Testing BSL Content for
Accessibility with Remark!
Improving accessibility for Deaf and hard of hearing customers.
This project shows what’s possible when accessibility isn’t just about ticking boxes. Arc Inclusion created space for our Deaf-led expertise to shape better outcomes for the Deaf community.”
Our contributions
- Expert manual accessibility audits
- Testing against WCAG 2.2 (AAA) guidelines
- Remediation support
- Accessibility consultation
Background
Partnering to deliver accurate, inclusive British Sign Language translations of online digital content.
As organisations push toward higher levels of accessibility, many are beginning to adopt British Sign Language (BSL) content as part of their journey to WCAG AAA compliance.
But simply adding BSL translations isn’t enough — the quality, accuracy, and usability of those translations must be tested with real users.
Challenges
Challenges
To support the growing need of accessibility and testing, Arc Inclusion partnered with Remark!, the UK’s leading Deaf-led organisation for BSL services and training. Together, we supported clients rolling out BSL content using Signly, a low-code solution that enables BSL videos to be triggered directly from live webpages.
Our shared goal was to ensure that BSL content was truly accessible — clear, relevant, and functional for Deaf users.
Our approach
“It was refreshing to work with a partner like Arc Inclusion who genuinely understood the importance of involving Deaf people in testing — not just as a token gesture, but as experts in our own right”
Arc Inclusion carried out a structured User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and accessibility audit process in collaboration with Remark!’s specialist team of native and/or fluent BSL users.
These experts reviewed newly translated BSL web pages for accuracy, reliability, and clarity. Using real-world interaction with the Signly interface, they tested the full experience from enabling the tool to engaging with translated content across multiple pages and flows.
Deliverables
A comprehensive testing and audit report detailing issues with video accuracy, language clarity, content matching, and playback reliability
Clear recommendations to improve user experience and resolve any defects
A final check post-launch to confirm all content worked as intended before being released to the public
This ensured our client could launch confidently, knowing their BSL content had been reviewed and shaped by the people it was created for.
Consultancy work
In addition to our expert manual audits, we delivered on smaller consultancy engagements focused on:
Accessibility overlays
Educating teams on the limitations and negative effects of accessibility overlays, emphasising the importance of investing in long-term cost-effective codebase changes as a compliance solution.
Accessibility statements
Guidance on writing a clear and transparent accessibility statement that aligns with organisational values, legal requirements, and user expectations.
The outcome
Working with Remark! brought not just expertise, but lived experience. Their involvement helped raise the standard of what ‘accessible BSL content’ really means
Validated and improved BSL content across key user journeys
Ensured the BSL translations met Deaf users’ expectations and needs
Strengthened collaboration between technical teams and the Deaf community
Highlighted the value of Deaf-led testing in accessibility workflows
We wanted to ensure BSL content was tested by experts and Deaf users — not just assumed accurate.”
About Remark!
“The UK’s leading Deaf-led organisation for British Sign Language services and training”
Remark! is a pioneering Deaf-led organisation offering BSL interpretation, training, content creation, and community support. British Sign Language is embedded in their day-to-day operations, making them uniquely equipped to assess BSL experiences from both technical and cultural perspectives.
Through their charitable arm, Remark! Community, they reinvest back into the Deaf community via the UK’s largest network of Deaf Clubs — supporting children’s play schemes, youth groups, sports clubs, and over-55s lunch clubs.
Partnering with Remark! means investing in inclusive digital solutions while giving back to the Deaf community.
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