The WCAG principle of Operable ensures that learners can navigate and interact with content without unnecessary barriers. It focuses on learners being able to navigate and engage with content using different input methods, including keyboards, voice commands, and assistive technologies because they need to be able to participate in their learning as well as see and hear it. (See A Designer’s Guide to WCAG Perceivable Principles, WCAG Understandable, and Creating Robust Learning Content for more from me on the other WCAG principles.)
For learning designers, this principle is critical because even the most beautifully designed content fails if learners cannot operate it. Imagine trying to complete a compliance quiz on a touchscreen device while recovering from a wrist injury. If the interaction relies on drag-and-drop, you’re stuck. For learning designers, operability is where usability meets inclusivity.
What Does Operable Mean?
Operable content is content that learners can control and navigate using different input methods. For example:
- A learner who cannot use a mouse should be able to complete a quiz using only a keyboard.
- A learner using voice commands should be able to activate buttons and links without complex gestures.
- A learner with motor impairments should not be penalized by strict time limits.
WCAG breaks this principle into success criteria that focus on navigation, interaction, and timing which are all areas where learning designers have influence.
Operable content allows learners to move through and interact with learning materials without unnecessary barriers. The criteria are specific to different accessibility needs focused around mobility but all learners will benefit from learning materials that are easy to interact with. It reduces the cognitive load of doing the activity, freeing up space, time, and focus for learning the information.
Key Actions for Learning Designers
Here’s what you can do to make learning experiences operable:
Ensure Keyboard Navigation
All interactive elements whether that’s buttons, menus, quizzes, or something else, should be accessible via keyboard. Learners should be able to tab through content in a logical order and activate elements using the Enter or Space keys. This is essential for learners who cannot use a mouse and is especially important in media‑rich courses where making media choices that reduce cognitive load supports simpler, more navigable interactions (for quick wins on audio levels, pacing, and screen density that make keyboard paths easier to use, see Top Multimedia Principles for eLearning Design).
An easy way to test this is to simply unplug your mouse and try navigating your materials with just a keyboard. If you get stuck, so will your learners. There are many comprehensive lists of keyboard navigation keys and commands for both Windows and Mac that can help you. I usually link to these lists within my courses so all students have access to them, not just the ones with prior knowledge.
What you find might be an easy fix if you have access to the back end of a tool or the ability to assign ‘reading order’ but more likely, you will need to choose a different tool of design a creative work around. I like to highlight operability issues up front in my courses so learners are aware and can create their own work arounds that might work better for them than what I have come up with.
Avoid Time-Dependent Tasks
Timed quizzes or activities can create barriers for learners with motor or cognitive challenges in that they simply might not be able to complete the actions in the time allowed. Time limits also create heightened levels of anxiety for many, many people so if they can be avoided, do so. If timing is essential for example in compliance activities or awarding bodies criteria, provide alternatives such as extended time or untimed practice versions.
Provide Clear Navigation
Menus and navigation controls should be consistent and predictable. Avoid complex or hidden navigation that requires hovering or gestures, as these can be difficult for everyone but especially learners using assistive technology. In team settings, this also connects to collaboration choices and equity (shared authoring and review workflows influence how reliably those patterns are applied across a programme — see Collaborative Tools for Enhanced Learning). Signpost within the text too. I find signposts will be missed the first few times though so if I think there is enough signposting, I usually add another one.
Design Accessible Interactions
Drag-and-drop activities, hotspots, and other interactive elements can be problematic for learners using keyboards or screen readers so choose them wisely and utilise them fully. Offer alternative formats or ensure these interactions are coded for accessibility in your authoring tool. This sits squarely in the role of the learning designer (scoping interaction complexity, setting acceptance criteria, and testing with assistive tech are core responsibilities outlined in The Role of a Learning Designer).
h5p.org has a good range of accessible interactive elements including those just mentioned. In fact, think it may have the only accessible drag-and-drop or at least the only one I’m aware of that doesn’t cost a fortune. Otherwise, offer alternative formats like Word or PDF versions.
Tools to Help
Quick decision tree
Accessibility checkers
I’ve mentioned Microsoft 365 and Adobe PDF accessibility checkers before and while they don’t have accessibility settings as such, their checkers can and do flag navigation and interaction issues in documents and presentations like headings which are vital for screen readers.
Accessibility settings
Many tools, whether software or hardware, will have accessibility settings. Phones, laptops, and desktops will all have easy to find setting s that can be adjusted for individual accessibility needs as do programmes like Articulate Storyline and Rise.
Browser testing
Many browsers have accessibility tools built into them for ease of use, and they can also be used either as is or with extensions and plugins to test navigation and simulate assistive technology. These along with Microsoft Accessibility checks are honestly my go to tools for checking accessibility. They are tools that every learner will have access to even so even if their accessibility needs are temporary and they cannot access funds or additional help; they will have access to those tools.
Why Operable Matters
Operability is about enabling learners to interact with content in ways that suit their abilities and devices. For learning designers, this principle is about creating experiences that work for everyone, regardless of physical ability or device because when learners can navigate and interact without barriers, engagement and success follow.
Making content operable is a practical and achievable goal for learning designers that can start with small changes like avoiding unnecessary time constraints and designing accessible interactions without adding significant complexity to your design process. This creates learning experiences that are inclusive and effective.
Some operability issues might be out of scope for a learning designer, for example, keyboard navigation often depends on the tool’s coding. If you can’t fix it directly, highlight limitations early, provide workarounds, and advocate for better accessibility in future updates so little by little you can make experiences that work for everyone, regardless of physical ability or device. Removing navigation barriers means learners spend less effort on mechanics and more on understanding the content so, as with perceivability, start with small changes small and build. Test your next design for keyboard navigation, review any time limits, and simplify interactions. See how inclusive your designs already are and reveal quick wins to set the stage for long-term accessibility improvements. (If you’re putting an organisation‑wide approach in place this broader primer will help: Ensuring Digital Accessibility in Learning Design.)
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