Course Accessibility Matrix Template

This course accessibility matrix template, designed to help assess the accessibility of courses in the University of Edinburgh’s Learn virtual learning environment, was informed by the WCAG criteria and University policy​. ​It focuses both on the course and the materials uploaded to it, in particular popular formats (e.g. MS Office documents) and aspects of their accessibility which are readily adjustable, for instance formatting of text, formatting of documents etc.​ The matrix takes the form of a series of questions, objective where possible, the answers to which are standardised.

​The use of this matrix can be built into a process whereby a course is systematically interrogated manually to gather standardised data. This data is then comparable across courses and also across time. In this way, similarities and trends can be seen more readily.​

Due to the number of courses at the University of Edinburgh, and the time available to do this work, only a sample are surveyed. ​Courses are chosen at random by someone unfamiliar with the course or the staff involved.​ The survey produces data that is representative or statistically significant; this is not the aim. The courses chosen are ones that students experience so their accessibility is important.

This matrix is licensed University of Edinburgh, CC BY 4.0, 2023, and is informed by work undertaken by the Digital Education Team at the University of York in 2019.

For further information about this work see: E-Accessibility work at the University of York.