Accessibility is ultimately about the experience students have as they move through a course. Accessible documents, accurate captions, and meaningful alternative text are important, but they are only part of that experience.
A course can meet many technical accessibility requirements and still be difficult to navigate, confusing to follow, or overwhelming to use. To understand whether a course is truly accessible, we need to look beyond individual files and consider how everything works together from the student’s perspective.
Consistency Reduces Unnecessary Barriers
Students benefit from knowing what to expect.
One of the first features of a course that students encounter is the course navigation bar. Since course navigation bars can be customized by instructors, each course can differ drastically from the default configuration. If a student is taking four courses in one semester, for example, they could encounter four different navigation experiences in that single semester. A consistent navigation experience allows students to invest their time where it matters: learning the course materials, not course configuration.
When modules follow a predictable structure where assignments appear in familiar locations and instructions are presented consistently, students spend less time figuring out how the course works. They can focus more of their attention on learning.
Consistency can be especially helpful for students using assistive technologies, students with learning differences, and students balancing coursework with work, family, and other demands. An organized and predictable course reduces confusion around assignments and due dates.
Review the Complete Learning Experience
Course accessibility extends beyond content created directly in MyCourses. Videos, publisher materials, linked websites, and third-party tools all contribute to the student experience.
If students are required to use a resource, they should be able to access its information and complete the expected task successfully. A single inaccessible tool or confusing resource can create a barrier, even when the rest of the course has been carefully designed.
When reviewing a course, consider these questions:
- Are instructions and expectations clear?
- Do modules and activities follow a consistent structure?
- Can students successfully use required websites and third-party tools?
- Are students able to quickly locate the information and resources they need?
- Is important information available in more than one format when appropriate?
- Are videos accurately captioned?
These questions help shift the review from whether individual accessibility requirements have been met to whether students can successfully navigate, understand, and use the course.
Listen to the Student Experience
Accessibility reports can identify potential technical issues, but they cannot fully evaluate how students experience a course.
Student questions and feedback can reveal barriers that automated tools may not detect. If students repeatedly have difficulty locating an assignment, understanding an instruction, or using a required resource, the course may need additional review even when its accessibility score is strong.
Remember
The student experience provides the final and most meaningful accessibility review.
Faculty Takeaway
Technology plays an important role in accessibility, but meaningful accessibility requires human review. Use accessibility reports to identify potential concerns, then review the complete course from the student’s perspective. This goes beyond impersonating the demo student and encourages faculty to consider the actual experience of navigating and engaging with the course.
The goal is not simply to create accessible content. The goal is to create a learning experience students can successfully access, understand, navigate, and use.
Workshops and Resources
Related Workshop
Designing Accessible Experiences will be held online on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, from 10 – 11 a.m.
For more information, see upcoming accessibility workshops on the GGC Events calendar.
Resources
- Accessibility Resources
- MyCourses: Default Course Navigation Bar
- MyCourses: Impersonate Your Demo Student
Other Posts in Series
Post 1: Accessibility Scores Only Tell Part of the Story
Post 2: Alt Text Goes Beyond Checking a Box
Post 3: Captions Matter More Than You Think
Post 4: Clear Instructions Create Accessible Learning
Post 5: The Student Experience Is the Final Accessibility Review
Need to learn more?
Need to learn more about MyCourses, Zoom, Microsoft software, Accessibility, or Classroom Technology?
Check the IT Workshop Schedule – OR- Schedule a 1-1 Consultation