The accessibility challenge at Elucidat
Elucidat is a global eLearning authoring platform used by learning teams to create and deliver digital content at scale. Its customers include organisations operating across different sectors, countries and accessibility requirements.
As a learning technology provider, Elucidat recognised that accessibility influenced far more than the technical features of its platform. Product teams needed to understand how accessibility should inform future development. Customer-facing teams needed to answer questions accurately and confidently. Support, marketing and learning consultancy teams also needed to communicate clearly about accessible learning and help customers apply good practice.
Accessibility was already a strategic priority, but knowledge and confidence varied across the business. Staff were concerned about interpreting WCAG correctly, particularly where the standards were technical, open to interpretation or difficult to apply within an eLearning authoring tool.
This created uncertainty in customer conversations and placed pressure on the people with the greatest accessibility knowledge. Elucidat needed a practical approach that would build shared confidence across teams and turn accessibility knowledge into meaningful improvements for customers.
What Elucidat needed
Elucidat needed an approach that could support people with different roles, responsibilities and levels of technical experience.
The organisation needed to:
- build awareness of digital accessibility across the business
- help teams understand how WCAG applies to eLearning
- increase confidence in customer conversations
- give product teams clearer insight into accessibility priorities
- improve customer guidance and support resources
- create opportunities for teams to apply accessibility knowledge together
- translate training into practical actions and accountable improvements.
Starting with digital accessibility training
The project began with a digital accessibility training session designed to create awareness and establish a common starting point.
The session introduced the importance of accessibility, the barriers disabled learners can experience and the responsibilities of a global learning technology provider. It also helped teams recognise how accessibility connected with Elucidat’s product, customer service, communications and business priorities.
This early training created momentum and helped identify where deeper capability was needed. It gave participants a shared language for accessibility and prepared the ground for more detailed learning through the DALC Programme.
The DALC Programme, tailored training and consultancy solution
Following the initial training, a cross-functional group enrolled in the Designing Accessible Learning Content Programme.
Participants came from Customer Onboarding, Learning Consultancy, Marketing, Support and Product. This ensured that accessibility knowledge was developed across teams responsible for building the platform, supporting customers and communicating Elucidat’s approach.
The seven-module DALC Programme translated all 86 WCAG 2.2 success criteria into practical guidance for digital learning. Rather than approaching WCAG as a purely technical standard, the programme helped participants understand how the criteria affected content design, interaction, multimedia, navigation, testing and the learner experience.
Examples from Elucidat were included alongside examples from other authoring tools. eLaHub worked with an Elucidat frontend developer to identify relevant product features and create guidance that connected directly with the platform.
The asynchronous programme was supported by a dedicated community learning forum. Participants used the forum to ask questions, share insights and capture practical ideas as they progressed. eLaHub provided expert responses and consultancy support where more complex questions arose.
The programme was followed by a tailored Accessibility Masterclass. This brought DALC participants together with colleagues from Sales and Customer Success who had not completed the full programme.
The workshop focused on real accessibility questions raised in customer conversations. Participants applied their DALC knowledge, discussed possible responses and identified where additional action or guidance was required. Questions that could not be resolved during the session were captured and addressed through follow-up consultancy.
Turning accessibility knowledge into business action
Elucidat did not wait until the programme had finished before applying what teams were learning.
Participants created a shared action plan and recorded ideas as they worked through the modules. Responsibilities were assigned across departments so that insights could be converted into practical changes.
The existing accessibility statement was rewritten in a clearer and more authentic voice. The revised version reflected Elucidat’s values and gave customers more useful information about the company’s approach.
The team also reviewed its Accessibility Conformance Report, aligning it more closely with product developments and improving how accessibility information was communicated.
Product teams identified improvements for the roadmap. Support teams revised accessibility-related Help Centre content, while customer-facing colleagues developed greater confidence in advising customers.
Elucidat also created a free showcase module demonstrating how accessible content could be designed within the platform. This gave customers a practical example they could explore and use to inform their own work.
The learning forum supported this activity by capturing questions, ideas and actions in one place. It became a practical link between individual learning and cross-team delivery.
Key outcomes and impact
The programme produced a substantial increase in accessibility confidence.
Before taking part, 24% of participants rated themselves as confident or very confident in creating accessible content or supporting others to do so. Following the programme, this rose to 96%.
All participants completed and passed the DALC Programme, receiving CPD accreditation and the eLaHub Accredited Accessible Learning Practitioner credential.
The increase in confidence was reflected in day-to-day practice. Staff became more comfortable discussing accessibility with customers and were better able to explain where interpretation, testing and judgement were required.
Product, support and customer-facing teams developed a clearer shared understanding of accessibility. This reduced uncertainty, encouraged cross-team collaboration and helped accessibility become part of routine decisions.
The project led to:
- a rewritten accessibility statement
- an updated Accessibility Conformance Report
- accessibility priorities added to the product roadmap
- improved Help Centre guidance
- a free accessible learning showcase module
- new internal accessibility training resources
- clearer customer guidance
- stronger collaboration across teams
- greater confidence in responding to accessibility questions.
Tailored support for different teams
The combination of training, the DALC Programme and consultancy support was important because Elucidat’s teams needed to apply accessibility in different ways.
Product colleagues needed to understand technical barriers and development priorities. Learning Consultants and Support teams needed to guide customers. Sales and Customer Success teams needed to handle questions accurately and know when to seek additional advice.
The tailored Accessibility Masterclass gave these teams a structured opportunity to apply knowledge to realistic situations. It also created a supportive space where uncertainty could be discussed openly.
Consultancy support gave Elucidat continued access to specialist advice. Teams could test their thinking, explore complex questions and make informed decisions without feeling they needed to have every answer immediately.
This helped replace anxiety with a more practical and confident approach.
Accessible learning as a driver of customer and product improvement
Elucidat’s experience demonstrates how accessible learning capability can create impact across a learning technology business.
The project influenced product development, customer support, internal training, communications and service delivery. Accessibility became more closely connected with how Elucidat helped customers create effective digital learning.
The work also supported Elucidat’s values of Learn, Care and Share. Staff developed their knowledge, applied it to improve customer outcomes and shared it across teams.
The success of the project was recognised with a Brandon Hall Group Gold award for Best Training Program for Global Accessibility Standards 2025.
Key results
The main outcomes achieved through the digital accessibility training, DALC Programme, tailored Masterclass and consultancy support included:
- accessibility confidence increased from 24% to 96%
- cross-team awareness established through initial digital accessibility training
- practical WCAG capability developed through the DALC Programme
- all participants successfully completed the programme
- improved confidence in customer conversations
- accessibility actions assigned across departments
- accessibility priorities added to product development
- a rewritten accessibility statement
- an updated Accessibility Conformance Report
- improved Help Centre guidance
- a free accessible learning showcase for customers
- new internal training resources
- Brandon Hall Group Gold award recognition.
