Designing for Learners Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision
Low Vision & Blindness
Make every lesson accessible, perceivable, and navigable — powered by Mexty AI.
This guide helps you design content that remains fully usable through screen readers, voice, and tactile feedback systems while staying engaging and inclusive.
Quick Wins (Start Here)
- Always include alt text for every image, diagram, and icon.
- Use semantic structure — headings, lists, and descriptive links.
- Replace color-only cues with text or icon alternatives.
- Add audio narration and synchronized transcripts.
- Enable keyboard-only navigation with clear focus outlines.
Prompt to start
“Make this course accessible for learners with low vision or blindness: add alt text for visuals, enable screen reader navigation, audio narration, and transcripts, and ensure full WCAG 2.1/EN 301 549 compliance.”
Core Strategies & How to Prompt
Perceivable and navigable design
1) Text Alternatives (Alt Text & Captions)
- Provide concise, descriptive alt text for every image or chart.
- Use captions and transcripts for all audio/video media.
Prompt: Add accurate alt text for all visuals and generate synchronized captions and transcripts.
2) Audio-Based Learning
- Offer narration for all visual materials.
- Enable learners to switch between text and audio modes seamlessly.
Prompt: Add text-to-speech narration for all text blocks and audio controls for learner playback.
3) Screen Reader Compatibility
- Follow logical heading levels (H1 → H2 → H3).
- Use descriptive link labels (“Go to quiz” instead of “Click here”).
Prompt: Audit this lesson for screen reader accessibility and fix heading order, link text, and ARIA labels.
4) High Contrast & Scalable Text
- Use contrast ratio ≥ 4.5:1 for all text/background combinations.
- Allow text resizing up to 200% without loss of layout.
Prompt: Check contrast and adjust to meet WCAG AA; enable text resizing without overflow.
5) Keyboard Navigation & Focus Control
- Ensure all elements are reachable via Tab and clearly outlined.
- Avoid keyboard traps or hover-only interactions.
Prompt: Enable full keyboard navigation and add visible focus indicators for all interactive elements.
6) Simplified Layout & Orientation
- Use clean, linear reading order.
- Avoid complex grids or nested columns.
Prompt: Simplify layout for linear reading order and confirm logical flow for screen readers.
7) Non-Visual Feedback
- Replace drag-and-drop or timed visuals with audio or text alternatives.
- Use vibration or sound cues when possible (for mobile).
Prompt: Replace visual-only activities with equivalent text or audio interactions for non-visual learners.
8) Voice Interaction (Future-Ready)
- Allow learners to issue voice commands or answer via speech-to-text.
- Include cues like “Say ‘Next’ to continue.”
Prompt: Add voice interaction options and audio cues for navigation and responses.
Recommended Mexty Blocks
- Audio Narration Block — automated TTS or recorded voiceover
- Transcript Block — synchronized text version of narration
- Accessible Quiz — keyboard + audio navigation
- Alt Text Builder — AI-generated and editable
- High-Contrast Theme — dark/light toggle
- Voice Navigation Block — future Mexty voice input feature
Prompt: “Insert Audio Narration and Transcript Blocks; enable High-Contrast Theme and Accessible Quiz for this module.”
Accessibility Compliance (Built-in)
- WCAG 2.1 AA visual and navigational accessibility.
- EN 301 549 compliance for EU education & public sectors.
- FERPA & COPPA data protection for student privacy.
- ISO 27001 & GDPR secure data handling.
Prompt: “Verify this course meets all accessibility and data privacy standards for visually impaired learners.”
Measure What Matters
- Audio playback rate (completion and replays)
- Keyboard navigation success rate
- Contrast and focus compliance reports
- Alt text coverage (AI vs. manual)
- Time-on-task comparison between visual and audio users
Prompt: “Generate a visual accessibility report showing alt text coverage, audio completion rate, and keyboard navigation usage.”
Brand Notes — Using Mexty Colors
- Deep Blue #2D7BFF — interactive elements
- Violet #6A4CFF — headings
- Magenta #FF4FB3 — focus highlights
- Orange #FF8A2D — progress and CTAs
- Off-white #F7F9FC — background
Prompt: “Apply accessible brand palette and verify color contrast passes WCAG AA for all elements.”
One-Click Template
“Make this course accessible for blind and low-vision learners: add alt text for visuals; generate synchronized audio narration and transcripts; apply high-contrast colors and linear layout; enable keyboard navigation and focus indicators; simplify structure for screen readers; ensure WCAG 2.1/EN 301 549 compliance; use Mexty brand palette for accessible contrast.”
