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Curriculum design: access and inclusion guide

This guide outlines best practices for improving accessibility and inclusion in digital learning content. Below are key accessibility issues and suggested improvements.

Panopto embed code

Issue

Using the Panopto embed button includes excess code, causing screen readers to read and play the same video multiple times.

Improvement

Use the following HTML code to embed Panopto videos. Replace TITLE with the video title and Panopto video ID with the correct ID.

<div style="text-align: center;">
  <div class="embed-responsive-wrap" style="max-width: 720px;">
    <div class="embed-responsive-container" style="padding-bottom: 56.25%; max-height: 405px;">
      <iframe title="TITLE" src="https://unisa.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Embed.aspx?id=XXX91ea4067-a473-4772-9680-aa630017e384XXXX&amp;showTitle=false" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 720 / 405;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

Transcripts

Issue

Panopto captions are not a replacement for full video transcripts.

Improvement

Create transcripts for videos and provide them as a Word file (.docx), not a PDF. Word files are preferable for accessibility.

It is recommended to use Notepad++ to create transcripts from Panopto captions instead of generative AI, as AI tools may alter the transcript content.

For more details, refer to Improving accessibility transcripts (pdf).     

Hyperlinks

Issue

Screen readers read all hyperlinked text as a list, which can make unclear links confusing when read out of context.

Example: Contact us via the course email: We send important information about assessments to your UniSA email. Please check your UniSA email every 1-2 days or set up a re-direct.

The hyperlinked phrase "re-direct" alone does not make sense when read by a screen reader.      

Improvement

Ensure hyperlinked text is meaningful on its own.

Example: Contact us via the course email: We send important information about assessments to your UniSA email address. Please check it every 1-2 days or re-direct your UniSA email.

This provides clarity even when read separately from the surrounding text.  

Access and inclusion tip

Avoid using vague hyperlink text such as:

  • Find out more...
  • Next
  • Click here

Instead, use descriptive links that indicate their purpose.      

Files and documents

Issue

  • PDF files are not fully compatible with screen readers
  • Headings within tables do not function correctly for navigation
  • Tables are read in rows from left to right, which may not always convey information effectively

Improvement

  • Provide Word files instead of PDFs whenever possible
  • Use Headings to improve navigation and readability
  • Avoid using tables when presenting key information

Example: Grading criteria are often presented in a table format. Instead, using properly structured headings improves accessibility.

For guidance, refer to Improving accessibility grading criteria (pdf).

H5P activities

Issue

The accessibility of H5P activities varies depending on the type of activity used.

Improvement

Before using H5P activities, check their accessibility and if possible choose activities that are categorized as Usable with Best Practices.

A full accessibility guide can be found here: Check H5P Activity Accessibility.

Useful resources

Curriculum design

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