Standard 7b

Review These Explanations

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In online learning, the use of simple, familiar fonts and consistent text formatting plays a pivotal role in creating an accessible and effective learning environment.

According to statistics:

• 15% of the world’s population have some form of disability, which includes conditions that affect seeing, hearing, motor abilities and cognitive abilities.
• About 4% of the population have low vision, whereas 0.6% are blind.
• 7 to 12% of men have some form of color-vision deficiency (color blindness) (O’Connor, 2014).
• In many cases, these conditions make it difficult to distinguish colors.

With the population having such diversity in vision, opting for straightforward fonts, educators enhance readability and reduce cognitive load for learners, allowing them to focus on the educational content rather than grappling with complex visual elements. Moreover, minimizing reliance on color as a primary means of conveying information ensures inclusivity, catering to users with varying levels of color perception. The reserved use of underlined text exclusively for hyperlinks aids clarity in navigation, offering a clear visual indicator for interactive elements. This approach not only promotes a universally understandable design but also aligns with accessibility standards, ensuring that online learning content is accessible to a diverse audience, including those with visual impairments or other disabilities. Ultimately, prioritizing these design principles contributes to a positive and equitable online learning experience for all participants.

Refresh Your Course with These Ideas

General Suggestions:

• Choose simple and widely recognized fonts for course content.
• Maintain consistency in font size and style for readability.
• Avoid relying on color alone to convey essential information.
• Use color for secondary purposes or emphasis, not as the primary means of information.
• Ensure high contrast between text and background colors.
• Reserve underlined text exclusively for hyperlinks.
• Adopt a standardized approach for visual cues in hyperlink identification.
• Modify existing content to align with new design principles.
• Refer to accessibility guidelines like WCAG for inclusive design.
• Test the course on various devices for consistent readability.
• Gather learner feedback to assess the effectiveness of design changes.
• Establish and document design guidelines for future content creation.

Examples

Fonts

(Pennsylvania State University, n.d.)

Hyperlinks

References: 

O’Connor, C. (2014, October 22). Everything About Color Contrast And Why You Should Rethink It. Smashing Magazine.