Accessibility is about progress, not perfection.

The Aiming for ALL Collection

Accessibility for all members of schools and learning communities.

Ready-to-Use Activities

Two games to explore the collection. Play alone or with a group, and check the answers as you go.

Ways to Explore

Welcome to Aiming for ALL

Aiming for ALL is a no-cost collection of resources for educators, learners, learning leaders, and every member of a learning community. The goal is to support everyone who is working to centre accessibility in how we teach, learn, lead, and design. Accessibility is a human right. Accessibility and belonging are inseparable, and the voices, experiences, and expertise of people with disabilities are centred throughout, because the people with the most direct experience of barriers also hold the most knowledge about what genuine access looks and feels like.

Every resource here is no-cost. Not every tool or site shared here currently complies with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Building a learning culture grounded in accessibility takes time, commitment, and ongoing learning. Accessibility is about progress, not perfection.

How to Use This Page

  • Start at any of the six places. Each one is a different way into accessibility.
  • Use the numbered bar at the top to move between places. It shows where you are.
  • Select the magnifying glass at the top to search for a resource, tool, or glossary term by word.
  • Links to resources open in a new tab. Each one also has a short link you can share.
  • Select Accessibility and Settings to change the font, text size, spacing, and colours, or to listen to the page.

Who Is This Collection Designed For?

Aiming for ALL is universally designed as an accessibility, usability, and human-centred design hub for all members of any learning community.

For Educators

Aiming for ALL is designed by an educator, for all educators. Use what is useful and come back when your questions about accessibility change.

For Learners

Curious about accessibility? Are you ready to co-design a service project or explore how accessibility connects to global citizenship? Welcome.

For Learning Leaders

Accessibility is one of the most meaningful commitments a learning community can make. You will find resources and perspectives here that can help you move that work forward.

For Human Resources and Community Life Professionals

The way an organisation hires, communicates, and gathers says so much about what it values and how you define belonging. There are tools and frameworks here to help you explore what accessibility looks like at every stage of that work.

For Tech Specialists

The decisions you make shape who gets to participate and have a direct impact on information architecture. The resources here are designed to help you build systems and make decisions that work for everyone.

For Families, Caregivers, and Advocates

You know the learners in your life best. You will find resources here to help you understand accessibility, name the barriers you see, and work with schools as partners so every learner can take part.

Place 1: What About Curb Cuts?

Learn why accessibility matters for everyone.

Also available as: PDF of What About Curb Cuts? (4 pages, 154 KB) Google Doc of What About Curb Cuts? (opens in a new tab)

These resources are from the voices of individuals with disabilities and describe why accessibility matters and what is lost when we choose not to regard it as a human right. The principle at the centre of all of them is:

The goal of curb cuts is not to benefit everyone. The goal is equity and inclusion for the people being denied access. The wider benefits are a consequence of working towards that goal. Let's continue this work together.

A note on geography: the majority of resources here come from the U.S. Each has been carefully vetted. The core ideas are universal and can be adapted for a variety of cultures and contexts.

A. What Accessibility Really Means

Before lesson plans, before guidelines, before any practical tool, educators need a way to understand accessibility from the inside. These three resources ask the same question in different ways: what does it feel like when accessibility is authentic?

The Curb-Cut Effect and Championing Equity (opens in a new tab)

Learning for Justice, Southern Poverty Law Center

This article is written specifically for educators about the history of curb cuts and what they teach us about equity. It tells the story of Ed Roberts and the Rolling Quads, who fought for the first curb cuts in Berkeley, California, and explains why designing for those being denied access always produces wider benefits. It makes the essential argument for building accessible learning environments from the start rather than retrofitting them. A note on authorship: this article is not written by a disabled person, but it centres and honours disability-led activism.

Access Is Love (opens in a new tab)

Mia Mingus, Sandy Ho, and Alice Wong

This framework and resource hub was created by three disabled Asian-American women that argues accessibility is not a legal obligation or an afterthought. It is an act of love and a shared community responsibility. It includes ten concrete ways to start creating access and a reading list on disability justice. This is a grounding place for educators who want to shift how their school or team thinks and talks about accessibility.

B. Disability Voices for Learning Communities

Disability is rarely present in curriculum through the words of disabled people themselves. These three ongoing, disability-led projects, and the perspectives and stories in them, are catalysts for change.

Disability Visibility Project: DVP Interviews (opens in a new tab)

A no-cost, growing archive of oral history interviews with disabled people across the United States, recorded in partnership with StoryCorps, covering disability arts, identity, community, activism, parenting, journalism, and everyday life. Founded in 2014 by Alice Wong (1974-2025), a Chinese-American disability activist, writer, and 2024 MacArthur Fellow. Alice died on November 14, 2025. The project continues in her memory and all content remains available at no cost. For educators, this archive is one of the most direct ways to bring authentic disabled voices into a classroom or community.

Disability Debrief (opens in a new tab)

A no-cost weekly newsletter covering disability news, policy, culture, and activism from over 170 countries, edited by disabled journalist Peter Torres Fremlin and written by disabled and non-disabled contributors. It is a reliable way for educators to stay connected to how disability is understood globally, and a clear example of what disability-led media looks and sounds like.

The Accessible Stall (opens in a new tab)

A long-running podcast in which two disabled friends, Kyle Khachadurian and Emily Ladau, talk candidly about disability, from identity and access to representation and everyday life. The hosts do not always agree, a useful reminder for educators that disabled people are not a single voice. Episodes are conversational and many are transcribed, working well as discussion starters with staff or older students.

C. Representation, Framing, and How We Talk About Disability

How disability is portrayed shapes what students come to believe about disabled people and about themselves. This applies to film and television, and it applies just as directly to classrooms, curriculum materials, and the language we use everyday as educators.

I'm Not Your Inspiration, Thank You Very Much (opens in a new tab)

Stella Young, TEDxSydney

A nine-minute talk by disabled Australian comedian and journalist Stella Young that names and dismantles inspiration porn: the way disabled people are turned into motivational objects for non-disabled people, praised simply for doing ordinary things. Sadly, Young died shortly after filming at age 32. Her talk has been viewed over four million times and is a direct and engaging way to open a classroom or staff conversation about how framing shapes our beliefs and values.

Rooted in Rights (opens in a new tab)

Disability Rights Washington

A no-cost, fully accessible media platform created by a team of disabled media makers, producing video, documentary, and written content by and for the disability community. Every video includes captions, audio description, image descriptions, and transcripts. It is both a ready source of classroom content and a model of what it looks like when disabled people tell their own stories rather than having stories told about them.

Disability Representation in the Media (opens in a new tab)

Purple Goat Agency (UK)

A no-cost guide from Purple Goat, a UK-based disability-led agency, on what authentic disability representation looks like in media and why it matters. It shares how disabled people are too often reduced to their disability, portrayed as objects of pity or inspirational exceptions, and what good representation looks like instead. For educators, it is a prompt to ask the same questions about their own classrooms: are disabled students seen and valued as whole people?

