The Equality Act of 2010 in the UK marked a significant milestone in ensuring fair treatment for all, particularly in education. As a learning technologist at Cardiff University, I am committed to upholding these principles by creating inclusive digital education experiences. This commitment is not merely about compliance; it's about empowering all students, including those with disabilities, to fully participate in their education.

Accessibility compliance

According to Layman, “the Equality Act is about making sure that everyone has the same opportunities and is not treated badly or left out because of who they are. It's about creating a fairer society where everyone is valued and respected.”

This legislation directly informs my approach to digital accessibility, which is grounded in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and several key principles that align with the Act's objectives:

• Clear and Simple Language: Ensuring content is easily understandable, promoting equal access to information.
• Text Alternatives: Providing non-textual representations of information to accommodate diverse needs.
• Consistent Navigation: Offering predictable and easy-to-follow layouts to support users with various abilities.
• Readable Fonts and Sizes: Choosing fonts and sizes that are easy to read, enhancing accessibility for all users.
• Colour Contrast: Ensuring sufficient contrast between text and background to support visual accessibility.
• Multiple Representation Means: Presenting information in various formats to cater to different learning styles and abilities.
• Captions and Subtitles: Including these for all multimedia content to ensure equal access for users with hearing impairments.

Case Study 1: Ultra Essentials Resource

In developing the Ultra Essentials resource, I aimed to balance readability with professional aesthetics. User feedback on the original bootstrap template highlighted issues with the typeface, particularly for dense content - font sizes were too small and line height insufficient. Consequently, I created a custom theme to control text, colours, and overall design, which not only enhanced professionalism but also significantly improved accessibility.

To ensure compliance with accessibility standards, I implemented several key enhancements:

• Responsive Text: Utilising the CSS clamp technique for seamlessly adapting text sizes.
• Responsive Images and Videos: Applying CSS resets for optimal media responsiveness.
• Optimised Background Colour: Implementing a light grey background to reduce glare, in line with the British Dyslexia Association's recommendations.
• Images: Providing descriptive alt text for all images.
• Videos: Including closed captions as standard, with some featuring retractable text transcripts.

I actively seek and value user feedback for continuous improvement. A recent suggestion highlighted a shortfall in keyboard navigation accessibility—specifically, inadequate highlighting of focus states for links and buttons. Recognising this critical oversight, I promptly enhanced the focus states, guided by the UK GOV Design System's insights on understanding focus state styles.