Why Digital Accessibility and Inclusion Can’t Be Ignored in Hospitals, Clinics, and Education

Why Digital Accessibility Matters in Healthcare and Education

Hospitals, clinics and educational institutions increasingly rely on websites, portals, applications and digital resources to communicate with the people they serve.

When those digital services contain accessibility barriers, some patients, students, families and staff may find it difficult to access information or complete important tasks.

Digital accessibility is therefore an important part of creating services that are more usable, understandable and inclusive.

At TechDefined, we support organisations by identifying accessibility barriers observed during testing and providing practical recommendations within the agreed testing scope.

Accessibility in Healthcare Supports Safety and Independence

Healthcare websites and digital systems may be used to:

• book appointments
• access patient information
• complete medical forms
• review test results
• watch health-related videos
• locate clinics and services
• contact healthcare providers

Accessibility barriers in these areas can make it harder for people to access essential information or manage parts of their healthcare independently.

For example, a person using a screen reader may have difficulty completing a form when fields are not labelled clearly.

A person who is deaf or hard of hearing may miss important information when a medical video does not include captions.

A person with a cognitive or learning disability may find a complex patient portal difficult to understand or navigate.

Addressing these barriers can support clearer communication and more usable healthcare experiences.

Examples of More Accessible Healthcare Design

Healthcare providers can consider improvements such as:

• clear and descriptive headings
• properly labelled form fields
• keyboard-accessible booking systems
• meaningful link text
• suitable colour contrast
• captions and transcripts for video content
• plain-language information
• useful alternative text for relevant images
• clear error messages and instructions
• compatibility with assistive technologies

The specific improvements required will depend on the website, application, content and user journeys included in the agreed testing scope.

Inclusive Education Can Support Participation

Educational institutions use digital systems for lessons, assessments, communication, registration and student support.

When learning platforms and online resources contain accessibility barriers, some students may experience difficulty accessing course content or completing academic tasks.

These barriers may affect students with:

• visual impairments
• hearing impairments
• mobility-related access needs
• cognitive disabilities
• learning disabilities
• temporary injuries
• situational access needs

Improving digital accessibility can support a wider range of students in navigating learning environments and accessing educational materials.

Examples of More Accessible Learning Resources

Schools, universities and training providers can consider:

• screen-reader-compatible learning platforms
• captions and transcripts for recorded content
• alternative text for meaningful images
• accessible documents and presentations
• suitable colour contrast
• clear and consistent navigation
• keyboard-accessible interactive content
• readable typography and spacing
• descriptive links and instructions
• multiple ways to understand important information

These practices can support clearer and more flexible learning experiences.

Accessibility Is an Ongoing Responsibility

Digital accessibility should not be treated only as a final check before a website or application is launched.

It should be considered throughout:

• planning
• design
• content creation
• development
• testing
• procurement
• maintenance
• future updates

Healthcare and educational services change over time. New pages, forms, videos and digital features can introduce new barriers.

For this reason, accessibility benefits from regular review and ongoing attention.

Starting With an Accessibility Assessment

An accessibility assessment can help an organisation understand where barriers may exist and which areas may require improvement.

Testing may include agreed pages, components and user journeys such as:

• appointment booking
• patient registration
• student enrolment
• online learning
• document access
• contact forms
• account login
• information search
• video and media content

The assessment scope should be agreed before testing begins so the organisation understands which areas are being reviewed.

How TechDefined Supports Healthcare and Education Providers

TechDefined provides digital accessibility testing and assessment services.

Our work may include:

Accessibility Testing

We review agreed digital content, components and user journeys to identify accessibility barriers that may affect people using assistive technologies.

Detailed Reporting

Our reports describe the barriers observed during testing, affected areas, relevant WCAG references and practical recommendations.

Implementation Support

Where implementation support is included in the agreed scope, TechDefined can assist with addressing identified barriers.

Retesting

After updates are completed, relevant areas can be retested to determine whether previously identified barriers have been addressed.

Team Guidance

We can support content, design and development teams in understanding accessibility considerations and applying stronger practices to future work.

Accessibility Supports Human-Centred Technology

Healthcare and education are centred around people.

Digital systems used in these sectors should therefore consider the different ways people access, understand and interact with information.

Accessibility improvements do not guarantee that a service will meet every person’s needs. However, identifying and addressing barriers can support more usable and inclusive digital experiences.

A human-centred approach considers:

• the purpose of the service
• the people who rely on it
• the tasks they need to complete
• the technologies they may use
• the barriers that may prevent participation

Final Thoughts

Digital accessibility matters wherever people depend on online services for health, education and important information.

Hospitals, clinics, schools and educational institutions can begin by understanding which barriers are present and developing a practical plan for improvement.

TechDefined supports organisations through accessibility testing, detailed reporting, practical recommendations, implementation support and retesting within the agreed scope.

Contact TechDefined to discuss an accessibility assessment for your healthcare or educational digital service.