Place 2: Foundations

Learn how accessibility honours our human rights.

Also available as: PDF of Foundations (3 pages, 136 KB) Google Doc of Foundations (opens in a new tab)

Ready-to-use activityActivity: POUR Barrier SortAn activity to identify barriers, sort them by the four POUR principles, and find ways to reduce them.

Accessibility is a big topic and there is a lot more to explore beyond what is here. Focusing solely on technical checklists may be helpful for fixes, but centring accessibility as a human right is what will make learning about it meaningful and (hopefully) ongoing.

Foundations Resources

A. Redefining Accessibility Advocacy: Progress Over Perfection (opens in a new tab)

A blog post by Meryl K. Evans, a CPACC-certified accessibility consultant and TEDx speaker who was born profoundly deaf. Meryl makes the case that accessibility does not have to be all or nothing. The progress over perfection approach encourages people to take small, consistent steps toward inclusion rather than waiting until everything is perfect. A warm, practical, and encouraging read for anyone just getting started or feeling overwhelmed.

B. Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (opens in a new tab)

The full text of Article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which sets out the legal right to accessibility for people with disabilities worldwide. It covers access to the physical environment, transport, information, communications technology, and public services. This is a foundational document for understanding accessibility as a human right, not just a technical requirement.

What about UDL? Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (opens in a new tab) establishes the right of all people with disabilities to inclusive education at every level. The Committee's General Comment on Article 24 identifies Universal Design for Learning as a core approach to making education accessible and adaptable for all students.

C. Web Accessibility Perspectives Videos (W3C WAI) (opens in a new tab)

A series of short videos from the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative showing real people using the web with different access needs. Each video focuses on one accessibility feature, such as captions, keyboard navigation, or colour contrast, and shows both why it matters and who it helps. A great resource for building empathy and understanding before getting into technical detail. All videos include captions and audio descriptions.

D. WeCo Accessibility Resources: Free and Low Cost (opens in a new tab)

A library of no-cost and low-cost accessibility resources from WeCo, a disability-owned digital accessibility company based in Minnesota. The library brings together third-party resources, articles, and guides on web accessibility, document accessibility, mobile accessibility, and assistive technology. Written and maintained by accessibility specialists who live with disabilities themselves.

E. Accessibility Basics (NCADEMI) (opens in a new tab)

This resource covers nine core skills for creating accessible digital content. Each skill has its own dedicated page with clear, plain-language guidance. The nine areas covered are alt text for images, captions, clear writing, colour use, headings, links, lists, tables, and text contrast. A great hands-on starting point for educators and content creators who want to know exactly what to do and why it matters.

G. Glossary of Terms (opens in a new tab)

This plain-language glossary from Make Things Accessible covers the most common terms, acronyms, and abbreviations used in digital accessibility. It is useful for anyone who wants to understand the language before diving into more technical resources.

Place 3: Accessibility for Learning Communities

Discover ways to make school and school life accessible.

Also available as: PDF of Accessibility for Learning Communities (10 pages, 334 KB) Google Doc of Accessibility for Learning Communities (opens in a new tab)

When learning communities design for accessibility across events, spaces, materials, the process of selecting future staff members, and how they design learning experiences, they are designing for belonging.

The resources here cover ten different contexts: accessible physical spaces and activity, physical and health education, arts education, family partnership and advocacy, hiring and interviewing, communication and language, running events, creating learning materials and digital experiences, accessible libraries, and teaching games and interactive media.

A. Accessible Physical Spaces and Activity

The Physical Classroom Environment: Creating Universal Learning Spaces (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

National Council for Special Education (Ireland)

A practical guide to classroom design that considers the needs of all learners, including neurodivergent students. Covers visual stimuli, acoustics, lighting, furniture layout, and transitions between activities. It makes the point, worth repeating, that environmental changes designed for students with identified access needs tend to benefit everyone.

Short link bit.ly/4sHb3yk (opens in a new tab)

Classroom Sensory Screening Tool (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

National Council for Special Education (Ireland)

A checklist teachers can use independently to evaluate their classroom and identify improvements. It gives specific guidance, including a recommendation that between 20 and 50 percent of wall space be kept clear, and addresses lighting, acoustics, temperature, wheelchair access, and furniture arrangement. Designed for primary, post-primary, and special school settings.

Short link bit.ly/4mAFLI2 (opens in a new tab)

Sensory Spaces in Schools (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

National Council for Special Education (Ireland)

For school leaders thinking beyond the individual classroom, this guide addresses why dedicated sensory spaces matter for students with sensory processing differences, how to design them, and how they fit into a whole-school approach to accessibility.

Short link bit.ly/3OfUbkm (opens in a new tab)

Discover Inclusive Playgrounds (opens in a new tab)

National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability

A practical guide to designing and choosing playgrounds where every child can play alongside their peers. It makes the case for genuinely inclusive design rather than meeting minimum accessibility standards, and covers physical access, the play experiences a space offers, the cost of inclusive equipment and how to fund it, and directories for locating inclusive playgrounds. Useful for school leaders and community partners planning or renovating a shared play space.

Short link bit.ly/4tDgPSu (opens in a new tab)

B. Physical and Health Education

A Guide to School Physical Activity Programs (opens in a new tab)

National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability

A comprehensive guide to physical education and activity programmes that include students with disabilities. Covers PE classes, recess, before- and after-school programmes, and peer-to-peer inclusion models. Includes tools for assessing how accessible an existing programme is.

Short link bit.ly/4tEgmzI (opens in a new tab)

Move United (opens in a new tab)

A national network of community-based adaptive sports organisations, with a library of resources on inclusive physical education and adaptive sport. Includes instructional guides, lesson plans, and a programme locator for finding adaptive sport opportunities. Relevant for PE teachers, school leaders, and families looking to move beyond "modified" PE and toward programmes where disabled students are genuinely part of the team.

Short link bit.ly/3QMCmde (opens in a new tab)

C. Arts Education

Leadership Network for Accessible Arts Education (LNAAE) (opens in a new tab)

Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education

A global network for educators, artists, and administrators working on accessibility in arts education. Regular online sessions cover music, dance, theatre, and visual arts, and recordings are available on the website. A good entry point for arts teachers and school leaders who want to connect with a wider professional community on this work.

Short link bit.ly/4vl6igD (opens in a new tab)

D. Family Partnership and Advocacy

Stimpunks Foundation (opens in a new tab)

Stimpunks addresses design, access, and accessibility together, treating them as things that schools and workplaces shape through their environment, not problems for individual people to solve. It is led by neurodivergent and disabled people and has published more than 1,400 web pages of plain-language guides and practical tools. The site speaks to two audiences about access in one place.

