MoodleBites from HRDNZ Moodle Partner since 2006

Since 2012 we have worked constantly on ensuring MoodleBites courses are designed and delivered with best-practices regarding web accessibility standards.  We have orientated courses based on the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines - WCAG 2.0 (simplified below).

This is important for all our learners, and may be a vital factor for organisations considering licensing the MoodleBites for Teachers courses onto their own Moodle servers.  We aim for AA and where possible AAA success in all four of the following Principles:

• Perceivable
  • Provide text alternatives for non-text content.
  • Provide captions and other alternatives for multimedia.
  • Create content that can be presented in different ways, including by assistive technologies, without losing meaning.
  • Make it easier for users to see and hear content.
• Operable
  • Make all functionality available from a keyboard.
  • Give users enough time to read and use content.
  • Do not use content that causes seizures.
  • Help users navigate and find content.
• Understandable
  • Make text readable and understandable.
  • Make content appear and operate in predictable ways.
  • Help users avoid and correct mistakes.
• Robust
  • Maximize compatibility with current and future user tools.

Whilst our course designers can apply best-practice within courses, the operation of Moodle itself is beyond our direct control.  There is an active Moodle accessibility group at http://collaborate.athenpro.org/accounts/register/. This group works with Moodle HQ to improve Moodle's accessibility.

Following is a more extensive break-down of how our MoodleBites for Teachers courses incorporate WCAG 2.0 standards.

WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.1 Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols or simpler language.

Success Criteria 1.1.1 Non-text Content. All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose, except for the situations listed. (Level A)

Our statement: All images have alternative text (using the Alternate text HTML code).

WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.2 Provide alternatives for time-based media.

Success Criteria 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded). For prerecorded audio-only and prerecorded video-only media an alternative for time-based media is provided that presents equivalent information. (Level A)

Our statement: All our audio or video content has text transcript alongside the media.

Success Criteria 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded). Captions are provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such. (Level A)

Our statement: Captions are added (or text embedded) with all our movies.

Success Criteria 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded). An alternative for time-based media or audio description of the prerecorded video content is provided for synchronized media. (Level A)

Our statement: All movies included in our courses have a text transcript available along with the resource.

Success Criteria 1.2.4 Captions (Live). Captions are provided for all live audio content in synchronized media. (Level AA)

Our statement: Our courses are asynchronous and do not use live audio or video.

Success Criteria 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded). Audio description is provided for all prerecorded video content in synchronized media.

Our statement: Any movies used in our courses have text descriptions.

Success Criteria 1.2.6 Sign Language (Prerecorded). Sign language interpretation is provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media.

Our statement: We do not currently have sign language facilities or content in our courses. We do have one member of staff who has studied a formal course in New Zealand sign language.

Success Criteria 1.2.7 Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded). Where pauses in foreground audio are insufficient to allow audio descriptions to convey the sense of the video, extended audio description is provided for all prerecorded video content in synchronized media.

Our statement: All videos have sound, and a transcript.

Success Criteria 1.2.8 Media Alternative (Prerecorded). An alternative for time-based media is provided for all prerecorded synchronized media and for all prerecorded video-only media.

Our statement: All videos have sound, and a transcript.

Success Criteria 1.2.9 Audio-only (Live). An alternative for time-based media that presents equivalent information for live audio-only content is provided.

Our statement: We do not use any live audio content in our courses.

WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.3 Create content that can be presented in different ways (for example simpler layout) without losing information or structure.

Success Criteria 1.3.1 Info and Relationships. Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text.

Our statement: Our courses follow a linear structure, and use menus and Moodle Blocks to enable navigation.

Success Criteria 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence. When the sequence in which content is presented affects its meaning, a correct reading sequence can be programmatically determined.

Our statement: Our courses are linear in design (although they allow self-directed progress) and feature Lesson activities that provide sequenced content (with menus).

Success Criteria 1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics. Instructions provided for understanding and operating content do not rely solely on sensory characteristics of components such as shape, size, visual location, orientation, or sound.

Our statement: Our content is designed to make sense without relying on sensory characteristics of components.

WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.4 Make it easier for users to see and hear content including separating foreground from background.

Success Criteria 1.4.1 Distinguishable. Colour is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.

Our statement: Moodle has undergone extensive engineering to ensure it complies with this requirement (e.g. quiz answer feedback, new forum post highlight, etc. do not rely solely on colour for effective feedback). In addition, non of our course content relies on colour for understanding.

Success Criteria 1.4.2 Audio Control. If any audio on a Web page plays automatically for more than 3 seconds, either a mechanism is available to pause or stop the audio, or a mechanism is available to control audio volume independently from the overall system volume level.

Our statement: None of the audio content in our courses plays automatically.

