We know that creating engaging digital resources is your specialty. Now, let's make them accessible to every student. Accessibility is vital for modern digital education. It ensures all learners can interact with your content, and many districts are requiring it. This guide will help you learn how to add accessibility features, Z-order, and ALT TEXT to your decks and show you how to toggle sound on and off.
Why Accessibility Matters for Your Decks
Many school districts have new accessibility requirements. They may not purchase resources that fail to meet these standards. By making your decks accessible, you keep your products available to these schools. This also means more potential sales for you.
More importantly, this work supports Universal Design for Learning (UDL). It provides all students with a better learning experience. Adding these features helps learners with visual, hearing, or motor impairments, creating a more inclusive experience for everyone.
Getting Started with ALT TEXT
Alternative text, also known as ALT text, is a crucial component of web accessibility. It provides a written description of an image. This allows screen readers to describe visuals to users with visual impairments. Without ALT text, these students may miss important information.
How Screen Readers Interact with Your Deck
You might wonder what a screen reader vocalizes on your cards. The software reads both the visible text and the hidden ALT text. It will read your written instructions, labels, and prompts aloud. For images, it relies on the ALT text you provide to describe the picture.
The sequence that a screen reader follows depends on the layout of your card. It scans the elements based on their arrangement, which is known as Z-order. This ensures a logical flow for the student.
What is ALT TEXT?
ALT TEXT is a written description of an image. Screen readers read this text aloud to the user. This gives context for pictures, charts, and other visual elements. Without ALT text, these students miss important information. Adding it ensures that everyone receives the necessary information to complete the activity.
How to Write Effective ALT TEXT
Creating effective ALT text requires careful consideration. Sometimes, a direct description is best. For an image of a bear, "brown bear" works well.
However, consider the learning objective. You may not want to give the answer away. Imagine a card that asks students to identify a penny. Instead of alt text that says "penny," you could write "a copper-colored coin." This description helps the student without revealing the answer. The key is to provide clarity and context.
Adding ALT TEXT in the Studio
You can add ALT text in a few places. The easiest way is during the image upload process. When you upload an image, an option appears to add accessibility text.
You can also add it directly to an image on a card. Click the image and find the accessibility text field in the menu. This is useful for decks you have already created. For background images, you can add ALT text in the card details panel. This makes even decorative backgrounds accessible.
Mastering Motor Accessibility with Z-Order
Motor accessibility helps students who use assistive devices. This includes those who use switches to navigate. Z-order is the tool you will use to support them.
Understanding Z-Order for Switch Access
Some students cannot use a mouse or keyboard in a typical way. They may use one or two switches to interact with content. One switch often works like the "Tab" key to move between items. The other switch works like the "Enter" key to select an item.
The Z-order determines the path the "Tab" key follows. It sets a logical sequence for a student to scan through the elements on your card. Please note that drag-and-drop elements are not currently compatible with switch access. You should opt out of motor accessibility for these decks.
The Z-Order Controls Explained
The Z-order panel can seem confusing at first. The terms do not always mean what you expect. Here is a simple breakdown of the controls:
- Rear: Moves the selected item to the top of the scanning order.
- Back: Moves the item one step up in the scanning order.
- Forward: Moves the item one step down in the scanning order.
- Front: Moves the item to the very bottom of the scanning order.
Think of it like a stack of papers. Sending an item to the "Rear" brings it to the top of the pile to be read first.
Where does Z-order come into play for that text? Is it read to the students?
That accessibility text will be read at the bottom, and you do not need to do anything additional for Z-order.
Best Practices for Ordering Elements
A good scanning order makes navigation easy. Plan your layout before you build. A logical flow often starts with the directions. Then, it moves to a sound icon, the main image or question, and finally, the answer choices. For answers, a left-to-right progression is standard.
Avoid using the "randomize answers" feature for motor-accessible cards. Randomization changes the scanning order each time. This creates a confusing and frustrating experience for a switch user.
Managing Sounds for Accessibility
Audio is another key accessibility layer. You can add sound to read directions or provide cues. These sound files should also have accessibility text. This helps a user understand the purpose of the sound button. For example, the ALT text for a sound icon next to directions could be "Read directions aloud."
When to Opt-In or Opt-Out
You do not need to enable all three accessibility features for every deck. It is okay to opt out when a feature does not fit the resource. For an articulation deck, you might opt out of alt text that gives away the target word. For a complex drag-and-drop activity, opt out of motor accessibility. Use your best judgment to serve the student's needs.
Your Action Plan for Compliance
We encourage you to prioritize accessibility. Start by creating new decks with these features in mind. You can also revise older decks. Our goal is for publishers to have at least 25 new or revised decks with at least one accessibility feature. Every accessible deck you create helps more learners succeed.
Making your content accessible adds immense value to your work. By using ALT text and Z-order correctly, you open your resources to a broader audience. You also ensure your products meet the growing demand for inclusive educational tools.
We know getting started can feel like a big project. If you want to bring your store up to date and need some personal assistance, Heather is here to help. You can schedule a one-on-one review to get expert advice tailored to your decks.
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