For teachers and school leaders: The Neurodivergent Design Field Guide, Pattern Library, and Design Recipes offer concrete steps to make classrooms, schools, and workplaces more accessible. Topics include monotropism, burnout caused by demanding environments, co-regulation, and sensory access.

For learners, parents, and caregivers: Why Sheets are downloadable, openly licensed letters that learners, parents, and caregivers can adapt to advocate for accessibility at school. Older learners can use them to speak up for themselves, and adults can use them together with a learner to make the case for a change. Topics include alternatives to ABA, Positive Greetings at the Door, uniform adaptations, and behaviourism. Each sheet gives the words to name a barrier and ask for the change that removes it, and explains the why clearly, one idea per line.

Stimpunks treats learners, families, and educators as partners in the work of accessibility.

Short link bit.ly/3OwAhRZ (opens in a new tab)

E. Accessible Hiring and Interviews

Attracting and Recruiting People with Disability to Your Organisation (opens in a new tab)

Australian Human Rights Commission

This guide is for organisations that want to go beyond compliance and genuinely communicate that disabled people are welcome to apply and will be supported. It covers accessible job descriptions, how to reach candidates with disability, and what reasonable adjustments look like at each stage of recruitment. It was developed with people with lived experience of disability and includes real workplace examples. An Easy Read version is available.

Short link bit.ly/3OtJ6fu (opens in a new tab)

Accessible Recruitment (opens in a new tab)

Make Things Accessible

This guide covers the full hiring process from an accessibility perspective: writing job adverts, shortlisting candidates, running interviews, and onboarding new staff. It addresses both sides of the process, removing barriers for candidates with disabilities and ensuring disabled people can also serve as interviewers and panel members. A five-minute summary at the top is useful if time is short.

Short link bit.ly/3QgiFdH (opens in a new tab)

F. Communication and Language

Disability-Inclusive Communications Guidelines (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

United Nations

This guide addresses two things. The first is language: how to refer to and represent disabled people accurately and respectfully, and how to use language that centres the person rather than the condition. The second is format: how to make documents, emails, social media posts, and multimedia content accessible. It includes checklists and an Easy Read version of the guidelines themselves.

Short link bit.ly/48niUd8 (opens in a new tab)

Accessible Social Media (opens in a new tab)

A reference guide to making social media content accessible, covering image descriptions, video captions, accessible use of hashtags and emojis, and colour contrast. It addresses the specific accessibility features of major platforms, making it practical for whoever manages a school's social media presence.

Short link bit.ly/4vn4DqC (opens in a new tab)

Plain Language and Easy Read (opens in a new tab)

Center on Disability

Clear writing is an accessibility issue. This resource hub covers plain language (clear, direct writing at a sixth to eighth grade reading level) and Easy Read (one idea per line, simple words, supporting images). Includes a self-paced online course and tools applicable to letters to families, policy documents, newsletters, and websites.

Short link bit.ly/4t6vrtU (opens in a new tab)

G. Events and Gatherings

Making Events Accessible (opens in a new tab)

W3C Web Accessibility Initiative

A detailed checklist for planning accessible meetings, training sessions, conferences, and presentations, whether in person, online, or hybrid. It covers venue selection, technology, captioning, sign language interpretation, accessible materials, and gathering information about participants' access needs in advance. Useful for professional development days, parent evenings, and community events.

Short link bit.ly/4sYcdGF (opens in a new tab)

Conference Accessibility: Zero Project Guide and Glossary (opens in a new tab)

Zero Project

A set of practical planning tools from an international disability inclusion initiative. It helps organisers think through accessibility across physical, digital, and communication dimensions. A useful companion to the W3C checklist above, particularly for events spanning multiple sessions or venues.

Short link bit.ly/41peOxs (opens in a new tab)

H. Learning Materials and Digital Experiences

Making Audio and Video Media Accessible (opens in a new tab)

W3C Web Accessibility Initiative

As more teachers create video content, this guide becomes increasingly relevant. It covers captions, audio descriptions, transcripts, and sign language interpretation: what each one is, when it's needed, and how to create or commission it. It focuses on building accessibility in from the start rather than retrofitting existing content.

Short link bit.ly/4c2BZDL (opens in a new tab)

WCAG: What Educators Need to Know (opens in a new tab)

Montgomery County Intermediate Unit

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the international standards that school websites, learning management systems, and ed tech platforms are expected to meet. This series of articles explains what those standards mean in practice, written for teachers and school leaders rather than web developers.

Short link bit.ly/4sv5mUj (opens in a new tab)

Best Practices for Creating Accessible Maps (opens in a new tab)

Perkins School for the Blind

Maps are a common learning tool that can exclude students who are blind or have low vision. This guide shows how to build digital maps that students can explore independently, using Google My Maps and a browser tool called SAS Graphics Accelerator. Relevant for any subject that uses spatial information.

Short link bit.ly/4t2Tr17 (opens in a new tab)

Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction (opens in a new tab)

DO-IT, University of Washington

A detailed, field-tested checklist for applying Universal Design of Instruction (UDI) across every aspect of teaching: class climate, physical environments, delivery methods, information resources and technology, feedback, and assessment. It draws together UD, UDL, and WCAG principles in one place and is practical enough to use directly when planning a course or reviewing existing practice. Developed and tested across more than twenty postsecondary institutions.

Short link bit.ly/4cel14a (opens in a new tab)

I. Accessible Libraries

IFLA Guidelines for Making Libraries Accessible for People with Disabilities (opens in a new tab)

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)

An internationally focused guide covering physical access, online accessibility, collections, assistive technology, programming, and services for specific groups including children, people with dyslexia, people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and people with cognitive disabilities. A useful framework for school leaders overseeing library development.

Short link bit.ly/48BhcF2 (opens in a new tab)

Children and Teens with Disabilities (opens in a new tab)

American Library Association

A toolkit for library professionals creating accessible environments for young people with disabilities. Covers legal rights, educational accommodations, and the many ways children and teens with disabilities engage with library services. Useful for making the case that the school library should be a genuinely inclusive space.

Short link bit.ly/4cAcNEP (opens in a new tab)

J. Gaming and Interactive Media

Accessibility Reference Guides (opens in a new tab)

Can I Play That?

A library of guides covering game accessibility across specific disability areas: blind and low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, motor, and cognitive accessibility. Written by disabled players and reviewers. Useful for educators teaching game design and for teachers who want to evaluate whether a game is accessible to all students before using it in the classroom.

Short link bit.ly/4vhAZDv (opens in a new tab)

Video Game Accessibility YouTube Playlist (opens in a new tab)

Game Maker's Toolkit

A YouTube series from Game Maker's Toolkit on designing games for disabled players. Four videos focus on players who are Deaf or hard of hearing, players with motor disabilities, players with cognitive disabilities, and players who are colourblind or have low vision. Others look at how accessible each year's biggest games were and what makes the Assist Mode in Celeste special. Useful for teachers new to the topic and for learners interested in game design.

