12 Best Web Accessibility Courses to Take in 2024
Here is a guide with the best online courses to learn Web Accessibility. Ensure that all users, regardless of their disabilities, can access and use your content seamlessly.
Digital accessibility, commonly abbreviated a11y, is about designing and building websites and web apps that people with disabilities can interact with in a meaningful and equivalent way.
In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for web accessibility professionals who can create websites and applications that are inclusive and accessible to all users. Fortunately, there are now many online courses available that can help individuals learn about web accessibility and how to implement it effectively.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore some of the best online courses available for learning web accessibility. Whether you are a web or app developer, designer, or content creator, these courses will provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to create accessible and inclusive web experiences. From beginner-level courses to more advanced training, we cover everything you need to know about web accessibility.
Here are my top picks. Click on one to skip to the course details:
Course | Workload | In Brief |
1. Introduction to Web Accessibility (W3C) | 20 hours | Learning Web Accessibility from the masters themselves in keeping web standards |
2. Learn Accessibility (web.dev) | 2 hours | One of the best free courses to understand web accessibility |
3. Web Accessibility (Google) | 6 hours | One of the best web accessibility courses provided for free by Google |
4. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Accessibility (Georgia Tech University) | 18 hours | Available on edx and Coursera (Audit Mode) |
5. UX Foundations: Accessibility (Linkedin Learning) | 2 hours | For those concentrating only on UX |
6. Gaming Accessibility Fundamentals (Microsoft learn) | 4 hours | Concentrated on how to make gaming more accessible |
7. iOS App Development: Accessibility (Linkedin Learning) | 3 hours | Accessibility in iOS |
8. WordPress: Accessibility (Linkedin Learning) | 2 hours | Accessibility on Android |
9. Accessibility 101: Build your accessible website | Full Course | Wix Learn (Wix) | 1 hour | Accessibility on Wix |
10. Android App Development:Accessibility (Linkedin) | 3 hours | Accessibility on Android |
11. React: Accessibility (Linkedin) | 1 hour | Accessibility for React Components |
12. Web Accessibility Compliance Course (TreeHouse) | 3 hours | Another comprehensive course covering web accessibility |
Bonus Material on Testing for Web Accessibility |
What is Web Accessibility?
Web accessibility refers to the practice of designing and developing websites and web applications that can be used by people with disabilities. Accessibility involves making sure that all users can access and interact with the information on a website, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities.
There are many different types of disabilities that can impact a user’s ability to access and use the web, including visual impairments, hearing impairments, motor impairments, cognitive disabilities, and more. Web accessibility aims to ensure that all users, regardless of their disabilities, can access and use web content in a way that is as seamless and effective as possible.
Web accessibility involves a variety of design and development practices, such as using alt text to describe images for users with visual impairments, providing closed captions for videos for users with hearing impairments, and using clear and consistent navigation structures to make it easier for users with cognitive disabilities to find and interact with content.
Web accessibility is important not only because it ensures that all users can access and use web content, but also because it is often required by law. In many countries, including the United States and many countries in the European Union, there are laws and regulations that require websites to be accessible to people with disabilities.
Best Courses Guides Methodology
I built this ranking following the now tried-and-tested methodology used in previous Best Courses Guides (you can find them all here). It involves a three-step process:
- Research: I started by leveraging Class Central’s database with 100K online courses and 200K+ reviews. Then, I made a preliminary selection of courses by rating, reviews, and bookmarks.
- Evaluate: I read through reviews on Class Central, Reddit, and course providers to understand what other learners thought about each course and combined it with my own experience as a learner.
- Select: Well-made courses were picked if they presented valuable and engaging content and they have to fit in a set of criteria and be ranked accordingly: comprehensive curriculum, affordability, release date, ratings and enrollments.
Course Ranking Statistics
Here are some aggregate stats about the ranking:
- All of the resources are beginner-friendly and are helpful irrespective of whether you want to code or not.
- The courses are initially generalized and then move to more niche areas.
- 6 courses are free or free-to-audit, 6 courses are paid.
1. Introduction to Web Accessibility (W3C)
My first pick is the Introduction to Web Accessibility course offered by World Wide Web Consortium via edX. Learn from the masters themselves about how they approach accessibility.
This free-to-audit course gives you the foundation in accessibility you need to excel in digital professions. It is designed for:
- developers,
- designers,
- content authors,
- project managers,
- people with disabilities,
- and others.
This course is designed to introduce learners to the fundamental concepts of web accessibility, based on the open curricula from the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).
