INCLUSIVE ELEARNING GAME

ARTIFACT TYPE

Interactive eLearning game developed in Canva, featuring a branching “choose your own adventure” storyline that teaches digital accessibility principles through scenario-based decision-making. 

PURPOSE

Empower educators, instructional designers, and eLearning developers to understand and apply key accessibility principles through scenario-based decision-making.

Players navigate multiple missions, making choices that reflect real-world design challenges while learning to apply WCAG standards, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, and best practices for multimedia, navigation, forms, and alerts.

This game is designed to enhance learners’ practical accessibility skills in an engaging and interactive format, providing immediate feedback, promoting reflection, and reinforcing inclusive instructional design practices.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this game, learners will be able to:

• Identify common accessibility challenges in eLearning design.

• Apply best practices for creating accessible multimedia, visual, and text-based content.

• Recognize how inclusive design supports all learners through Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

PROCESS

PART 1: BACKWARD DESIGN

The game was designed using the backward design approach, beginning with clear learning outcomes focused on accessibility awareness and practical application.

The “choose your own adventure” format was selected to immerse learners in authentic instructional design scenarios where their choices directly influence the learning outcome, reinforcing the importance of proactive accessibility planning. 

PART 2: RESEARCH

Research involved reviewing accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.2 and Section 508, as well as instructional design strategies for scenario-based learning.

Sources such as W3C Accessibility Guidelines, CAST’s UDL Framework, and accessibility design literature informed both content accuracy and pedagogical approach. 

PART 3: CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

Content was written and structured around six key accessibility missions, each addressing a common barrier encountered in digital learning environments. The branching design allows players to explore different outcomes based on their accessibility choices, reinforcing understanding through consequence-driven learning.

• Mission 1: The Alt-Text Anomaly – Learners decide how to properly describe images for screen reader users, emphasizing the importance of meaningful alt text in providing equivalent access to visual information.

• Mission 2: The Color Contrast Crisis – Focuses on ensuring proper color contrast for readability, highlighting how design choices impact learners with low vision or color blindness.

• Mission 3: The Multimedia Meltdown – Addresses the need for captions and transcripts in video and audio content to support deaf and hard-of-hearing learners and improve overall comprehension.

• Mission 4: The Keyboard Navigation Nightmare – Challenges learners to ensure all interactive components are operable by keyboard alone, teaching the principle of providing equal access for users who rely on assistive technology.

• Mission 5: The Form Fiasco – Explores how mislabeled form fields and unclear instructions create barriers for screen reader users. Learners must choose how to label, group, and structure form elements to support usability and compliance.

• Mission 6: The Audio Alert Apocalypse – Confronts the issue of time-sensitive or sound-only alerts that are inaccessible to users who cannot hear or process audio cues quickly. Learners must determine how to design redundant, perceivable notifications for all users.

A final “Universal Design Challenge” brings together all concepts from previous missions, encouraging learners to plan inclusively from the outset rather than retrofitting accessibility features. Each mission integrates interactive decision points, immediate feedback, and thematic reinforcement to help learners internalize accessibility principles through meaningful, story-driven choices.

ChatGPT was incorporated throughout this phase as a creative co-designer, helping brainstorm narrative options, draft mission dialogue, and generate accessibility-friendly examples. It also supported refining content tone, ensuring clarity, and validating instructional alignment with adult learning and accessibility standards. 

PART 4: GAME DESIGN IN CANVA

Using Canva’s interactive presentation features, the game was built to function as a navigable, story-based experience. Visual consistency, clear typography, and accessible color palettes were prioritized. Each decision point linked to outcomes that provided immediate feedback and embedded microlearning opportunities. 

PART 5: VISUAL AND INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS

Comic-inspired visuals and superhero-themed design elements were incorporated to create an engaging and playful atmosphere.

Interactive buttons, icons, and animations reinforce the learner’s sense of progression through missions.

A “Hero Score” meter tracks correct decisions, encouraging replay and mastery. 

PART 6: APPLICATION AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

Scenario-Based Learning: Learners apply knowledge through contextual decision-making, reinforcing practical skills rather than passive recall.

Gamification: Badges and progress indicators create motivation and a sense of achievement while supporting formative feedback.

Personalization Principle: Conversational feedback and narrative storytelling foster engagement and emotional connection with the material.

Contiguity & Signaling Principles: Text, visuals, and feedback are placed proximally and designed with consistent cues for cognitive clarity.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Multiple means of engagement, representation, and action/expression are integrated throughout the experience. 

PART 7: ACCESSIBILITY AND USER EXPERIENCE

Given the game’s focus, accessibility was prioritized throughout development:

• All images include descriptive alt text.

• Color palettes maintain sufficient contrast ratios.

• Navigation is keyboard accessible within Canva’s framework.

• Clear feedback language ensures cognitive accessibility.

Testing was conducted to verify that visual and text elements were legible, consistent, and logically linked.

ROLES

Instructional Designer:
Developed learning outcomes, branching logic, and overall game flow aligned with accessibility principles.

Content Developer:
Wrote scenario scripts with the aid of ChatGPT, designed feedback text, and built visual layouts within Canva.

Accessibility Consultant (self-led research role):
Validated design decisions against accessibility standards and best practices.

Quality Assurance Reviewer:
Tested interactivity, navigation, and visual consistency across devices.

TOOLS

Canva: Used for developing the interactive, choose-your-own-adventure game structure and visual design elements.

ChatGPT: Leveraged as a creative and instructional partner to brainstorm storylines, refine accessibility scenarios, and align missions with learning objectives and WCAG/UDL principles. 

Google Docs: Utilized for scriptwriting, branching map planning, and team feedback.

W3C Contrast Checker: Used to verify compliant color combinations.

OUTCOME

This project significantly expanded my expertise in designing interactive, scenario-based learning experiences that teach complex accessibility concepts through authentic, story-driven decision-making.

Key takeaways include:

• Strengthened ability to design multi-branch learning paths that promote engagement, critical thinking, and reflection through consequence-based storytelling.

• Deepened understanding of digital accessibility principles across multiple domains, including visual design, multimedia, navigation, form usability, and auditory accessibility.

• Enhanced skills in translating WCAG and Section 508 standards into practical, learner-centered training materials.

• Increased proficiency in creating interactive eLearning within Canva, demonstrating that meaningful instructional design can occur on nontraditional platforms.

• Improved capacity to apply Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles proactively, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility from the initial design stage.

• Expanded portfolio with a creative and visually engaging artifact that showcases the integration of game-based learning, accessibility awareness, and instructional design theory in a cohesive format.