Short link bit.ly/3Q4iUsg (opens in a new tab)

Place 4: Critical Frameworks and Curriculum Resources

Learn about putting access for everyone at the centre of learning.

Also available as: PDF of Critical Frameworks and Curriculum Resources (2 pages, 126 KB) Google Doc of Critical Frameworks and Curriculum Resources (opens in a new tab)

These frameworks and curriculum resources are for educators focused on going beyond compliance. The resources here are built around the idea of doing with, not doing for. They take seriously the question of how we include all learners as co-constructors and honour the lived experiences of disabled people in our curriculum and instruction.

One of the resources here addresses AI in education directly, asking not whether to use it, but how to think clearly about who it serves and who it may not.

Frameworks and Curriculum Resources

A. CITES Framework: Inclusive Technology & Education Systems (CAST) (opens in a new tab)

A no-cost framework from CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology) that helps districts identify and remove systemic barriers to inclusive technology implementation. Aligned to the 2024 National EdTech Plan and the UNESCO 2023 GEM Report on Technology, it covers five interconnected areas: Leadership, Infrastructure, Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, with family engagement woven throughout. Role-specific entry points for educators, administrators, AT professionals, ed tech professionals, IT professionals, and families make it practical for whole-school implementation.

Short link bit.ly/4cGav7c (opens in a new tab)

B. Co-designing with Children with Disabilities (Weavly) (opens in a new tab)

A no-cost, practical guide to involving children with disabilities as genuine co-creators in the design process, not just as participants or testers. Covers how to plan sessions, make the process itself accessible, and learn from what comes out of it. It shows what becomes possible when children with disabilities are recognised as capable, creative contributors, not subjects of design, but shapers of it.

Short link bit.ly/4dFRsLi (opens in a new tab)

C. Framework for Accessible and Equitable Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education (IDRC) (opens in a new tab)

AI tools are already in classrooms. This no-cost framework helps educators ask the right questions before adopting them: who benefits, who is harmed, and whose needs were built in from the start versus added as an afterthought? It is clear-eyed about the fact that AI can lower barriers for some learners and create new ones for others. This resource is available in English and French, and relevant to educators in any country.

Short link bit.ly/47P65s2 (opens in a new tab)

D. Disability Equality Education: Lesson Prep Resources by Grade Level (DEE) (opens in a new tab)

A no-cost, growing library of disability-inclusive lesson prep resources from a cross-disability organisation led by disabled people. Every resource has been created or approved by disabled people. Lessons are organised by grade level from kindergarten through college and by subject area. They treat disability as part of human experience, not as a problem to be fixed. One example from the library: a 9th and 10th grade geometry lesson where students redesign real public spaces for accessibility and share their work in a gallery walk.

Short link bit.ly/4vtQCYz (opens in a new tab)

Place 5: No-Cost Courses

Choose an online accessibility course that is right for you.

Also available as: PDF of No-Cost Courses (4 pages, 175 KB) Google Doc of No-Cost Courses (opens in a new tab)

Accessibility is bigger than most people realise when they first encounter it. It touches buildings, transport, technology, communication, employment, and just about every part of our lives. These course hubs are not designed to cover all aspects of accessibility, but they are all genuinely good places to start.

Course Hubs

A. W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Courses (opens in a new tab)

Digital Accessibility Foundations is a self-paced course for both technical and non-technical learners, including developers, designers, writers, managers, and advocates. An optional paid certificate is available. The hub also brings together courses from providers worldwide. It is a broad and practical first stop for almost anyone.

Short link bit.ly/4mj5KUi (opens in a new tab)

B. Teach Access Courses (opens in a new tab)

Teach Access offers self-paced courses on disability and accessible design for educators across all disciplines. It is one of the few hubs here that also offers courses designed specifically for students, making it a strong choice for bringing accessibility directly into the classroom at any level.

Teach Access also invites young people and lifelong learners of any age to take part in the Teach Access Student Academy, a no-cost learning series for students typically held each February. Register and access the 2026 Student Academy recordings on the Teach Access Student Programs page.

Short link bit.ly/4mw6ndh (opens in a new tab)

C. AHEAD Accessibility Resource Kit (ARK) (opens in a new tab)

The Accessibility Resource Kit offers short, role-based courses on topics including an introduction to digital accessibility for educators, a whole institution approach, developing web accessibility statements, designing accessible course layouts, and disability awareness and inclusion. It is particularly well suited to further and higher education institutions, especially those in Ireland and Europe.

Short link bit.ly/4sugvVo (opens in a new tab)

D. NCADEMI Courses (opens in a new tab)

NCADEMI (pronounced “n-cademy”) offers self-paced courses on creating accessible digital course materials for instructors and course designers in post-secondary education. Topics include document accessibility, multimedia, and learning management systems. If you are based outside the US, the enrolment form asks for a state. Just pick any one. I chose Wyoming because it was the first state to grant women the right to vote.

Short link bit.ly/4mhmfA8 (opens in a new tab)

E. Open Visualization Academy: Accessibility in Data Visualization (opens in a new tab)

A self-paced 3.5-hour course by Frank Elavsky on the Open Visualization Academy, with content updated in September 2025. The course opens with frameworks, concepts, and ethics around disability and accessibility in visualization, then moves into practical methods for making charts, graphs, and data experiences accessible. Topics include the Chartability standard, the four categories of barriers (perceivable, operable, understandable, robust), and a closing chapter on hardware, physicalisation, and embodied data. A useful next step for anyone whose work touches data visualization in instruction, research, journalism, or design. No cost; an optional certificate is available with sign-in. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Short link bit.ly/4dtfK9n (opens in a new tab)

F. GATE Learning on TAP: Assistive Technology (opens in a new tab)

A 22-module course from the World Health Organization's Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE), built around a Select, Fit, Use, Follow-up framework. Modules span cognition, communication, vision, hearing, self care, mobility, and emergencies, with an introduction module for each area and product-specific modules underneath. A wide grounding in assistive products that extends beyond any one setting. Useful for AT specialists broadening their picture, for disability services and allied health colleagues wanting a shared frame, and for educators who collaborate across roles. No cost; available in 18+ languages; registration required.

Short link bit.ly/3RhLx5Q (opens in a new tab)

Adjacent Resource: Inclusive Research

This entry is a guide to inclusive research. It sits with the courses for any learning community where research is happening.

