Your child uses a screen reader due to visual impairment. The expensive educational platform you purchased reads button labels as "button 1, button 2, button 3" instead of "submit quiz, next question, get hint." Completely useless.

What accessibility mistakes happen most often?

Missing alternative text for images tops the list. Screen readers encounter pictures and say nothing, leaving visually impaired students confused about diagram-based questions. Developers also forget proper heading structure, making navigation impossible for students who jump between sections using assistive technology. Color-only indicators fail students with color blindness—red/green coding for correct/incorrect answers becomes meaningless.

Why do interactive elements break with keyboards?

Many developers only test with mouse clicks. Students who can't use mice due to motor difficulties rely entirely on keyboard navigation. Tab key should move between clickable elements in logical order. Enter or space should activate buttons. Custom interactive exercises often trap keyboard focus or skip elements entirely, making completion impossible without a mouse.

Are video captions legally required?

In many jurisdictions, yes. Beyond legal requirements, captions help students with hearing differences, English language learners, and anyone in noisy environments. Yet developers frequently upload videos without captions, or use auto-generated captions filled with errors that change meanings completely.

How do busy animations affect learning?

Students with attention difficulties or sensory processing differences can't focus with constant movement. Autoplay videos, spinning graphics, and animated backgrounds create overwhelming environments. Proper design includes pause controls and respects prefers-reduced-motion settings. Most educational sites ignore these considerations entirely, assuming all students process information identically.