Poland Adds Digital Accessibility Educator to Integrated Qualifications System

Poland’s Ministry of Digital Affairs published an official announcement on 3 November 2025 in the official gazette Monitor Polski (Item 1137), formalising the inclusion of the market qualification "Educating in the field of digital accessibility" (Edukowanie w obszarze dostępności cyfrowej) into the Integrated Qualifications System. The announcement was issued on 18 October 2025 under the Act of 22 December 2015 on the Integrated Qualifications System.

The qualification has been assigned to Level 5 of the Polish Qualifications Framework (PRK).

Scope of Learning Outcomes

A qualified individual is prepared to deliver digital accessibility education through in-person, remote, and hybrid formats, such as training sessions, workshops, lectures, and webinars. The required learning outcomes are divided into three core sets:

1. Knowledge of digital accessibility and specific needs: Characterising medical and social aspects of visual, hearing, motor, and cognitive limitations; age-related limitations; neurodegenerative conditions (such as dementia, Parkinson's, or Alzheimer's); and specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia). It also covers Polish and European Union accessibility legal frameworks, ISO standards, copyright rules, open licensing, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
2. Digital accessibility tools and implementation: Covering the structure of accessible websites and mobile applications (including HTML semantics, ARIA concepts, UX/UI, and accessibility statements); operating and demonstrating assistive technologies (screen readers, braille displays, system magnification tools, and keyboard-only navigation); creating accessible office spreadsheets, graphics, and accessible PDF documents; implementing multimedia accessibility (captions, audio description, transcripts, and live speech-to-text); plain language principles; and accessible digital communication.
3. Designing and conducting educational services: Preparing lesson scenarios, tailoring teaching methods and materials to cognitive capabilities, administering pre- and post-tests, and developing accessible teaching aids compliant with WCAG and universal design.

Validation and Examiner Requirements

Validation methods comprise a knowledge test, observation in simulated conditions, an interview with an examination board, and analysis of evidence and declarations. Validation must be accessible to candidates with disabilities and may be held on-site, remotely, or in a hybrid format.

The validation commission consists of at least three members who each hold a master's degree (second-cycle or integrated master's degree). The board must include:

• One member with documented experience of conducting at least 500 hours of independent digital accessibility training within the last 5 years;
• One member with at least 10 years of pedagogical experience supporting persons with disabilities, gained within the last 15 years;
• One member with documented experience conducting at least 10 digital accessibility audits of websites or digital documents within the last 3 years.

Eligibility and Certification

There are no prerequisites required to attempt validation. However, to formally obtain the market qualification following successful validation, candidates must hold at least a bachelor’s or engineer’s degree (first-cycle studies) and show documented delivery of at least 360 teaching or training hours in digital accessibility within the 3 years preceding validation.

The resulting qualification certificate is valid for 5 years. It can be renewed by passing a knowledge test covering current digital accessibility technologies and applicable Polish and European Union accessibility legal regulations. The qualification is subject to periodic review at least once every 10 years.

Full text of the announcement: Monitor Polski 2025 poz. 1137