G. Inclusive Research Video Guidance, Global Disability Innovation Hub (opens in a new tab)

A 20-video series from UCL's Global Disability Innovation Hub offering practical guidance to early-career researchers and innovators on conducting inclusive research, with insights from disabled lived-experience experts and fellow researchers. While framed for emerging researchers, the principles travel into any setting where research lives inside a learning community: graduate programmes, doctoral cohorts, capstone projects, design studios, action research in schools and universities, and undergraduate research experiences. The series models centring lived experience, building trustworthy relationships before asking for participation, and treating disabled contributors as co-authors of the work rather than subjects of it. A written companion document is also available on the project page.

Short link bit.ly/4nHtXEE (opens in a new tab)

Which Course Is Right for You?

Use this quick guide to find the best starting point for your context and goals.

Which Course Is Right for You?
QuestionAnswer
New to accessibility?Start with W3C WAI for a solid grounding in web accessibility standards.
Working in higher education?AHEAD ARK is specifically designed for further and higher education contexts and is an excellent practical resource, particularly for institutions in Ireland and Europe.
Teaching students about accessibility?Teach Access is the only hub here that offers courses designed specifically for students as well as educators, making it a great choice for classroom use at all levels.
Looking for a no-cost student academy open to all ages?The Teach Access Student Academy welcomes young people and lifelong learners of any age. It is a no-cost learning series for students typically held each February. Recordings from the 2026 Student Academy are available on the Teach Access Student Programs page.
Building accessible digital content?W3C WAI and Teach Access offer courses on accessible design and development. NCADEMI is ideal for building accessible digital course materials.
Working with data, charts, or visualization?Open Visualization Academy is the strongest option, especially for instructors, researchers, journalists, and designers who use visualization regularly.
Wanting a broader grounding in assistive products?GATE Learning on TAP offers a wide picture across cognition, communication, vision, hearing, self care, mobility, and emergencies.
Holding or supporting research in a learning community?Inclusive Research Video Guidance (adjacent resource, not a course) offers practical guidance on doing research with disabled lived-experience contributors.

All course hubs can be accessed at no cost. Some may require account registration.

Place 6: No-Cost Digital Resources

Try no-cost tools that support accessibility.

Also available as: PDF of No-Cost Digital Resources (10 pages, 437 KB) Google Doc of No-Cost Digital Resources (opens in a new tab)

Ready-to-use activityActivity: Riddle HuntSolve rhyming riddles to find the tools in this section, alone or with a group.
Review and Approval SheetA Google Sheet of all 26 tools, with links, short descriptions, and a column to mark each tool as approved for teacher use. Many schools ask their technology and data privacy specialists to check a tool before teachers use it. Make a copy, share it with your specialists, and keep track of their decisions in one place. You can view it without signing in. (opens in a new tab)

Every resource here can be accessed at no cost and supports accessible learning experiences and environments. Not every tool or site is designed with accessibility in mind. This is a living list. My goal is to continue building a comprehensive list of no-cost digital resources that live on accessible sites and comply with WCAG guidelines.

Accessibility is not just about digital tools. It is about people. As you explore these resources, seek out the perspectives of people who live with disabilities every day, and look for resources that are created by them, not just about them.

1. Access to Visual Information

Tools that reduce the barrier of visual-only content by making visual information available in more than one way.

A. Image Accessibility Creator (opens in a new tab)

An AI tool from ASU EdPlus at Arizona State University that generates draft alt text and longer image descriptions. These descriptions reduce the barrier of image-only content, opening visual information to people using screen readers and to those taking in content through sound rather than sight. AI drafts are a starting point, and a person should always review and refine them.

Short link bit.ly/4uiXRS4 (opens in a new tab)

D. Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA) (opens in a new tab)

A no-cost download for Windows and Mac from Vispero that checks whether text and background colour combinations are easy to see together. Strong contrast reduces the barrier of low-contrast text, supporting readers using small screens, reading in bright light, or seeing colour differently. Meets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Short link bit.ly/3Qwt5pB (opens in a new tab)

M. NVDA Screen Reader (opens in a new tab)

An open-source screen reader for Windows, built by NV Access, a non-profit founded by two blind Australians. NVDA reduces the barrier of screen-only content by speaking the contents of the screen out loud, or by sending the text to a braille display.

Short link bit.ly/4dF8kSq (opens in a new tab)

2. Access to Sound, Speech, and Captions

Tools that reduce the barrier of audio-only content by making sound and speech available in more than one way, through captions, transcripts, recorded audio, and translation.

C. Subtitle Edit (opens in a new tab)

An open-source subtitle editor that can create captions with speech recognition (Whisper), then lets you adjust timing, fix wording, and translate into other languages. Reduces the barrier of audio-only video by giving educators a no-cost way to add accurate, edited captions to instructional videos they create or share.

Short link bit.ly/4dOreWs (opens in a new tab)

V. Vocaroo: Online Voice Recorder (opens in a new tab)

Record audio right in a web browser. No app or software to install. Recordings do not stay online forever, so check Vocaroo's note on expiry times and keep a copy. Reduces the barrier of text-only expression by letting learners share spoken feedback, respond by voice, or add audio versions of written materials.

Short link bit.ly/4tCDGOb (opens in a new tab)

3. Reading, Writing, and Communicating

Tools that support many ways of reading, writing, and communicating. They reflect the understanding that there is no single right way to take in or express language.

T. Global Symbols Board Builder (opens in a new tab)

A web tool for building symbol-supported pages. Pull from open symbol libraries (ARASAAC, Mulberry, Tawasol, Sclera) or upload your own images, then download the result as a PDF. Useful for creating a symbol companion that sits alongside an original text or a spoken conversation, supporting picture-based communication without replacing what is already there.

Short link bit.ly/4tE7klA (opens in a new tab)

G. Helperbird: Immersive Reader for Any Browser (opens in a new tab)

A browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari that adds reading and writing supports to most web pages. Read text aloud, highlight words as they are read, and adjust line spacing, font, and background colour. A no-cost demo is available. Microsoft's Immersive Reader itself is also available at no cost, built into Microsoft Edge (opens in a new tab) (no account required) and the no-cost Microsoft 365 web apps (opens in a new tab). Helperbird brings the same kind of supports to browsers other than Edge.

Short link bit.ly/4ufUETb (opens in a new tab)

H. Accessible Fonts: Atkinson Hyperlegible and Lexend (opens in a new tab)

Two fonts designed to reduce visual stress and support readers with low vision or anyone reading in small sizes or poor lighting. Atkinson Hyperlegible from the Braille Institute shapes every letter to be easy to tell apart; the new Atkinson Hyperlegible Next (2025) supports 150+ languages. Lexend (opens in a new tab) is a variable font with adjustable letter spacing readers can tune to find what works best. The Aiming for ALL collection uses both fonts.

Short link bit.ly/3PXRPag (opens in a new tab)

I. ReadAloudText (opens in a new tab)

A web tool that reads written text aloud. Paste text or upload PDF, DOCX, or TXT files, choose a voice, and download the audio. Guests can convert up to 10,000 characters at a time, and a no-cost account raises that to 20,000. Reduces the barrier of print-only content by giving readers a spoken version they can listen to alongside the original text.

