Designing for diverse learners

The project aims to produce simple guidelines to support best practice learning material design.

Always…

Avoid…

Avoid difficult to read text. Do not use as all capitals, small font sizes and cursive or script fonts.

Avoid all capitals, small font sizes and cursive or script fonts.

Avoid centre or right text alignment and full justification.

Avoid centre and right alignment of text or full justification.

Avoid complex and cluttered layouts. Do not use multi-layered menus or complicated lists.

Avoid complex or cluttered layouts, multi-layered menus or lists.

Avoid manual formatting text to convey headings, meaning or structure.

Avoid manually formatting text to convey headings meaning or structure

Avoid the use of all capital letters, underlining and italics for heading styles or emphasis.

DON'T DO THIS

Avoid using uninformative hyperlinks and never use ‘click here’.

Click Here

Avoid the use of colour or shape as the only way to convey meaning.

Avoid the use of colour as the only way to convey meaning.

Avoid low colour contrasts and the use of text over images or patterned backgrounds.

Avoid low colour contrasts and the use of text over images or patterned backgrounds.

Avoid using one means of expression, especially when using media or explaining challenging concepts. Avoid unclear or overcomplex alt text.

Avoid unhelpful or overcomplex alt text.

Avoid providing audio and video without an alternative representation.

Avoid providing audio and video without an alternative representation.

Avoid automatically playing media content and forcing control by use of a mouse or touch screen alone.

Avoid automatically playing media content and forcing control by use of a mouse or touch screen alone.

Avoid assuming your content is accessible without testing it

Avoid assuming your content is accessible without testing it.