What you'll learn
- Turn on Storyline's accessibility features, they are off by default
- Write real, descriptive alt text instead of relying on filenames
- Confirm your course can be used with a keyboard alone, not just a mouse
- Fix tab order so it matches what a screen reader actually announces
- Know which checks A11yCheck automates and which still need a manual pass
What's inside
Instructional designers building courses in Articulate Storyline 360
- 01Structure
- 02Language
- 03Audio
- 04Video
- 05Images
- 06Color and Contrast
- 07Motion
- 08Timing
- 09Keyboard Navigation
- 10Focus
- 11Reading Order
- 12Assessments
Frequently asked questions
Does Storyline make courses accessible automatically?
No. Storyline gives you the tools, but almost every setting that matters (the accessibility toggle, captioning, focus outline) is off by default. You have to turn each one on and check it yourself.
How is this guide different from the Quick Checklist?
The checklist is a fast, 2-page pass you run before publishing. This guide is what you read when you want to understand why a checklist item matters or how to actually fix it in Storyline.
Where do I turn on accessibility in Storyline?
File, Player Properties, Other, Accessibility.
I turned on captioning, why doesn't my course have captions?
The Player Properties captioning setting only turns on the feature. You still have to add a transcript or caption file to each narrated slide and each video individually.
What alt text should I write for a chart or diagram?
Describe what it communicates, not what it looks like. "Bar chart showing a 20% increase in customer satisfaction," not "chart.png."
How do I test keyboard accessibility in Storyline?
Stop using your mouse. Press Tab through the slide and confirm you can reach and activate everything.
Are Storyline's built-in quizzes accessible by default?
They handle keyboard access automatically. Custom-built quiz interactions do not, test them the same way you'd test any other slide.
Related Guides
Storyline Accessibility Quick Checklist→
A fast, practical pass through your Storyline course before you publish it, 20 checks, about 15 minutes.
The Complete Guide to Rise 360 Accessibility→
Everything instructional designers need to know to make Rise 360 courses accessible, written for Rise specifically, not adapted from Storyline.
WCAG for Storyline→
WCAG's requirements map onto specific Storyline settings: turn on the built-in accessibility toggle first, then add alt text, captions, and fix tab order yourself, none of that happens automatically.
Alt Text Guide→
Alt text is a short written description of an image that a screen reader reads aloud in its place. Write what the image communicates, not what it looks like, and keep it under about a sentence.
Storyline vs. Rise: Which Is More Accessible by Default→
Rise is more accessible out of the box because its native blocks handle structure and keyboard access automatically, but it has real gaps of its own: drag-and-drop interactions aren't accessible, and button and tab text always renders in all caps with no way for a course author to change it. Storyline gives full control, which means nothing is accessible by accident, every setting and every tab order has to be deliberately configured.
A11yCheck vs. Built-In and Generic Accessibility Checkers→
Storyline's built-in Accessibility Checker (added May 2025) and generic web tools like WAVE and axe each catch real issues, but neither reviews Rise, neither combines accessibility with course quality and engagement, and neither understands eLearning-specific structure. Here's exactly what each tool does well, and where A11yCheck fits.
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