Success Criteria 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum). The visual presentation of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.

Our statement: None of the text content in our courses is set against a low contrast background colour.

Success Criteria 1.4.4 Resize text. Except for captions and images of text, text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent without loss of content or functionality.

Our statement: Our courses use standard HTML paragraph and heading styles and can be resized by users browsers without loss. 

WCAG 2.0 Guideline 2.1 Make all functionality available from a keyboard.

Success Criteria 2.1.1 Keyboard. All functionality of the content is operable through a keyboard interface

Our statement: Moodle development has ensured that Moodle is able to be used through a keyboard interface.

Success Criteria 2.1.2 No keyboard trap. If keyboard focus can be moved to a component of the page using a keyboard interface, then focus can be moved away from that component using only a keyboard interface

Our statement: This is part of the Moodle application.

Success Criteria 2.1.3 Keyboard (no exception). All functionality of the content is operable through a keyboard interface without requiring specific timings for individual keystrokes.

Our statement: No specific timings are required for keystrokes.

WCAG 2.0 Guideline 2.2 Provide users enough time to read and use content.

Success Criteria 2.2.1 Time adjustable. For each time limit that is set by the content ... users can ... turn off, adjust, and extend times limits (unless it is essential to the activity).

Our statement: There are no timed activities in courses.

Success Criteria 2.2.2 Pause, stop, hide. For moving, blinking, scrolling, or auto-updating information ... user can pause, stop or hide (unless it is essential to the activity).

Our statement: Users are able to pause, stop, and review any multimedia content in our courses. No blinking or scrolling content is used.

Success Criteria 2.2.3 No timing. Timing is not an essential part of the event or activity presented by the content, except for non-interactive synchronized media and real-time events.

Our statement: There are no timed activities in our courses.

Success Criteria 2.2.4 Interruptions. Interruptions can be postponed or suppressed by the user, except interruptions involving an emergency.

Our statement: There are no interruptions caused by Moodle or the course content.

Success Criteria 2.2.5 Re-authenticating. When an authenticated session expires, the user can continue the activity without loss of data after re-authenticating.

Our statement: Moodle courses allow users to return and continue.

WCAG 2.0 Guideline 2.3 Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures.

Success Criteria: 2.3.1 Three flashes or below threshold. Web pages do not contain anything that flashes more than three times in any one second period, or the flash is below the general flash and red flash thresholds.

Our statement: MoodleBites courses do not use any flashing content.

Success Criteria 2.3.2 Three flashes. Web pages do not contain anything that flashes more than three times in any one second period.

Our statement: MoodleBites courses do not use any flashing content.

WCAG 2.0 Guideline 2.4 Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.

Success Criteria 2.4.1 Bypass blocks. A mechanism is available to bypass blocks of content that are repeated on multiple Web pages.

Our statement: Moodle allows users to position blocks to the side, and also collapse (hide) blocks.

Success Criteria 2.4.2 Page titled. Web pages have titles that describe topic or purpose.

Our statement: All pages have a title that describes the content.

Success Criteria 2.4.3 Focus Order. If a Web page can be navigated sequentially and the navigation sequences affect meaning or operation, focusable components receive focus in an order that preserves meaning and operability.

Our statement: Moodle developers and the accessibility group ensure that page focus is logical.

Success Criteria 2.4.4 Link Purpose. The purpose of each link can be determined from the link text alone or from the link text together with its programmatically determined link context, except where the purpose of the link would be ambiguous to users in general.

Our statement: Link are clearly described in our courses.

Success Criteria 2.4.5 Multiple Ways. More than one way is available to locate a Web page within a set of Web pages except where the Web Page is the result of, or a step in, a process.

Our statement: Activities such as a Lesson may not allow multiple ways to access pages as they are a purposefully sequenced activity. Most of page types in a Moodle course may be accessed via different methods such as menus, Navigation Block, and other links. 

Success Criteria 2.4.6 Headings and Labels. Headings and labels describe topic or purpose.

Our statement: All Topics in our course are clear and descriptive.  Headins and Lables are used within the course page, and with other content.

Success Criteria 2.4.7 Focus Visible. Any keyboard operable user interface has a mode of operation where the keyboard focus indicator is visible.

Our statement: Moodle shows the keyboard focus.

Success Criteria 2.4.8 Location. Information about the user's location within a set of Web pages is available.

Our statement: The menu bar in Moodle provides clear information of the users locations with a course. 

Success Criteria 2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only). A mechanism is available to allow the purpose of each link to be identified from link text alone, except where the purpose of the link would be ambiguous to users in general.

Our statement: All links are described clearly.

Success Criteria 2.4.10 Section Headings. Section headings are used to organize the content.

