A11y Roadmap 2026
Digital Accessibility for Everyone
Digital accessibility, also known as a11y, isn’t only for designers, developers, or experts — it’s for everyone who uses digital tools. If you create documents, slides, social posts, videos, spreadsheets, or web content, you already have the power to make your digital work more inclusive.
The Equal Dreams A11y Roadmap 2026 is a simple, practical learning journey designed for everyday people with no technical background. You don’t need coding skills or specialised software — just curiosity and your usual digital tools.
Our roadmap guides you through three stages: First Steps, Platform Skills & Practice, and Deep Dive Creator Skills, helping you build confidence and inclusive habits at your own pace.
Modular & Flexible Learning
Our roadmap is designed to be flexible:
- If you’re new to digital accessibility, we recommend starting with First Steps: Essential Skills of Digital Accessibility before attending other modules.
- If you already know the basics, you’re welcome to jump straight into Category 2 or 3.
This modular structure lets you learn at your own pace and pick what’s most relevant to your needs.
Our Value Add
You can find many free digital accessibility resources online — so what makes us different?
Practical, real-world techniques
We focus on actionable steps you can use right away in your day-to-day digital work.
Lived experience at the centre
Many of our team members have disabilities or access information in widely diverse ways. Our guidance comes from what we actually do daily to ensure our workplace is accessible for everyone.
Accessibility as a culture, not a checklist
We don’t just teach the what — we show you the why through real user experiences. Understanding how a wide range of users navigate digital content helps you build lasting habits and a more intuitive workflow — making accessibility part of how you create, collaborate, and communicate.
What’s Inside the A11y Roadmap
1️⃣ First Steps – The Basics of Digital Accessibility
Start here. This beginner-friendly category introduces the foundations of digital accessibility and helps you understand not just what to do, but how and why it matters — so you can apply the principles across any platform.
In First Steps, you will learn:
- How accessibility works across different digital environments
- How screen readers and other assistive tools are used
- What everyday tools (zoom, captions, voice input) can help users
- How to understand the user experience from various access needs
- How to run simple accessibility checks on your own content
Modules in First Steps
- Essential Skills in Digital Accessibility (interactive webinar or asynchronous e-learning)
- Intro to Screen Readers (in person immersive experience)
- Accessibility Tools on your Daily Devices (interactive webinar asynchronous e-learning)
2️⃣ Platform Skills & Practice – Apply Accessibility Across Platforms
This category helps you put accessibility into action in the digital platforms you use every day — Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, social media, websites, and more.
You will learn:
- How First Steps principles appear inside specific platforms
- Differences in accessibility features between Microsoft and Google
- How to use platform-specific accessibility checkers and tools
- Practical tips from Equal Dreams’ experience working with a diverse team and clients with a wide range of access needs
Modules in Platform Skills & Practice
- Documents (Google Docs, Microsoft Word)
- Presentations (Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint)
- Spreadsheets (Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel)
- Web Accessibility (creator-focused, code-free)
- Social Media
- More platforms by request
Each module includes:
- A live webinar or asynchronous e-learning tailored to the platform
- A hands-on lab applying skills directly in the tool
- Time to work on your own files with facilitator support
- Group learning, using real-world scenarios and shared content challenges
This ensures you not only understand accessibility, but can apply it confidently and effectively in your everyday workflow.
3️⃣ Deep Dive Creator Skills – Advanced Techniques for Inclusive Content
This category goes beyond platform differences and focuses on creator skills you can apply anywhere — in documents, presentations, images, audio, video, and web content.
You will learn:
- How to craft meaningful alt text for different types of visuals
- How to create DIY captions for your videos
- How to write descriptive transcripts
- How to think through accessibility decisions with clear examples
- Tools and workflows that streamline inclusive content creation
Modules in Deep Dive Creator Skills
- Effective Alt Text & Image Descriptions (ID)
- DIY Captioning
- Descriptive Transcripts
- More upon request
Each module includes:
- A creator-focused webinar
- A hands-on lab to practise writing alt text, captions, transcripts, etc.
- Time to work with your own content, with feedback from facilitators and peers
Pilot Run: January to May 2026
We’re excited to launch our first round of sessions from January to May 2026 — and for the entire pilot phase, key modules will be offered on a Pay What You Can basis. This ensures that finances are not a barrier to anyone who wants to build their accessibility skills.
Those with more financial comfort or organisational support are invited to contribute more, helping make space for others who may have fewer resources. This is an act of solidarity, not charity.
Choose a contribution that feels right for your circumstances — no questions asked. Every contribution supports equitable access and sustains our ongoing work in disability inclusion.
Be the First to Know
Fill up our interest form to receive first-hand updates when registration opens!
You’ll get early access to:
- Detailed module schedules
- Registration links
- Pilot updates
- Special announcements
Let’s build a more inclusive digital world — one skill at a time.
FAQ
No. The program is modular — you may join only the modules you are interested in.
Recommended if you are new to accessibility. If you already have a foundational understanding, you may skip it.
Yes. All modules offer flexible participation — webinar / asynchronous e-learning only, hands-on lab only, or both. However, if you’re signing up for the hands-on lab, we strongly recommend attending the corresponding webinar or asynchronous e-learning first, as the lab will not cover the foundational concepts.
- Essential Skills in Digital Accessibility: 2.5-hour interactive webinar.
- Intro to Screen Readers: 3-hour in-person immersive experience.
- Accessibility Tools on your Daily Devices: 2.5-hour interactive webinar.
Modules in Cat 2 (Platform Skills and Practice) and Cat 3 (Deep Dive Skills) include a 2.5-hour interactive webinar and a 2.5-hour hands-on virtual lab. These are subject to change.
Registration for the various modules is opening progressively. Please check our programme schedule for the latest availability.