EdX Accessibility and Usability Information

Date evaluated: 7/16/26
Report date: 7/17/26

Overview

The Center for UX evaluates digital content using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1, Levels A and AA as our technical standard, using both manual and automated testing methods.

Our manual testing methods include:

• checking for keyboard and screen reader support
• reflow at high levels of magnification
• accessible video and audio content
• sufficient color contrast 

We may also identify usability barriers.

This evaluation is not comprehensive and should not be used as a replacement for internal quality assurance of a product. We find patterns of accessibility barriers and show examples of the types of barriers we find.

For more about WCAG conformance, refer to Understanding Conformance Levels from the W3C.

Get Help

• For help with accessibility barriers, contact accessibility@edx.org. 
• For general assistance related to WisconsinX (EdX) courses, please contact the WisconsinX Service Team at edxadmins@dcs.wisc.edu.
• For general technical or browser assistance, contact the DoIT Help Desk. Reach the Help Desk by phone at 608.264.4357, email at help@doit.wisc.edu or visit their HelpDesk KnowledgeBase.

Test conditions

• Device: MacBook Pro 16
• Operating system: Tahoe 26.5.2
• Web browser: Chrome
• Screen reader: VoiceOver

Elements tested

1. Landing page of a course (course used was Introduction to Transferable Skills)
2. EdX Xpert AI assistant
3. Course content translator

Barriers found in testing

1. Landing page of a course

1.1 Barrier: Missing label in the field "What do you want to learn?"

Relevant WCAG criteria: 

• Use headings and labels, WCAG 2.4.6
• Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text, WCAG 1.3.1

1.2 Barrier: Poor keyboard navigation

Keyboard focus often lacks acceptable color contrast. Keyboard focus also sometimes disappears. Keyboard navigation at the large footer menu completely lacks keyboard focus. At the top of the footer menu, there is no skip link to the "choose your language" selection or an HTML landmark that would allow a keyboard user to navigate without having the tab through an exceptional number of links.

Relevant WCAG criteria:

• Provide sufficient contrast between content and its background, WCAG 1.4.3
• Everything can be done with a keyboard, WCAG 2.1.1

1.3 Barrier: Skipped heading

Relevant WCAG criteria:

• Use headings and labels, WCAG 2.4.6
• Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text, WCAG 1.3.1

2. EdX Xpert AI assistant

2.1 Barrier: Missing form label

Relevant WCAG criteria:

• Use headings and labels, WCAG 2.4.6
• Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text, WCAG 1.3.1

3. Course content translation

3.1 Barrier: Keyboard focus indicator missing lower bound for all language options

Relevant WCAG criteria: 

• Any keyboard operable user interface has a mode of operation where the keyboard focus indicator is visible, WCAG 2.4.7

3.2 Barrier: Keyboard focus indicator missing

Relevant WCAG criteria: 

• Any keyboard operable user interface has a mode of operation where the keyboard focus indicator is visible, WCAG 2.4.7

3.3 Barrier: Keyboard navigation broken

The "Disclaimer" link, which opens a side panel, is operable by mouse only.

Relevant WCAG criteria:

• Everything can be done with a keyboard, WCAG 2.1.1