Accessibility isn’t an ‘extra’. It’s the difference between training that works and training that doesn’t.

Why so much training misses the mark

Accessibility in learning is often treated as something optional, a consideration that comes after the content has already been designed, and often only bolted on when someone raises their hand during the session. This approach is one of the main reasons training fails to have the impact organisations expect. When learning is difficult to access, follow, or engage with, people disengage regardless of how important the topic is or how well intentioned the training may have been to begin with.

Most training is still built around that age-old idea of an average learner who can concentrate for long periods, absorb information in a single format, and attend live sessions at fixed, rigid times. In reality, today’s workforce is far more complex. People are managing workloads, fatigue, caring responsibilities, stress, and a wide range of cognitive, sensory, physical, and language needs. When training does not reflect this reality, low completion rates and poor learning outcomes are not so much a mystery as they are a design issue.

Accessibility is about removing barriers, not adding extras

Accessibility is often misunderstood as something that only benefits a small group of learners. We hear it from organisations or trainers who tell us, “We don’t really need to think about accessibility, we have nobody in our team that would benefit,” which is a hugely incorrect statement, whether they admit it or not. In practice, accessible design improves learning for everyone. Captions support people working in noisy or shared environments. Transcripts allow learners to revisit information in their own time. Clear structure, flexible pacing, and multiple content formats reduce cognitive load and make training easier to engage with when time and energy are limited.

These are not special adjustments or optional features to be included as and when. They are practical design choices that remove friction from the learning experience from the outset. When barriers are removed, people are more likely to engage with the content and retain what they have learned.

What happens when training is accessible

When training is accessible, learners have more control over how they engage. They can pause, rewind, and revisit content when they need to. They can choose the format that works best for them on that day, whether that is video, audio, or text. This flexibility leads to deeper understanding and greater confidence in applying learning in real work situations.

Accessible training also reduces the need for learners to ask for additional support or disclose personal needs. Many people are reluctant to do this, especially in workplace settings. Coming back to that familiar “we don’t have anybody who would benefit” argument, it may be that people in your team do not feel the environment is safe enough to speak up. They may have experienced discrimination in the past and decided it is easier or less embarrassing to stay quiet and struggle on. Designing learning that works by default creates a more inclusive environment where people can focus on learning, not on managing barriers or navigating awkward conversations.

Built-in accessibility leads to better outcomes

A common mistake organisations make is trying to retrofit accessibility at the end of the process. Adding captions late, uploading documents that were never designed for digital use, or reacting only when someone struggles places the responsibility on learners rather than the system. True accessibility is built in from the start.

This means designing learning with clarity, flexibility, and choice as standard, supported by tools that help trainers create inclusive content without needing specialist knowledge. When accessibility is part of the design process, training becomes easier to deliver, easier to scale, and more effective overall.

And we mean in-person training too. Another thing we hear often is, “All our training is in person,” as if that means it does not need to be accessible. In reality, that is even more reason to make it accessible. If I come away from one more training session with a giant wad of paper that inevitably ends up in the bin or lost in a junk drawer, all that learning is gone the moment I need it. When materials are not accessible or reusable, they disappear. Making thoughtful adjustments at the beginning leads to better outcomes in the long term.

Accessibility as a marker of quality

In 2026, accessibility should be seen as a marker of quality, not a compliance exercise. Training that only works for some people is not delivering real value. Inclusive, accessible learning reflects how people actually learn, in different ways, at different times, and under different conditions.

At Neve Learning, accessibility is not an add-on or an upgrade. It is the foundation of the platform, because we know that learning should adapt to people, not the other way around. If you want training that genuinely works, accessibility is not extra. It is essential.