Accessibility at Wooclap: a strong commitment to inclusion

"Every student can participate, even the shy ones." This is feedback we regularly receive about Wooclap, and a testament to our commitment to inclusivity.

It's only natural, then, that Wooclap continuously strives to make its platform more accessible to all users, including those with disabilities such as visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments.

Accessibility at the heart of our approach

Accessibility is much more than a series of features; it's a core value that guides our development process.

Aware of the diverse needs of our users, we are committed to fostering an environment where everyone, regardless of their physical or mental abilities, can fully engage in learning and become an active participant in training.

Wooclap's approach to accessibility is structured around key principles aimed at making its platform perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. This is especially prevalent for the participant interface on which we have made a series of improvements. Today and in the next year, we are striving to apply the same level of accessibility to the presenter interface.

Here are the main principles of accessibility at Wooclap and how they are implemented:

Information perceivable by all users

Wooclap seeks to make content easily and universally perceivable by adding alternative texts for contents such as images and videos embedded by presenters. This means that users with visual impairments or those dependent on screen readers can understand the content presented visually. The platform also adheres to contrast standards and supports resizable text.

Moreover, Wooclap allows presenters to add transcriptions for audio and video files for some question types, ensuring that deaf or hard-of-hearing users can access the information. We are working towards extending it to a larger number of question types.

We strive to improve accessibility for users with hearing impairments. Although Wooclap does not currently support audio descriptions for all media, integrating videos through YouTube, for example, allows access to captioning features.

Operability across devices and input modes

Wooclap ensures operability for all participants by supporting keyboard navigation, accommodating learners who cannot use a mouse.

On the participant interface, the platform is designed to limit keyboard traps as much as possible, so users can navigate smoothly and without the risk of getting stuck.

Furthermore, Wooclap now ensures that the platform works in all device orientations, catering to users who may have preferences or requirements for how they hold or use their phones, tablets, or computers.

Understandable content and navigation

Wooclap can boast one of the clearest and most understandable interfaces on the market.

We use ARIA landmarks and labels to clarify the purpose of different interactive elements, thereby facilitating navigation and understanding of the platform for users with cognitive disabilities.

The logical structure of content, marked by correct labeling of input fields and adherence to predictable navigation paths, allows users to interact with the platform without confusion.

Of course, Wooclap adapts to numerous languages to accommodate its global community of users.

Robust compatibility with assistive technologies

In terms of robustness, Wooclap stands out for its strict adherence to HTML standards and thoughtful implementation of ARIA properties, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of assistive technologies.

This careful consideration guarantees all our users efficient access and interaction with the platform, while minimizing barriers.

WCAG and JISC certifications

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility of digital content for people with disabilities.

Today, Wooclap's participant interface is partially compliant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA, and we continuously work on its improvement. Wooclap also meets the JISC accessibility criteria in the UK.

Our latest improvements in favor of accessibility

The last three years have seen major progress in accessibility at Wooclap. Here are some of our recent developments towards even greater inclusivity:

Promoting readability by abandoning all caps

We have reviewed all the elements of the application to remove buttons that are entirely in uppercase. Indeed, according to Harvard University and other recognized sources, lowercase texts ensure better readability.

A more accessible and smarter Word cloud

A star feature of Wooclap since its creation, the Word Cloud has been redesigned to be more accessible and smarter. A recent update introduces a more readable layout of words, and now displays words in both lowercase and uppercase according to participant input.

This facilitates the contribution of all participants and the interpretation of the word cloud displayed on the presenter's screen.

Improvements in visual accessibility: colors and contrast

We have made significant changes to the default colors of our projected screens, ensuring they comply with accessibility contrast standards.

For example, when creating a custom theme by a presenter, Wooclap automatically adjusts the font color to ensure it meets a certain level of contrast.

Thus, this update not only improves the visual appeal of our presentations, it also makes them more accessible to people with visual impairments.

And many other inclusive features…

Recognizing the diverse needs of our user base, present in more than 150 countries around the world, Wooclap now offers:

• The option to participate anonymously, fostering a pressure-free environment for people suffering from anxiety or speech disorders.
• Full compatibility with screen readers, ensuring that users with visual impairments can navigate our platform effortlessly.
• The inclusion of video questions, aiding those affected by reading disorders.
• The ability to customize theme colors, catering to the needs of users with visual impairments.
• The "I am confused" button, which, similar to participating anonymously, allows introverts to easily inform their teachers if they haven't understood explanations or need further clarification.

A continuous improvement process, thanks to your contributions

Accessibility is as much about the journey as the destination. Wooclap continues to refine its features and interface to meet the needs of presenters and learners alike.

But we have a secret, right from our inception: co-creation with our users. The same goes for accessibility! Many improvements come directly from user feedback. For instance, the inclusion of lowercase in the Word Cloud came from a recommendation by the University of East Anglia, a Wooclap partner since August 2023.

Thanks to your feedback, we ensure that our platform remains at the forefront of more inclusive education. As we update our documentation on accessibility and further our efforts on keyboard navigation and auditory support, we invite our users to join us in this ongoing commitment.

Visit our detailed accessibility resources and get in touch with the Wooclap teams to share your suggestions! We welcome them warmly since we are currently working towards an updated and completed version of our Accessibility statement on the participant and presenter sides of the platform.