Accessibility in Education: A Commitment to All Learners

Accessibility is more than a checklist—it is a commitment to equity, belonging, and meaningful participation for every learner. As educators, we often hear about devices or techniques that support students with special needs. Still, if we are not in special education classrooms, accessibility may not feel like part of our daily planning. The truth is, accessibility benefits everyone. Designing accessible classrooms, libraries, and digital spaces reduces barriers not only for students with documented disabilities but also for English language learners, students with temporary injuries, and even caregivers who support learning from home.

This week, I explored several resources on accessibility and found the Designing for Accessibility: Dos and Don’ts guide especially practical. It provides clear visuals and concise language about best practices for color contrast, text clarity, alternative text for images, and accessible links. I appreciated how it modeled accessibility by keeping the design simple, visual, and direct—reminding me that accessibility should not feel like “extra work,” but rather, a natural part of thoughtful design.

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My Artifact: An Infographic on Chromebook Accessibility Features

For my artifact, I created an infographic highlighting five built-in accessibility features on Chromebooks. Since my students use Chromebooks daily, I wanted to design something that would be immediately relevant and practical in our classroom. The infographic includes:

1. Screen Reader (ChromeVox) – to provide audio feedback for students with visual impairments.

2. Dictation – to allow students to speak instead of typing when writing is a barrier.

3. Magnifier – for enlarging text or images when small print is challenging.

4. High Contrast Mode – to reduce eye strain and support students with dyslexia or visual processing difficulties.

5. Live Captions – to display captions for videos, aiding both deaf/hard-of-hearing students and English learners.

I chose this artifact because visuals communicate quickly, and teachers, parents, and students can post or print it as a reference. Accessibility is not practical unless people are aware of the tools that exist and know how to activate them.

Image Source: created by the author with Canva

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My Strength: Building Inclusive Routines

One of my strengths in accessibility is embedding inclusive routines into my classroom culture. For example, I consistently provide students with multimodal ways to engage with content—such as reading aloud, paired discussions, hands-on materials, and digital supports. Even without formal labels, I assume students benefit from choice. For instance, in science, when we model light refraction, I offer both drawing diagrams on paper and creating digital models on a Chromebook. Accessibility is about anticipating variability and designing for it; I feel confident in this mindset.

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My Growth Area: Mastering Digital Accessibility

One area where I still need to grow is in digital accessibility. While I am comfortable designing engaging presentations, I sometimes overlook essential features, such as alternative text for images, proper heading structures for screen readers, and color contrast that supports all learners. After exploring the “Dos and Don’ts” guide, I realized how small design choices—such as writing links as descriptive phrases instead of “click here”—can make a significant difference for a learner using assistive technology. My next step is to adopt accessibility checklists for all digital resources I create, ensuring that accessibility is not an afterthought but part of my design process.

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Why Accessibility Matters

Accessibility matters because it reflects our values. A student should never feel excluded from learning because of a barrier we had the power to remove. As the Educating All Learners Alliance reminds us, accessibility is about designing from the start for learners who have been historically marginalized. It shifts our focus from “accommodating after the fact” to creating spaces where all students can thrive.

By creating my infographic and reflecting on these resources, I have strengthened my commitment to making accessibility part of my everyday practice, not just something for “some students,” but something for all.