I like this course because it introduces us to some of the different kinds of accessibility issues that people might encounter by introducing us to people and how they navigate through them when using the web. A visual representation is somehow more powerful than text.
It also points to the idea that something that we consider a disability for the people at large might not be a disability in a different kind of society. It is also about perceptions.
What You’ll Learn
You will learn about the international standards for web accessibility from the W3C – including Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and WAI-ARIA for Accessible Rich Internet Applications – and first steps in applying them.
You will also learn how people with disabilities use assistive technologies and adaptive strategies, the business benefits of web accessibility, and where to find W3C resources on implementing accessibility.
How You’ll Learn
You will learn by following along the course with exercises by the end of each module.
Provider | edX |
Institution | World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) |
Instructor | Makoto Ueki, Vivienne Conway, Sarah Pulis, Andrew Arch, Shawn Lawton Henry, Henny Swan, Anthony Vasquez and Carie Fisher |
Level | Beginner |
Enrollments | 50,686 students |
Workload | 20 hours |
Certificate | Yes, paid |
2. Learn Accessibility (web.dev)
Learn Accessibility by web.dev is a free course created for beginner and advanced web developers. You can go through the series from start to finish to get a general understanding of accessibility practices and testing, or you can use it as a reference for specific subjects.
The course also provides other resources to learn Web Accessibility such as the Deque University or articles on accessibility to expand your knowledge.
What You’ll Learn
The course would cover factors such as ARIA and HTML, content structure, keyboard focus, JavaScript, images, color and contrast, animation and motion, typography, video and audio, forms, patterns, components, and design systems, as well as automated and manual accessibility testing and testing with assistive technology.
For those unfamiliar with the jargon, a glossary is also provided in the end.
How You’ll Learn
You’ll learn about web accessibility in this course by reading the material provided and divided according to various design and web tools.
Provider | web.dev |
Level | Beginner |
Workload | 3 hours |
Certificate | None |
3. Web Accessibility (Google)
The Web Accessibility provided by Google via Udacity is a 7-hour free course to dive deep into Web Accessibility after finishing the previous web.dev course. The course is for intermediate and advanced users. It would help to have some basic knowledge of HTML/CSS and other web components to better understand the course
What You’ll Learn
You’ll understand when and why users need accessibility and dive into making a page work properly with screen readers, and managing input focus (e.g. the highlight you see when tabbing through a form). You’ll understand what “semantics” and “semantic markup” mean for web pages and add ARIA markup to enable navigating the interface with a range of assistive devices. You will also learn styling techniques that help users with partial vision.
How You’ll Learn
In this course, you’ll get hands-on experience making web applications accessible.
Provider | Udacity |
Institution | |
Instructor(s) | Alice Boxhall, Rob Dodson, and Michael Wales |
Level | Beginner |
Workload | 7 hours |
Certificate | None |
4. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Accessibility (Georgia Tech University)
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Accessibility by Georgia Institute of Technology is currently archived on edX, but you can still access the course materials. This free-to-audit course will enable you to identify ICT accessibility issues, analyze specific needs, and evaluate possible solutions.
What You’ll Learn
You will learn about the importance of ICT Accessibility in designing and the impact of assistive technologies on individuals with disabilities.
The course will provide instruction on the various elements of an accessible document, including accessibility standards, multimedia captioning, audio description guidelines, and tools to check accessibility. You will also learn about web accessibility through online evaluation and remediation tools that use HTML5 and ARIA.
How You’ll Learn
This six-week course consists of modules detailing some of the primary ICT accessibility obstacles facing organizations today. Each module is taught by a subject matter expert – through content-rich videos. Each module includes associated activities and a quiz to reinforce understanding and ensure learners are equipped with the knowledge necessary to implement ICT accessibility in their work.
Provider | edX |
Institution | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Instructor | Christopher M. Lee, PhD, Arthur R. Murphy, Carolyn Patricia Phillips M.Ed., ATP, Sheryl Ballenger, PhD, Norah Sinclair, Todd Runkle and Bill Curtis-Davidson |
Level | Beginner |
Workload | 18 hours |
Certificate | None |
5. UX Foundations: Accessibility (Linkedin Learning)
In this UX accessibility course , you’ll learn how accessibility lowers the barrier to entry, by providing equal access and opportunity to people with a diverse range of hearing, movement, sight, and cognitive abilities.
The course covers the core concepts of accessibility for UX design along with assistive technologies that could be used for designing using practical examples.
