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Whether you are running an enterprise-level business or a small, local nonprofit organization, education translation can benefit your clients.
Unlocking Knowledge Across Borders: The Significance of Education Translation in Diverse Industries
Especially for large corporations opening offices and launching products worldwide, translating educational materials can help bridge the gap for employees around the globe and customers in new markets. Not only does translated material ensure that your target audience has access to the information they need, but it also helps them feel included.
The Value of Education Translation
No two learners are exactly alike. We all bring our own experiences, which are shaped by our culture and the language(s) we speak. Our language skills and our cultural knowledge will affect how we learn and retain material.
Education translation helps to address this issue by providing material in a range of languages and formats so that we can learn in a way that is comfortable for us. Not only does it encompass the process of translating content into another language, but it may also include making content available in alternative formats for d/Deaf users or users with visual impairments.
Despite its name, education translation is not just for educational institutions. We are all living and doing business in an increasingly global world. Everyone, from startups to nonprofit organizations, may need education translation to reach their target audience.
Making educational content accessible in multiple languages? Art One supports education, nonprofit and training organizations with clear, inclusive translation and localization.
Industries That Need to Translate Educational Content
Private Sector Enterprises and Workplaces
- Employees learn more efficiently in their language because they can focus on the content rather than their comprehension.
- Localized eLearning content is flexible so that employees can do training at their own pace in their time zone.
- It is also cost-effective, reducing or eliminating the need for travel, accommodation, and interpreting services for in-person trainers.
- Offering localized L&D content also shows your global employees that you are committed to their success, increasing engagement and employee retention in the long term.
- By translating your existing eLearning content, you can also ensure consistency at offices around the world so that employees in Tokyo, Cairo, and Chicago are all receiving the same information.
Translating educational material written for customers and users, on the other hand, can directly benefit your revenue. As we explored in an article about why training materials translation boosts revenue generation, offering material in a user’s preferred language has several advantages.
For one, eLearning materials are easily scalable, allowing you to support many customers without having to expand your in-language customer support team. If you are aiming for a first-mover advantage in a new market, having fully translated materials will also enhance the user experience and generate positive word-of-mouth.
Our client JSI Telecom found out as much when they hired us to localize their software and all related documents. Suddenly, they were in the running for new business because they were able to present a complete user experience in a range of languages, from the actual user interface to the answers they provided on RFPs.
As a technical writer from JSI explains, their previous translation strategy meant that “trainers trying to explain something in a different language would often get caught out with a mistranslation on the screen and have to apologize as they explained things.” By working with Art One, they have reduced cost overruns and been able to quickly turn around RFPs, which they describe as a “game-changer.”
The Public Sector
Many public sector entities, from the national to the local level, can make their services more accessible by translating educational content into languages spoken in the community they serve.
In Canada, strict requirements ensure that documents are available in both English and French, as per the Official Languages Act. Materials are translated into other languages, such as Arabic, Punjabi or Chinese, on an “as-needed” basis.
In the United States, many federal agencies translate content into a range of languages based on need. For example, the Federal Housing Administration recently launched an initiative to make more information available about government-ensured mortgages for borrowers with limited English proficiency. The initiative began with Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese and aims to add more languages as needed.
Increasingly, there is a need within the public sector not just to translate a document or an app but to translate all the supporting information. The FHA initiative mentioned above did not just translate forms such as loan applications. It also encompassed fact sheets, PowerPoint presentations, and other educational material designed to encourage informed participation in the program.
Public School Systems and Educational Institutions
In Canada, 12.7% of residents—4.6 million Canadians—speak a language other than French or English at home. Likewise, in the United States, roughly 10% of public school students are identified as “English learners.” In both countries, students who speak another language at home often have families who do not speak or read fluently in the language of instruction.
These students and their families benefit from education translation, especially when it comes to materials sent home from school, from permission slips for field trips to more complex documents such as IEPs.
