Video, audio, images, and other media can communicate important learning information through sound or visuals. Providing accessible alternatives helps make that information available in different ways.
LearnWorlds includes capabilities that support accessible media, including video subtitles, AI-generated and translated subtitles, transcripts, and alternative text in supported image contexts.
Τo learn more about the accessibility features and improvements available in LearnWorlds, see Accessibility improvements.
Use this guide to review the media you add to your courses and the accessibility practices to consider.
For more information about LearnWorlds' accessibility approach, current scope, and ongoing work, see the LearnWorlds Accessibility Statement.
Make video content accessible
Video content can combine spoken information, visuals, text, and interaction. Review each of these parts so important learning information is not available through only one format.
Understand subtitles, captions, and transcripts
Subtitles, captions, and transcripts all provide written alternatives to spoken content, but they serve different purposes.
- Subtitles usually provide a written version of spoken dialogue and are often used when the viewer does not understand the language spoken in the video.
- Captions provide access to audio information, including spoken dialogue and meaningful non-speech sounds. Where relevant, captions can also identify who is speaking.
Examples of meaningful non-speech audio include [Music playing], [Door closes], and [Audience applauds].
- Transcripts provide a written version of the information contained in video or audio. They let learners read, review, or search the content independently from playback. Depending on the video, a transcript may also need to describe important visual information that is necessary to understand the learning content.
LearnWorlds supports workflows for uploading subtitles, generating subtitles with AI, translating subtitles into additional languages, and making transcripts available to learners.
Review subtitles and transcripts before publishing
Automatically generated or translated subtitles should be reviewed before publishing. Confirm that the spoken content is represented accurately and that names, numbers, product terms, and specialist vocabulary are correct. Check subtitle timing against the spoken content, identify speaker changes where relevant, and include meaningful non-speech audio when it contributes information. For translated subtitles, review whether the intended meaning has been preserved and make sure important parts of the recording have not been omitted.
Where accuracy is especially important, such as certification, compliance, medical, safety, or technical training, additional human review may be appropriate.
Make important visual information available another way
Some videos communicate important information visually. Examples include a chart shown on screen, a process demonstrated without narration, instructions shown only as text, or a software demonstration that relies on seeing which control is selected.
When visual information is necessary to understand the learning objective, explain it through narration or provide an equivalent text description.
For example, instead of saying, As you can see here, the results improved significantly.Use, The chart shows completion increasing from 62% in January to 81% in June.
The second version makes the key information available through speech as well as visually.
Review interactive video content
LearnWorlds Interactive Video lets creators combine video with additional content and interactions. Review both the video and the elements added to it.
Check that:
- Subtitles or captions are available where appropriate
- A transcript is available where it provides a useful alternative
- Important text added to the video is also available in an accessible format
- Images used in interactions have appropriate alternative text where supported
- Questions and instructions make sense without relying only on color or visual position
- Learners have enough time to understand and complete interactions
- Important information is not communicated only through animation or visual effects
Make audio-only content accessible
Audio-only content should provide the important information in another format. A transcript is usually the clearest way to provide a written equivalent.
Before publishing audio content, make sure spoken information is also available in written form. The transcript should include the information needed to achieve the same learning objective, describe meaningful non-speech sounds when they contribute meaning, and identify speaker changes where relevant. Keep the transcript or text alternative easy to find.
For example, if a notification sound tells learners when to move to the next step, include that information in the transcript.
Where a native transcript workflow is not available, provide the same information through written lesson content, a downloadable transcript, a text learning activity, or supporting written material placed next to the audio.
Use a descriptive resource name such as Download the transcript for this audio lesson instead of Download file.
Add appropriate alternative text to images
Images can communicate information that is not available through text alone. Alternative text makes the purpose or meaning of an image available in written form. Alt text should communicate what learners need to understand from the image rather than simply describing what it looks like.
Meaningful images
For meaningful images, provide appropriate alternative text where the LearnWorlds context supports it. The description should reflect why the image appears in that specific place.
For example, the same photograph may need different alternative text depending on its purpose. If an image introduces an instructor, the alternative text could identify the instructor and the relevant context. If the image is used only for decoration, it may not need to be announced at all.
Decorative images
Some images are included only for visual decoration and do not communicate useful information. Where decorative treatment is supported, mark these images as decorative so screen readers do not announce them unnecessarily.
If removing an image would cause the learner to miss important information, treat it as meaningful and provide appropriate alternative text instead.
Images used as links or controls
For images that act as links or controls, the text alternative should communicate the action or destination rather than describe the image's appearance.
For example:Instead of: Arrow icon → Use: Next lesson
Instead of: Image of leadership course → Use: Open the Leadership Essentials course
Provide enough explanation for charts, diagrams, and other complex visuals
Charts, diagrams, infographics, process maps, data visualizations, and complex screenshots can contain more information than a short alt-text description can communicate.
For complex visuals, use short alternative text to identify the visual and communicate its main takeaway. Explain important details in the surrounding text, and provide the underlying information in text or a simple table where appropriate. Do not rely only on color to distinguish information, and make sure labels inside the visual remain readable.
For example, alternative text for a chart could say:Bar chart comparing completion rates across four departments. Sales has the highest completion rate at 91%.
The surrounding course content can then provide the complete values for all departments. This makes the underlying learning information available independently of the visual presentation.
Avoid presenting important text only as an image
Text inside an image may not be available to assistive technologies and can become difficult to read when learners zoom or enlarge content.
This can affect screenshots containing instructions, promotional banners with important course information, infographics with paragraphs of text, or slides exported as images.
Where possible, provide important written information as text in the course. If an image containing text is necessary, make the same information available in another accessible format.
Review externally hosted media separately
Some LearnWorlds courses include videos or media hosted by external providers. The accessibility features available for this media depend on the provider and how the media is embedded.
Before using externally hosted media, check whether captions or subtitles are available and accurate and whether a transcript is available where appropriate. Test whether the player can be operated using a keyboard, whether its controls have understandable labels, and whether it works with the assistive technologies relevant to your audience. Important visual content should also have an equivalent alternative.
Find more information about testing your LearnWorlds learning experience for accessibility here.
LearnWorlds cannot control or verify every aspect of a third-party media player's accessibility. If externally hosted media is required to complete the course, consider providing another way to access the same learning information where necessary.