What You’ll Learn
This course is designed to provide an overview of accessibility and how it relates to user experience design. It covers what accessibility is and explores different perspectives on accessibility.
The sections delve into specific design techniques that can be used to improve accessibility, including managing flow, recreating visual interactions, and designing for memory issues.
The course also provides an overview of various assistive technologies, including voice recognition software, screen magnifiers, and screen readers and explores strategies for integrating accessibility into the user experience design process, including content strategy, layout, visual design, interaction design, and user research.
How You’ll Learn
You will learn by following along with the video and practice with the quiz at the end of each section.
Provider | Linkedin Learning |
Instructor(s) | Derek Featherstone |
Level | Beginner |
Workload | 2 hours |
Enrollments | 55,500 learners |
Rating | 4.8 / 5 (592 ratings) |
Certificate | Yes, paid |
Fact:
Derek Featherstone is the VP of Accessibility and Inclusive Design at Salesforce.
6. Gaming Accessibility Fundamentals (Microsoft learn)
Gaming is a big industry and has the potential to connect people through shared experiences. Gamers with disabilities might use various technologies to play games such as switches and button controllers, eye-tracking and voice recognition software, haptic feedback devices and also specialized software tools.
The Gaming Accessibility Fundamentals course is a free course designed to help you with creating gaming experiences that are inclusive and accessible to as many players as possible.
What You’ll Learn
In this course, you will learn about accessibility concepts for game titles, platforms, and hardware. The core elements of gaming experiences that influence accessibility and how they affect gamers with disabilities.
Collaboration with the disability community to create accessible gaming experiences is emphasized, along with best practice etiquette during these collaboration sessions.
You will also learn about assistive hardware and software technologies used by players with disabilities, and the importance of supporting them in creating accessible gaming products. Learners will also be introduced to the foundational accessibility best practice concepts and the Xbox Accessibility Guidelines, and a comprehensive list of best practices for game elements and features. The course also covers accessibility considerations for developing gaming hardware, including packaging components.
How You’ll Learn
This course is divided into 5 modules. Each module provides 30 to 60 minutes worth of content. You will learn about accessibility in Gaming with the help of videos, readings, and other additional resources.
Provider | Microsoft Learn |
Instructor | Microsoft |
Level | Beginner |
Workload | 4 hours |
Certificate | None |
7. iOS App Development: Accessibility (LinkedIn Learning)
Explore the different accessibility technologies that are built into iOS, and learn how to build apps that all users—regardless of their needs and abilities—can access.
What You’ll Learn
This course focuses on accessibility for iOS applications. The course provides an overview of accessibility and explores accessibility settings and features in iOS, including VoiceOver and Switch Control.
You’ll learn how to conduct an accessibility audit using tools such as Bridges and Accessibility Inspector. It would also cover visual accommodations for the app, such as dynamic type, custom fonts, and reducing motion.
The course later also focuses on semantic accessibility and accessibility customizations, including VoiceOver gestures, actions rotor, custom rotors, and notifications.
By the end of the course, you’ll have a strong understanding of accessibility best practices for iOS applications and be able to implement them in your own projects.
How You’ll Learn
You will learn by watching the videos for each module and practicing them while you learn.
Provider | LinkedIn Learning |
Instructor(s) | Kevin Favro |
Level | Beginner |
Workload | 3 hours |
Enrollments | 5,410 learners |
Rating | 4.6 / 5 (20 ratings) |
Certificate | Yes, paid |
8. WordPress: Accessibility (LinkedIn Learning)
Build an accessible website with WordPress. Learn how to use accessibility principles and WordPress plugins and themes to make your website accessible to all.
What You’ll Learn
You can learn how to use the power of WordPress to quickly build a beautiful website that can be used by people with different types of abilities. This course provides a broad introduction to accessibility and then focuses on practical steps to ensure your WordPress themes, plugins, and content are accessible and usable to all. It also shows how to test your site to make sure it meets the most current accessibility standards.
You would also learn how to test your WordPress website for accessibility toward the end of the course.
How You’ll Learn
You will learn by following his videos while he is making changes and explaining how to make things accessible on WordPress.
Provider | LinkedIn Learning |
Instructor(s) | Joe Dolson |
Level | Beginner |
Workload | 2 hours |
Enrollments | 11,784 learners |
Rating | 4.6 / 5 (85 ratings) |
Certificate | Yes, paid |
9. Accessibility 101: Build your accessible website | Full Course | Wix Learn (Wix)
The Wix Accessibility is a free course that aims to teach the fundamental concepts of website accessibility, guiding users to make their website on Wix accessible to everyone.