Short link bit.ly/4tACLNL (opens in a new tab)

R. Junia AI: Convert to Plain Language (opens in a new tab)

Paste in any article, worksheet, or passage and choose a reading level, from General down to Very Easy. Junia AI rewrites it in plain language, and a Terms to Keep box protects key vocabulary, names, and acronyms. When learners have access to the original text alongside the plain language version, the pairing can support comprehension and vocabulary growth. Everyone deserves access to original complex texts; this tool works as a companion to the original, not a replacement. It is an AI tool, so a person should review each version before sharing it. The basic modes are no cost; some modes are marked PRO.

Short link bit.ly/4cNFgqS (opens in a new tab)

S. Read & Write Literacy Tools (opens in a new tab)

A toolbar of reading and writing supports from Texthelp (now Everway). Text-to-speech, picture dictionaries, word prediction, and study tools. Reduces the barrier of independent reading and writing and works across browsers, Word, and Google Docs. No cost for educators.

Short link bit.ly/4924TSK (opens in a new tab)

4. Physical and Motor Access

Tools that support different ways of using a computer and moving through a learning space, including with the eyes, voice, or other assistive devices. Physical and motor access is central to digital participation, and often missing from accessibility conversations.

N. ACCESS-ed AUDITs (opens in a new tab)

A set of Excel-based audit tools from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Educators can use them to identify and reduce barriers in learning spaces, routes, doorways, elevators, learning technology, syllabi, and slide shows. Though the tools may appear dated, they contain valuable information that should not be overlooked because of their age. Note: some users have reported that the Excel downloads do not start when clicked. If a file does not download in your browser, try right-clicking the link and choosing "Save Link As," or open the page in a different browser. This is an area for growth, and I continue to search for tools designed for learning communities. Please stay tuned.

Short link bit.ly/3ON178C (opens in a new tab)

L. Optikey (opens in a new tab)

An on-screen keyboard that learners can control with their eyes, a low-cost eye tracker, a touch screen, a switch, a mouse, or head movement. Learners can type, or select symbols to speak out loud. Reduces the barrier of hands-required computer interaction.

Short link bit.ly/4cQaHkg (opens in a new tab)

5. Managing Time, Energy, Focus, and Personal Environment

Tools that support extra structure and control over a digital environment, energy, and time. They recognise that attention and energy take different shapes for different people.

F. Goblin Tools (opens in a new tab)

A collection of small, simple tools that break tasks into steps, estimate how long things will take, turn a brain dump into actions, and rewrite text to match a clearer tone. Reduces the barrier of decision overload and planning tasks independently.

Short link bit.ly/4wzTDqA (opens in a new tab)

K. Morphic: Making Computers Easier to Use (opens in a new tab)

A small no-cost app with a toolbar that makes the accessibility features built into a computer easy to find and use. It also lets assistive technology users use their tools on any computer that has Morphic installed. Reduces the barrier of hidden or hard-to-reach settings on shared devices in a learning space.

Short link bit.ly/41pOeUW (opens in a new tab)

W. Visible: Activity Tracking for Illness, Not Fitness (opens in a new tab)

An energy pacing app for people living with illness. Paired with a wearable band, it tracks heart rate and gives morning heart rate readings and pacing insights through the day. A no-cost research app is also available. Reduces the barrier of invisible energy limits, supporting learners who pace themselves through the day.

Short link bit.ly/3OLqyHG (opens in a new tab)

6. Creating Content That Works for Everyone

Tools for educators, designers, content creators, and communicators who want to reduce barriers in the materials they make.

J. Cap: Screen Recorder (opens in a new tab)

An open-source screen recorder for Mac, Windows, and Linux that captures screen, voice, and webcam, then offers an instant shareable link. Reduces the barrier of synchronous-only instruction by letting teachers send quick video feedback, walkthroughs, or asynchronous mini-lessons learners can replay at their own pace.

Short link bit.ly/4wzdZAd (opens in a new tab)

Y. Silktide: Accessibility Checker (opens in a new tab)

A Chrome and Edge browser extension that scans any web page against 200+ WCAG checks and explains each issue in plain language with step-by-step fixes. Reduces the barrier of inaccessible course websites by helping educators spot and repair problems without needing developer skills.

Short link bit.ly/4u9NgZw (opens in a new tab)

E. Information for All: Easy-to-Read Standards (Inclusion Europe) (opens in a new tab)

European standards for making information easy to read and understand, published by Inclusion Europe. The standards can be downloaded at no cost as PDFs in multiple languages. Easy-to-read information reduces the barrier of complex text by pairing short sentences with clear pictures. Easy Read works as a companion to the original text, not a replacement.

Short link bit.ly/4tGSDyj (opens in a new tab)

A to Z Index

Every tool listed above is organised here in A to Z order. This is an option to support exploration in all categories.

Ready-to-use activityActivity: Riddle HuntSolve rhyming riddles to find the tools in this section, alone or with a group.

Companion Resources

Tools to help you put the collection to work.

The UDL Access & Aiming for ALL Crosswalk

Barriers to access show up in playgrounds, documents, maps, events, theatres, libraries, and games, and every member of a learning community can help reduce them. This crosswalk places each no-cost resource under the UDL principle it supports, tagged with its section part (A to J) and its Access consideration, gathered under Welcoming Interests and Identities, Perception, and Interaction from the CAST UDL Guidelines version 3.0. Use it to see what your learning community already has in place, and to name the access work that matters most next.

Open the crosswalk Download the PDF of the crosswalk

Short link bit.ly/UDLAccessCrosswalk (opens in a new tab)

How to Use the Crosswalk

  1. Open or download the UDL Access & Aiming for ALL Crosswalk.
  2. Open the collection on this page or in the Wiki.
  3. Go to section 3, Accessibility for Learning Communities. The contents there run A to J, from accessible physical spaces and activity through to gaming and interactive media.
  4. Keep the crosswalk open alongside it. Every resource is listed under the UDL principle it supports, with its part letter and its Access consideration.
  5. Use it when you spot a barrier to access. The resources in the collection give specific, actionable guidance for reducing that barrier, including the many barriers that sit outside the classroom.

No-Cost Digital Resource Riddle Hunt

Rhyming riddles that lead to the tools in section 6. Each answer can be revealed on the page, and the printable version has a classic answer key.

Play the Riddle Hunt Download the printable version of the Riddle Hunt (PDF, 6 pages, 167 KB)

Download the Collection

Every section as a tagged PDF to print or share, or as a Google Doc to copy and adapt.

Nothing About Us Without Us

The following resources inform the design process of the Aiming for ALL collection.