Our statement: Moodle courses are arranged in Sections, usually Weeks or Topics. All MoodleBites courses are organised in Topics, with clear headings.

WCAG 2.0 Guideline 3.1 Make text content readable and understandable

Success Criteria 3.1.1 Language of Page. The default human language of each Web page can be programmatically determined.

Our statement: The language of a page is set by the user on their own Profile.

Success Criteria 3.1.2 Language of Parts. The human language of each passage or phrase in the content can be programmatically determined except for proper names, technical terms, words of indeterminate language, and words or phrases that have become part of the vernacular of the immediately surrounding text.

Our statement: In development

Success Criteria 3.1.3 Unusual words. A mechanism is available for identifying specific definitions of words or phrases used in an unusual or restricted way, including idioms and jargon.

Our statement: Our courses often feature Glossaries for definition of terms, which can be auto-linked to their use.

Success Criteria 3.1.4 Abbreviations. A mechanism for identifying the expanded form or meaning of abbreviations is available.

Our statement: Moodle features an advanced Glossary system with auto-linking. Abbreviations can be dynamically and automatically linked to full explanations.

Success Criteria 3.1.5 Reading Level. When text requires reading ability more advanced than the lower secondary education level after removal of proper names and titles, supplemental content, or a version that does not require reading ability more advanced than the lower secondary education level, is available.

Our statement: MoodleBites courses are provided for teachers, who's reading level is far in advance of lower secondary education.  Moodle uses an extensive and specific number of words, which are described in auto-linked forums.

Success Criteria 3.1.6 Pronunciation. A mechanism is available for identifying specific pronunciation of words where meaning of the words, in context, is ambiguous without knowing the pronunciation.

Our statement: Pronunciation is not a factor with our courses.

WCAG 2.0 Guideline 3.2 Make Web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.

Success Criteria 3.2.1 On Focus. When any component receives focus, it does not initiate a change of context.

Our statement: In development

Success Criteria 3.2.2 on Input. Changing the setting of any user interface component does not automatically cause a change of context unless the user has been advised of the behavior before using the component.

Our statement: In development

Success Criteria 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation. Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same relative order each time they are repeated, unless a change is initiated by the user.

Our statement: Moodle has a sophisticated and reliable navigation system including a Navigation Block, and navigation menu.  Certain activities such as the Lesson also apply a consistent navigation behaviour.

Success Criteria 3.2.4 Consistent Identification. Components that have the same functionality within a set of Web pages are identified consistently.

Our statement: Moodle and our courses have a consistent approach to the interface and content.

Success Criteria 3.2.5 Change on Request. Changes of context are initiated only by user request or a mechanism is available to turn off such changes. 

Our statement: In development

WCAG 2.0 Guideline 3.3 Help users avoid and correct mistakes.

Success Criteria 3.3.1 Error Identification. If an input error is automatically detected, the item that is in error is identified and the error is described to the user in text.

Our statement: Missing fields, data, or values are clearly indicated with Moodle editing pages.

Success Criteria 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions. Labels or instructions are provided when content requires user input.

Our statement: All our courses feature clear instructions in plain English when user input is required.

Success Criteria 3.3.3 Error Suggestion. If an input error is automatically detected and suggestions for correction are known, then the suggestions are provided to the user, unless it would jeopardize the security or purpose of the content. 

Our statement: Activities such as Quizzes will check the calculation of correct scores to ensure questions 'work', and Forums will not allow a blank subject or content area. This approach is taken throughout Moodle.

Success Criteria 3.3.4 Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data). For Web pages that cause legal commitments or financial transactions for the user to occur, that modify or delete user-controllable data in data storage systems, or that submit user test responses, at least one of the following is true: Reversible, Checked, Confirmed.

Our statement: Moodle uses a Cookie and advises on this.

Success Criteria 3.3.5 Help. Context-sensitive help is available.

Our statement: Moodle has an extensive in-built context sensitive help system.

Success Criteria 3.3.6 Error Prevention (All). For Web pages that require the user to submit information, at least one of the following is true: Reversible, Checked, Confirmed.

Our statement: Moodle uses a Submit button for almost all actions.

WCAG 2.0 Guideline 4.1 Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.

Success Criteria 4.1.1 Parsing. In content implemented using markup languages, elements have complete start and end tags, elements are nested according to their specifications, elements do not contain duplicate attributes, and any IDs are unique, except where the specifications allow these features.

Our statement: Moodle editor enforces correct use of start and end tags, and unique elements.

Success Criteria 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value. For all user interface components (including but not limited to: form elements, links and components generated by scripts), the name and role can be programmatically determined; states, properties, and values that can be set by the user can be programmatically set; and notification of changes to these items is available to user agents, including assistive technologies.

Our statement: In development