specific accessibility requests
- Beyond standard room accessibility, when delivering longer training sessions, consider if chairs are suitable, particularly for those with musculoskeletal conditions. Have alternatives available, eg. adjustable office style chairs
- Have printed copies of slides available in case individuals require these
- Likewise, provide both verbal and written instructions for any activities – these could be left on-screen or printed
- Be mindful of activities requiring physical movement, dexterity or processing information at speed. Ensure there are activities, or elements of activities, that enable people of different abilities to participate
- Consider other inexpensive tools to keep in your training toolbox that support neurodivergent learners, eg. coloured overlays or ‘fidget’ devices
- It’s likely individuals with specific requirements will have adjustments in place, such as captioning software, assistive hearing devices, etc. While the individual would need to make you aware of these, familiarise yourself with them beforehand so you can support their effective use.
Making e-learning and digital resources more accessible
While there may be limitations with learning platform functionality, it’s important to highlight that some steps to improve accessibility are better than none. This also presents a good opportunity to review your current platform, how digital learning is delivered and consider your future needs.
- Ensure platforms are easy to navigate, providing clear onscreen instructions so users know how to independently access and complete their learning
- When designing learning, use dyslexia friendly fonts. Open sans-serif fonts are best and there are specific dyslexia friendly fonts available. Remember to use appropriate font sizes and set basic formatting styles to keep content clear
- Check the contrast of text and backgrounds to avoid low contrasting colours. You can use free tools, such as Accessibility Checker, that identify if your colours meet web accessibility guidelines
- Include audio delivery for any written content. There may be functionality in the platform to do this, or it may need adding during development stages
- Likewise, include on-screen captions for any audio content such as videos or animations.
An individual’s learning experience contributes to their overall employee experience
Taking it a step further
For a more in-depth accessibility check, review your platform against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). You can use free online tools to check webpages (eg. Audio Eye), subject to any internal platform access restrictions.
Speak with your platform provider to understand their approach to accessibility. If there are any current challenges, your feedback may support future developments.
When reviewing how you deliver digital learning, consider web-based delivery. This provides more flexibility to make adaptations and should work with browser or third-party tools to support accessibility.
Listen to your people
If you have employee resource groups or inclusion networks that cover disability and neurodivergence, seek their input.
Alternatively, communicate a request to all colleagues for feedback on the accessibility of your learning. This will help identify the improvements to prioritise.
Learning for L&D teams
Let’s not forget about the L&D team’s own development. Improve awareness of accessible learning practices through self-led research or dedicated learning sessions.
Organisations specialising in workplace accessibility could support this. Sessions could extend to managers to improve on-the-job learning and support your organisation’s wider inclusion efforts.
Individual and organisational benefits
An individual’s learning experience contributes to their overall employee experience. By removing the barriers to learning and supporting employees to achieve their potential, you’ll realise improved engagement, retention and performance.
Evolving your L&D practices to improve accessibility requires a conscious effort and it is an iterative process.
Start now and even with small but regular improvements, your employees and organisation will start to realise the benefits.