Also available as: PDF of Nothing About Us Without Us (2 pages, 122 KB) Google Doc of Nothing About Us Without Us (opens in a new tab)

Nothing About Us Without Us: How Disability Advocacy Can Reinforce Negative Perceptions (opens in a new tab)

This article warns that even well-intentioned disability advocates can inadvertently reinforce the charity and medical models of disability, and calls for language and practice that centres human rights and genuine agency.

Reference Hang'andu, P. (2023, October 20). Nothing about us without us: How disability advocacy can reinforce negative perceptions and discrimination. Includovate. https://www.includovate.com/nothing-about-us-without-us-how-disability-advocacy-can-reinforce-negative-perceptions-and-discrimination/ (opens in a new tab)

Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability, the SDGs and the UNCRPD (opens in a new tab)

This resource explains how the phrase shaped the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, marking a shift from viewing disabled people as objects of charity to recognising them as rights-bearing subjects.

Reference London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. (n.d.). “Nothing about us without us”: Disability, the SDGs and the UNCRPD. FutureLearn. https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/global-disability/0/steps/37575 (opens in a new tab)

Nothing About Us Without Us: Promoting Disability History and Awareness in Classrooms (opens in a new tab)

This educator-focused resource connects the phrase to classroom practice, offering tools for teaching disability history and building inclusive, empathetic learning environments.

Reference Facing History and Ourselves. (2024). Nothing about us without us: Promoting disability history and awareness in classrooms. https://www.facinghistory.org/ideas-week/nothing-about-us-without-us-promoting-disability-history-awareness-classrooms (opens in a new tab)

The Social and Human Rights Models of Disability: Towards a Complementarity Thesis (opens in a new tab)

This peer-reviewed article argues that the social and human rights models of disability are complementary, each playing a distinct and necessary role in advancing the rights of disabled people.

Reference Lawson, A., & Beckett, A. E. (2021). The social and human rights models of disability: Towards a complementarity thesis. The International Journal of Human Rights, 25(2), 348–379. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642987.2020.1783533 (opens in a new tab)

Disability Rights: Nothing About Us, Without Us Examined (opens in a new tab)

This comprehensive overview traces the phrase from its Latin and Polish constitutional origins through to its central role in global disability rights policy, examining how it challenges the medical and charity models of disability.

Reference Langtree, I. C. (2025, December 13). Disability rights: Nothing about us, without us examined. Disabled World. https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/publications/journals/nauwu.php (opens in a new tab)

Glossary by Section

This glossary brings together the acronyms, organisations, and key terms used across the Aiming for ALL collection. Each term is grouped under the section of the collection where it fits best, and terms are listed A to Z within each section.

Also available as: PDF of Glossary by Section (7 pages, 165 KB) Google Doc of Glossary by Section (opens in a new tab)

Nothing About Us Without Us

Human rights model of disability
Seeing accessibility, inclusion, and participation as rights that every disabled person holds, not as favours.
Lived experience
The direct, first-hand knowledge a person gains from living something themselves. The collection centres the lived experience of disabled people.
Medical model of disability
An older way of seeing disability as a problem inside the person that needs to be fixed. The collection moves away from this view.
Nothing About Us Without Us
The principle that the people most affected by a decision should lead it. In this collection, disabled people lead the work.
SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)
A set of global goals from the United Nations for a fairer, healthier, and more sustainable world.
Social model of disability
The idea that people are disabled mainly by barriers in society, such as steps, attitudes, and inaccessible design, rather than by their bodies or minds alone.

Section 1: What About Curb Cuts?

Access Intimacy
A term from disabled writer Mia Mingus. It is the feeling when someone understands your access needs without you having to explain or justify them.
Access Is Love
A no-cost framework and resource hub created by disabled activists Mia Mingus, Sandy Ho, and Alice Wong. It describes accessibility as an act of love and a shared community responsibility.
Accessibility
Designing places, products, and information so everyone can use them, including disabled people. The collection treats accessibility as a human right, not an added extra.
Alice Wong
A disability activist and writer who lived from 1974 to 2025. She founded the Disability Visibility Project.
Barrier
Anything that stops a person from taking part. Examples are steps with no ramp, a video with no captions, or writing that is hard to understand.
Curb cut
A small ramp where a footpath meets the road. Curb cuts were won by disabled activists. They help wheelchair users, and also people with prams, suitcases, and trolleys.
Curb-cut effect
The idea that when you design for the people who are shut out, the change often helps many more people too. The collection opens with this idea.
Disability Debrief
A no-cost newsletter about disability news, policy, and culture from more than 170 countries, written by disabled contributors.
Disability justice
A way of understanding disability that centres the people most affected, including disabled people of colour and LGBTQ disabled people, and links disability to other justice issues.
Disability Visibility Project (DVP)
A growing archive of recorded interviews in which disabled people tell their own stories. It was founded by Alice Wong, with StoryCorps.
Ed Roberts
A disability rights leader who, with other disabled students, won the first curb cuts in Berkeley, California in the early 1970s.
Inspiration porn
A term from disabled activist Stella Young. It describes the way disabled people are turned into feel-good stories for non-disabled people, just for doing ordinary things.
Mia Mingus
A disabled writer and disability justice educator. Her work on access intimacy and Access Is Love appears in the collection.
Rooted in Rights
A disability-led media platform. All of its content is made by and for the disability community.
Stella Young
A disabled Australian comedian, journalist, and activist. She named and challenged the idea of inspiration porn.
StoryCorps
A non-profit that records people telling their life stories. It partners with the Disability Visibility Project.

Section 2: Foundations

AEM (Accessible Educational Materials)
Learning materials, such as documents and books, made so that every student can use them.
CAST
A non-profit education organisation that created Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
CC BY-NC 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial)
A licence that lets people share and use a work at no cost, as long as they credit the creator and do not use it to make money. The collection uses this licence.
CPACC (Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies)
A professional certification in accessibility, offered by the IAAP.
Human right
Something that every person should have, simply because they are a person. The collection treats accessibility as a human right.
Human-centred design
Designing things around the real needs of the people who will use them.
Keyboard navigation
Using a computer with the keyboard instead of a mouse. Many people, including some screen reader users, rely on it.
POUR
The four ideas behind the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. Content should be possible to perceive, to use, to understand, and to work with many tools.
Progress over perfection
The idea that accessibility is built through small, steady steps, and that making progress matters more than waiting for everything to be perfect.
UN (United Nations)
An international organisation where countries work together. It created the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
UNCRPD (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)
An international human rights agreement that sets out the rights of disabled people, including the right to accessibility and to inclusive education. It is also written CRPD.
W3C (World Wide Web Consortium)
The main international group that sets shared standards for the web.
WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative)
The part of the W3C that works on making the web accessible. It produces the WCAG guidelines and no-cost courses.
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)
The main international guidelines for making websites and digital content accessible. They are built on the four POUR ideas.
WeCo
A disability-owned accessibility company in the United States. It runs a no-cost accessibility library written by disabled specialists.