Likewise, at colleges and universities in both Canada and the U.S., many students arrive with limited English proficiency and no local support system to help them adapt to a new country and culture.
Research has shown that these students are at a “profound disadvantage” when it comes to English proficiency, and universities are moving to support them by making materials available in commonly spoken student languages.
Translating educational materials can benefit students at primary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions. For example, Art One collaborated with Forward Vision Games to localize financial simulation games intended to help learners develop fundamental financial knowledge. By offering these games in various languages, we ensured that students with limited English proficiency could still acquire this knowledge.
Nonprofits and Community Organizations
Education translation is a critical component of translation services for nonprofits as well. Organizations that serve a diverse population need to communicate in their languages.
At Art One, we have translated educational and eLearning material for nonprofits and community organizations as part of our mission for Translation for a Good Cause.
For example, we partnered with McMaster University on The Confidence Project. We translated COVID-related educational materials into 23 languages spoken in Canada, including three Indigenous languages. These materials are intended for pregnant and breastfeeding individuals at increased risk for serious illness and death from COVID-19, and who are excluded from all vaccine trials.
Similarly, our Health Nexus healthcare translation case study demonstrates how multilingual public health programs can deliver accessible, bilingual health resources through terminology management, plain-language communication, and Canadian French localization.
Education, Translation, and Accessibility
In every scenario discussed above, we want to note that d/Deaf, hard of hearing, and visually impaired individuals also need accessible learning materials.
What does this look like? For users with a visual impairment, it means ensuring that website copy and other assets are structured and tagged so that they work with a screen reader.
For d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing users, multimedia content, such as videos and audio, needs to have an accessible component.
For a podcast episode, this might mean a time-stamped, edited transcript that is easy to read.
For a promotional video, it might mean the inclusion of captions or subtitles, the use of a transcript, or both—depending on where the video will live.
It is not enough to make your source-language content accessible; if you offer content in multiple languages, you must ensure it is also accessible to users with visual and hearing impairments.
For a real-world example, see our Health Nexus healthcare translation case study, which highlights how accessibility, multilingual communication, subtitles, transcription, and terminology management work together to support diverse communities.
Furthermore, we have found that other users, such as those with limited proficiency in the target language, will also benefit from access to transcripts, subtitles, and other elements of accessible content.
If your organization seeks a partner for future education translation projects, contact Art One Translations for more information. We have a team of expert translators and editors for common languages such as Canadian French, Chinese, Spanish, and German.
We can also source translators for less common languages, including Indigenous and First Nations languages. In addition, we are experts at ensuring that translated educational material is accessible for those with vision and hearing impairments and compliant with prevailing accessibility regulations in Canada or the United States.
Review Recorded Webinars for Accessibility Gaps
- Captions
- Edited transcripts
- Accessible slide decks
- Summaries of Q&A sessions
- Localized subtitles when appropriate
Write in Clear, Accessible Language
Language plays a central role in comprehension, alongside design and multimedia.
Follow Plain-Language Guidelines
Plain language focuses on clarity rather than simplification. Effective plain-language writing includes:
- Everyday vocabulary
- Active voice
- Concise sentences
- Clear instructions
- Consistent, defined terminology
This approach benefits multilingual learners and improves the accuracy of education translation by reducing ambiguity.
Use Inclusive and Culturally Neutral Language
Avoid assumptions about learners’ background, ability, culture, or gender. Inclusive language practices include:
- Gender-neutral pronouns
- Culturally neutral examples
- Avoidance of region-specific idioms
- Case studies that reflect diverse communities
Inclusive language builds trust, particularly in public-sector and nonprofit education initiatives.
Integrate Education Translation Into Your Accessibility Strategy
Accessibility and translation are closely linked. Content that is accessible only in English still excludes multilingual learners. Similarly, translated content that lacks captions, alt text, or proper formatting fails to meet accessibility standards.
Professional education translation supports accessibility by ensuring:
- Accurate terminology and tone
- Culturally adapted examples
- Proper formatting across languages
- