Accessibility: It’s Not Extra Credit, It’s the Assignment
The Virtual Vibe: Success and Sanity for the Online Teacher
August 18, 2025
Accessibility is like a good cup of coffee: if it’s too weak, hard to read, or bitter, no one’s going to finish it. Make your content strong, smooth, and easy to digest.
Remember those little ramps on sidewalks? The ones at crosswalks and street corners that make it possible for someone in a wheelchair to roll across? They weren’t put there for convenience. They were designed for accessibility. But here’s the thing: curb cuts don’t just help wheelchair users. They help parents pushing strollers, travelers rolling suitcases, delivery drivers with dollies, and even someone like me, juggling coffee, a laptop, and the occasional creaky joint that reminds me I’m not 25 anymore.
That’s accessibility in a nutshell: when we design with inclusivity in mind, everyone benefits. And in the online classroom, it’s not a “nice to have.” It’s the assignment.
1. Stop Saying “Click Here”
If your hyperlinks all say click here, congratulations: you’ve officially confused every person using a screen reader. Imagine listening to an entire page read out loud where every third word is “click here.” Click where? Click why? Click to what?
Here’s the rule of thumb: make your links descriptive. Instead of click here for the syllabus, write download the syllabus. Instead of click here for resources, write view study resources.
Pro tip: Think of hyperlinks like road signs. “Click here” is a cardboard box taped to a stick. A descriptive link? That’s a neon-lit exit sign telling you exactly where to turn.
2. Color Contrast: This Isn’t a Fashion Blog
Light gray text on a white background. Neon yellow on lime green. We’ve all seen it, and yes, it’s as painful as it sounds. Poor color contrast doesn’t just make your materials look like they were designed in the early 2000s. It makes them inaccessible for students with low vision, color blindness, or even just tired eyes at 11 p.m.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) spell it out: normal text should have at least a 4.5:1 contrast ratio against its background. Translation: your words should be legible without needing a magnifying glass or a guess-and-check approach.
Pro tip: When in doubt, use a contrast checker. Because if your students have to tilt their laptop screen like they’re trying to find a hidden image in one of those old Magic Eye posters, you’ve got a problem.
3. The Law Is Coming (and It’s a Big Deal)
Starting in 2026, accessibility isn’t just a best practice. It’s the law. The Department of Justice will require WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for all public web content and mobile apps.
Here’s what that actually means for you:
- Text must be readable and resizable (no, students shouldn’t need to zoom in 400 percent just to read a paragraph).
- Content must be navigable by keyboard alone (because not everyone uses a mouse).
- Pages must be structured with proper headings and labels (so screen readers can actually tell what’s what).
- Color contrast rules apply across the board.
This is not a suggestion. By 2026, if your materials don’t meet 2.1 AA standards, your institution could face fines, lawsuits, or worse—students who can’t access the education they deserve.
Free Tools to Check Accessibility
The good news? You don’t have to guess whether your materials are accessible. There are free tools that do the heavy lifting for you:
WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool – Quickly tests web pages for accessibility issues.
Microsoft Accessibility Checker – Built into Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook to flag common issues in documents.
WebAIM Contrast Checker – Ensures your text and background color choices meet the 4.5:1 ratio rule.
Use them early, use them often. Your future self and your students will thank you.
Call to Action for Administrators
Accessibility is not just a teacher-level responsibility. Administrators play a critical role in supporting, monitoring, and enforcing accessible design. Start by auditing a small sample of courses. Look for the basics: descriptive hyperlinks, proper color contrast, and clear headings that screen readers can navigate.
Consider giving your teachers a simple accessibility checklist aligned with WCAG 2.1 AA as a starting point. Make it clear this is not punitive. It is about building a culture where accessible design benefits all learners.
If you’d like, I can provide a free ready-to-use accessibility audit template that you can send directly to your staff. It makes taking that first step fast and easy.
Pause, Ponder & Progress
When was the last time you audited your course materials for accessibility barriers (headings, alt text, color contrast, or hyperlink text)?
If a screen reader read your homepage out loud, would it sound clear and structured—or like a confusing maze of “click here” and unlabeled buttons?
Which quick win could you implement today (contrast, font size, descriptive links) that would immediately improve access for all learners?
How can you build accessibility checks into your workflow instead of treating them as an afterthought?
What’s your plan and timeline to ensure your materials meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards before 2026 rolls around?
About the Author
With over 20 years in education - most of them spent in the virtual trenches - Desire’ Mosser has done more than survive online teaching; she’s helped others thrive in it! As the author of SOS: Strategies for Online Survival, she dishes out practical tools, honest lessons, and just the right amount of humor to keep educators going.
Former Pasco eSchool Teacher of the Year and Florida Virtual Schools Mentor of the Year, she continues to champion excellence in virtual learning today. She currently serves as Vice President of B.O.L.D. (Blended Online Learning Discovery of Florida). Her passion? Coaching educators to find their stride, build meaningful connections with students and families, and master the art of scheduling for sanity—preferably with a strong cup of coffee in hand. For more real talk, useful tips, and the occasional caffeine-fueled confession, connect with her on LinkedIn.