Section 3: Accessibility for Learning Communities

Audio description
Spoken narration added to a video that describes what is happening on screen, for people who cannot see it.
Belonging
The feeling of being a full and welcome part of a community. The collection treats accessibility and belonging as inseparable.
Easy Read
A way of writing and designing information so it is easier to understand. It uses short sentences, plain words, and a clear image next to each idea.
Plain language
Writing that is clear and easy to understand, using everyday words and short sentences.
Universal Design
Designing places, products, and information so that as many people as possible can use them, without needing a separate special version.

Section 4: Critical Frameworks and Curriculum Resources

Ableism
Treating disabled people as worth less, or treating a non-disabled way of doing things as the only normal one. The collection works against ableism.
AI (artificial intelligence)
Computer systems that can do tasks which usually need human thinking. The collection notes that AI can lower barriers for some learners and create new ones for others.
Co-design
Designing something together with the people who will use it, so they help shape it rather than only testing it at the end.
DEE (Disability Equality Education)
A disabled-led organisation that creates no-cost, disability-inclusive lesson plans for schools, organised by grade level and subject.
IDRC (Inclusive Design Research Centre)
A research centre at OCAD University in Canada that studies inclusive design. It created collection resources on AI in education and on co-designing with children.
Neurodiversity
The idea that brains naturally work in many different ways, and that differences such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia are part of natural human variety.
OCAD University
A university for art and design in Toronto, Canada. It is home to the Inclusive Design Research Centre.
UDL (Universal Design for Learning)
A way of planning lessons so they work for the widest range of learners from the start. It offers more than one way to take in information, to take part, and to show what you know. Accessibility is the foundation UDL is built on.
Weavly
An organisation whose no-cost guide on co-designing with disabled children appears in the collection.

Section 5: No-Cost Courses

AHEAD
An Irish organisation focused on access to higher education for disabled students. It created the Accessibility Resource Kit (ARK).
ARK (Accessibility Resource Kit)
A set of no-cost, short, role-based courses on digital accessibility from AHEAD, especially useful for colleges and universities.
GATE Learning on TAP
A no-cost learning resource listed among the collection's no-cost courses, focused on assistive technology.
IAAP (International Association of Accessibility Professionals)
A worldwide professional body for people who work in accessibility. Beth Stark is a member.
ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education)
An organisation focused on technology in education. Beth Stark is a certified ISTE educator.
NCADEMI
A provider of no-cost, self-paced courses on creating accessible digital course materials, hosted at Utah State University. The name is said as n-cademy.
Teach Access
An organisation that offers no-cost courses on disability and accessible design, for educators and for students.

Section 6: No-Cost Digital Resources

Alt text (alternative text)
A short written description of an image. A person who cannot see the image can have the alt text read aloud to them.
ARASAAC
A no-cost library of picture symbols used to support communication. It is one of several symbol libraries the collection points to.
Assistive technology (AT)
Tools and software that help disabled people take part, such as a screen reader, captions, or an on-screen keyboard.
ASU EdPlus
A unit of Arizona State University in the United States. Its Instructional Design and New Media team built the Image Accessibility Creator, an AI tool that drafts alt text for images.
Braille Institute
A non-profit organisation. It created Atkinson Hyperlegible, a no-cost font designed to be easy to read.
Captions
Text shown on a video that gives the words being spoken and the important sounds. Captions help people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and many others.
Colour contrast
The difference between the colour of text and the colour behind it. Strong contrast makes text easier to read.
DOCX
The file format used by Microsoft Word documents.
LMS (learning management system)
The online system a school or college uses to share courses and materials, such as lessons, assignments, and grades.
NV Access
The non-profit, founded by two blind Australians, that makes the no-cost NVDA screen reader.
NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access)
A no-cost screen reader for Windows. It reads what is on the screen out loud, or sends it to a braille display.
PDF (Portable Document Format)
A common type of document file. PDFs need care and checking to be made accessible.
QR code
A square pattern you can scan with a phone camera to open a web link.
Screen reader
Software that reads what is on a screen out loud, or sends it to a braille display, for people who cannot see the screen.
WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool)
A no-cost tool from WebAIM that checks a web page for accessibility problems.
WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind)
A long-running non-profit that gives practical guidance on accessible web content and makes the WAVE testing tool.
Wiki
A website that is easy to read and to update. The Aiming for ALL collection is also available as a Wiki, which works without extra software and on many devices.

About This Collection

My Scope of Practice

I am a non-disabled educator and consultant for schools and learning organisations. My work is focused on inclusive learning systems and Universal Design for Learning, and accessibility is fundamental to this work. I design and facilitate professional learning across many aspects of inclusion, including accessibility. For technical accessibility audits and back end remediation of digital sites and platforms, I routinely refer clients to accessibility specialists with disabilities and to disability-led organisations.

Certifications and Memberships

  • Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC)
  • International Association of Accessibility Professionals Member (IAAP)
  • Licensed Teacher of Students who are Blind and Low Vision, Birth to Age 21 (actively maintained)
  • Certified Educator: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
  • Principals' Training Center (PTC) International School Leadership Certificate

How This Collection Is Designed

The design of this collection is intentional. It centres resources designed by disabled people and organisations led by people with disabilities. Every organisation and designer whose work is featured in this collection was contacted directly. Different people describe themselves in different ways, so both 'person with disability' and 'disabled person' appear throughout. Diverse communities deserve varied language.

The Aiming for ALL collection has been shaped by input from people with disabilities, including assistive technology professionals, and from educators, school leaders, families, and learning leaders. The same commitment to seeking out multiple perspectives will guide how this collection grows.

The resources that inform the design of this collection are listed in Nothing About Us Without Us.

Another Way to Access This Collection

Aiming for ALL is also available as a Wiki, with the same content.

Every section is also available as a PDF and as a Google Doc. Go to Download the Collection

A Living Collection

This is a living collection. It will grow and change. Your feedback about content and accessibility is welcome and helps remove barriers. Email beth@bethstarkconsulting.com.

Licence

© Beth Stark. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 (opens in a new tab). For educational use only. Not for commercial use or AI data training.

Accessibility

This page aims to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, Level AA.

Change the font, text size, spacing, and colours, reduce motion, or listen to the page. The page starts in Atkinson Hyperlegible, and you can switch to Lexend, OpenDyslexic, or your system font. Your choices are saved on this device.

Something not working? If you find a barrier or need the collection in another format, email beth@bethstarkconsulting.com. I aim to reply within one to two business days.

Known limits: Search, settings, and translation need JavaScript, but all content shows without it. Reading aloud uses your browser's voices. Translation opens Google Translate. Linked resources are on other websites, so their accessibility depends on their publishers.