While Open Educational Resources (OER) are free to access, that doesn’t automatically make them easy for everyone to use. Many users still encounter barriers. That’s why it’s important to think about accessibility and apply Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles - to ensure all learners, regardless of their individual needs, can fully engage with and benefit from these resources.

Pressbooks webbooks are built to be accessible for all users and are compatible with screen readers and other assistive technologies. To support this, we encourage authors to use clean, well-structured formatting. The tips below can help you maximise the accessibility of your OER:

Accessibility tips

Content should be developed in line with the following accessibility standards:

• Content Structure 
  • Content is organised with headings and subheadings in a logical, sequential hierarchy (e.g., Heading 1 for title, Heading 2 for main sections).
• Images 
  • Informative images include alternative text (alt text) describing content or function. 
  • Graphs, charts, and maps have supporting text for context. 
  • Images do not rely solely on colour to convey information. 
  • Decorative images have empty alt text (if they don’t provide contextual information).
• Tables 
  • Add row and column headers to give tables a defined structure.
  • Include a title or caption.
  • Avoid merged or split cells.
  • Ensure cell padding is adequate for readability. 
• Links 
  • Link text should be descriptive, avoid generic link text e.g. “click here.”
• Multimedia 
  • Provide captions and/or transcripts for any multimedia content, such as videos.

An accessibility statement is generally included in OER

Example OER accessibility statement:

Charles Sturt University Library is committed to ensuring that teaching learning resources are accessible. In accordance with this commitment this OER has been developed with established accessibility standards, including Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, level AA, in mind. Content has been through a testing process, including the use of a number of accessibility checking tools and manual testing.
If you have any problems accessing this resource or any content within please contact libaskus@csu.edu.au and we will endeavour to rectify any issues.

Formats available

For the purpose of accessibility this book can be downloaded in a number of file formats including PDF and EPUB (for eReaders). Download options are available from the book’s landing page.

Accessibility statement adapted from BCCampus’s Accessibility Toolkit, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for creating flexible learning materials that support accessibility and inclusion. It encourages offering multiple ways for students to engage with content and demonstrate what they’ve learned, helping to meet diverse learning needs.

How UDL principles can be incorporated into OER:

• Multiple means of representation: Offer content in different formats (e.g. text, audio, video, images) to support diverse learning preferences.

• Multiple means of action and expression: Allow learners to interact with content and demonstrate knowledge in various ways (e.g. quizzes, discussions, creative tasks).

• Multiple means of engagement: Include activities and examples that are relevant and meaningful to a wide range of learners.

By applying UDL principles, OER can better support students with different learning needs, preferences, and abilities.

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