The largest WCAG-proof learning offerings can be found at SkillsTown 

With more than 500 products accessible to everyone, SkillsTown is putting itself on the Dutch map as the online training provider with the largest learning offering that is WCAG-proof. In doing so, we cater to audiences in the broadest sense. Karin Bremer, Manager Product and lead of the content team, is justifiably proud of this achieved success. She tells you below how they handle WCAG guidelines within online courses.Are you at a loss as to what exactly WCAG means? Our Front End Web Developer, Martijn Halekor, is happy to explain it to you in detail.

The importance of good user experience

"With us, the experience of our users is paramount no matter what. This can be seen within our learning offerings and our tone of voice. Inclusiveness, for example, is really a spearhead of our online courses where we take into account that everything we portray fits multiple cultures, ages, and so on. You can see that in images, text, but also in assignments. We want these to be feasible for as many people as possible, which is sometimes quite a challenge! Everyone should be able to feel addressed, every person deserves that."

"So when I first heard exactly what WCAG meant, I knew immediately that we had to grab it with both hands."

- Karin Bremer, product manager at SkillsTown

A term like Web Content Accessibility Guidelines may sound a bit intimidating. Karin says: "It is also quite a challenge to make your learning offer WCAG-proof, but once you know exactly how it works, you can really make meters. It just takes a lot of time, especially with the large amount of training that we have. But, we have that to spare for every user. No matter what disability someone has, even that person should be able to learn about a topic we offer. Inclusion is high on our list of priorities, so also in terms of use."

This is what the WCAG guidelines look like within our content

To clarify how we use WCAG guidelines within our learning content, we would like to give you some examples:

• Images that contain information are given alternative text, so you can also read what the image depicts.
• It is important that hyperlinks to external Web sites clearly reflect the context and content of the destination. This ensures that users understand exactly what to expect before clicking on the link.
• Product formatting is essential. We work with headings that go from H1 to H3, so you can use a screen reader to understand the order of the text.
• We look carefully at the use of bullet points where appropriate, think of numbering when you need to follow a roadmap.
• Our videos are subtitled, making them accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing, as well as those who are temporarily unable to use sound.
• For audio clips, we also provide transcription to text for the same audience.
• We never use sentences rendered in italics, as this can be perceived as unpleasant.

Working on WCAG is teamwork

Going back for a moment to the first time Karin heard about WCAG: "One of my colleagues had already looked into this and I then pushed that research forward. That it is an area of expertise, Karin does not forget. 'Since it is always quite a puzzle because of our diverse forms of learning, partly because of being able to map all the requirements, we work closely with our Frontend Developer Martijn. His passion and expertise make him the right sparring partner when it comes to WCAG. Great teamwork!"

WCAG should be a priority for everyone

Karin believes that everyone should be eager to be WCAG compliant. "Of course, it's super cool to be able to say that we have the largest WCAG learning offering, but that doesn't tally with our ambition to be as inclusive as possible. This is really a step up, and we are proud of the fact that we are not only taking that step, but actually prioritizing it. That also says a lot about who we are as a company!"

Regular audits are conducted for WCAG products by an independent party to keep quality high. "Furthermore, we have regular consultations to test our products for WCAG. This way we can be sure that we meet the guidelines and deliver top quality training. We are proud of the positive feedback from users and always keep in mind that we are and want to remain worthy of our seal of approval!"

Are you curious about our WCAG training offerings?

At SkillsTown's online learning platform you'll find 500+ online training courses for your employees to take. Whether it's improving sales skills, learning a new language, or brushing up on Excel formulas, there's something for everyone in our wide range of online training courses. View the training offer or schedule a no-obligation demo, and we'll be happy to show you!

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