What You’ll Learn
The course will cover the importance of website accessibility and provide instructions on how to set up navigation and pages. Participants will also learn to design an accessible theme, add content and heading tags, write for accessibility, write alt text for images, add media and animations, write an accessibility statement, and apply advanced accessibility options. The course will also guide users on how to audit their website and make their mobile site accessible. By the end of this course, participants will have the skills to create a fully accessible website that meets the needs of all users.
How You’ll Learn
This is a 1 hour video on YouTube which can be followed along.
Provider | YouTube |
Institution | Wix |
Instructor | Henry Collie |
Level | Beginner |
Workload | 1 hour |
Views | 2.8K |
Certificate | None |
10. Android App Development:Accessibility (LinkedIn Learning)
In this course, Renato Iwashima introduces the fundamentals of digital accessibility and usability for the Android platform. The course provides a quick introduction to digital accessibility and how to work with android accessibility features such as TalkBack and Switch Access. You would also learn to test your android app for accessibility in the end.
What You’ll Learn
This course covers the topic of accessibility in Android app development. It begins with an overview of accessibility and its standards and guidelines, and covers the audience for accessibility features on Android.
The course then delves into designing and developing apps for universal design, such as clear hierarchy of information, text and color contrast, touch target size, and communicating meaningful information. The POUR principle is introduced in the section on implementing meaning and operability to the user interface, along with focus navigation, labels, roles, values, and states, visual attributes, and accessibility events.
The user experience for accessibility services is improved by grouping content, creating custom accessibility actions, and accessible data visualization. There are also sections on testing for accessibility manually and with analysis tools.
How You’ll Learn
You will learn by following along with the videos.
Provider | LinkedIn Learning |
Instructor(s) | Renato Iwashima |
Level | Beginner |
Workload | 3 hours |
Enrollments | 7,795 learners |
Rating | 5 / 5 (24 ratings) |
Certificate | Yes, paid |
11. React: Accessibility (LinkedIn Learning)
The React: Accessibility course teaches how to create an accessible experience with single-page applications created in React.
What You’ll Learn
The course covers the need for accessibility on the web and the importance of semantic HTML as the foundation for web accessibility. It focuses on managing keyboard focus in React components and skipping page content and addresses accessibility issues related to mouse and pointer events and how to ensure events are accessible by keyboard.
The course also explains the importance of testing accessibility and provides different methods for testing, including using a screen reader.
How You’ll Learn
You will learn by following along with the video.
Provider | LinkedIn Learning |
Instructor(s) | Kiara Contreras |
Level | Beginner |
Workload | 1 hour |
Enrollments | 5,864 learners |
Rating | 4.7 / 5 (72 ratings) |
Certificate | Yes, paid |
12. Web Accessibility Compliance Course (TreeHouse)
In this web accessibility compliance course by Treehouse, you’ll learn about the standards in place to guide developers in creating a web that is accessible to all users as well as techniques to help bring your projects up to those standards.
What You’ll Learn
This course covers several key topics related to web accessibility, including an overview of accessibility, the importance of non-visual access, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, semantic HTML, and the Web Accessibility Initiative – Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA). Additionally, the course covers testing for accessibility to ensure your web content is accessible to all users.
How You’ll Learn
You will learn by following along with the video instructions and activities.
Provider | Treehouse |
Instructor | Aisha Blake |
Level | Beginner |
Workload | 3 hours |
Certificate | Yes, paid |
Bonus Material (Testing Websites for Accessibility)
First of all, there are tons of resources available when taking the courses in this list, such as The Deque University that provides Web Accessibility Courses and Accessibility Reference Library. I came across this gem in the Learn Accessibility course (course #2).
All these courses will help you understand Accessibility better and also be able to put it to use when working on your projects with HTML/CSS and thus writing better code.
As a bonus, if you are already familiar with web accessibility and would like to test your websites, here are a few courses and tutorials to help you with it:
- Testing for Web Accessibility With Accessibility Insights (Coursera)
- Test Accessibility of Your Design with WAVE (Coursera)
- Examine 508 Compliance & Accessibility in Chrome Extensions (Coursera)
- Test Accessibility of your Design with A11ygator (Coursera)
- Auditing React Apps for Accessibility (egghead.io)
- Build a Website Accessibility Tester With JavaScript & Pa11y (YouTube)
If you have more links that could help, please do not hesitate to mention them in the comments.