Accessible Content and Material

The Digital Services Act requires that digital services and online content provided by the public sector meet accessibility requirements. The law also applies to some third‑sector operators and private companies.

Digital services include, for example, websites and mobile applications.

Online content covers all content shared online: webpages, images, videos, audio, and files (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, PDF).

For educational institutions, digital services include not only public websites but also student information systems, online learning platforms, and online meeting systems. The law also applies to courses and learning modules located in closed online learning environments.

Today, we produce more online content than we might realize. For example, instructions and learning materials on a learning platform and even everyday emails are all forms of online content. In teaching, online content is most often material found on learning platforms, presentation graphics such as PowerPoint files, text documents, or videos.

Accessibility must also be considered in various presentation situations (e.g., meetings), including cases where all or some participants are physically present. If the content of the presentation is difficult to understand, or if the font size in a PowerPoint slide is so small that it cannot be read from the back row, the content is not accessible.