Towards Accessibility in Educational Resources for Respiratory Therapies

Ensuring accessibility to educational resources on respiratory therapies is crucial for patients and healthcare professionals to access accurate and up-to-date information. However, not all websites and resources meet accessibility standards, making it difficult for those with disabilities to access them. Multimedia resources, especially videos, pose unique challenges in terms of accessibility, but it is essential to develop methods and tools to assess and improve accessibility. This research applied a manual review method to evaluate video content with WCAG 2.1 guidelines. The results revealed that while the most complied with is the “perceptible” principle, with a compliance rate of 34.1%, the AA level, which is the appropriate level according to WCAG 2.1, is not reached. These findings emphasize the need for further efforts to improve the accessibility of educational resources, especially multimedia resources. This research can contribute to future studies and computer applications and help reduce the digital divide. The development of accessible educational resources is vital for promoting equal opportunities for all individuals to access and benefit from such resources, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities. The findings of this study highlight the importance of continuous efforts to improve the accessibility of multimedia resources, which will ultimately lead to a more inclusive and accessible society.