Pearson’s Accessibility Roadmap

As part of our ongoing commitment to accessibility, we constantly evaluate our existing products to ensure compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards to identify and quickly remediate accessibility issues.

Our approach to accessibility

Our accessibility team is involved at every stage of our product development process, from business analysis to design and development. In this way, we ensure accessibility is top of mind in everything we do.

Our expert QA team performs manual and automated accessibility testing. This is done at key points throughout the software development process and prior to the release of any new product or content. 

Areas of focus in 2022

  • Prioritize issues that affect student success and remove relevant accessibility barriers.
  • Remediate PowerPoint™ lecture slides and supplemental math materials.
  • Improve accessibility for instructors and the materials we produce for them.
  • Address issues that appear in product VPATs and work to improve coverage.
  • Ensure accessibility of the Pearson+ experience and TTS (text to speech) implementation.
  • Optimize video accessibility by improving closed captioning and video transcripts and by adding audio descriptions.
  • Improve transparency in and reporting on our work to add more meaningful labels and descriptions to input elements within MyLab assignments.
  • Collaborate with external accessibility vendors to bring accessibility to graphing exercises, across multiple disciplines.

2021 accomplishments

  • Launched an accessible Pearson+ experience that includes user registration, checkout and a reading experience.
  • Relaunched a new assessments interface in our MyLab product line to improve accessibility and usability.
  • Implemented a required accessibility training curriculum for all Pearson Higher Education employees.
  • Focused on remediation of issues within our eight key “user journeys,” as follows:

1) Register for a MyLab or Mastering course

2) Access and complete homework assignments

3) Access and consume the accessible eText

4) Access the student gradebook

5) Access the MyLab Study Plan or Mastering Study Area

6) Access the Learning Tools tab or the Multimedia Library tab (both apply to MyLab only and are dependent on the course in use)

7) Access and use videos

8) Access the accessible PowerPoint supplements

  • Developed business processes to remediate PowerPoint lecture slides to bring them up to WCAG 2.1 AA standards. To date we have remediated slides for more than 250 titles.
  • Developed business processes to convert PDF supplements in math courses into accessible HTML, with a focus on Student Solutions Manuals and Integrated Review Guides.
  • Released revamped assessments interfaces for MyLab and Mastering and brought the Lewis Drawing Tool into WCAG 2.1 AA compliance.

2020 accomplishments

In 2020 we tested extensively with assistive technologies, including screen readers. Based on our findings, we made the following improvements for greater usability:

  • Added descriptive text to links.  
  • Improved efficiency of navigation when using a screen reader.
  • Reviewed the information provided when using a screen reader to check for appropriateness and accuracy.
  • Made it possible for instructors to automatically generate an accessible PDF with registration instructions that they can share with students.

Accessibility support

Contact us for assistance

  • For accessibility support, email the Pearson Disability Support team. They are always available to help with accessibility-related issues such as using assistive technology with Pearson products, alternative text requests, or accessibility documentation.
  • For technical or general customer support, visit Pearson Support.

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