What challenges can arise when ensuring the accessibility and effectiveness of agricultural e-learning content created with DITA?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Ensuring the accessibility and effectiveness of agricultural e-learning content created with DITA presents several challenges that must be addressed to provide a high-quality learning experience for all users.

Accessibility Compliance

One of the primary challenges is ensuring that the e-learning content adheres to accessibility standards to accommodate learners with disabilities. This involves providing alternative formats for content, such as text-to-speech options for visually impaired users, closed captions for videos, and keyboard navigation for those who cannot use a mouse. DITA supports the inclusion of accessibility features, but it requires careful implementation and testing to meet compliance requirements.

Content Adaptation

Another challenge is adapting content to different devices and screen sizes to ensure a responsive design. Agricultural e-learning materials may be accessed on various devices, including desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones. DITA allows for content specialization, but optimizing content for different screen sizes and ensuring a consistent user experience can be complex and time-consuming.

Example:

Here’s an example of how DITA can be used to address accessibility challenges:


<topic id="accessible_content">
  <title>Creating Accessible Content</title>
  <body>
    <p>Include alt text for images to describe their content.</p>
    <p>Ensure video content has synchronized closed captions.</p>
    <p>Test content with screen readers and assistive technologies for compatibility.</p>
  </body>

In this example, a DITA topic provides guidance on creating accessible content, addressing the need for alt text and closed captions.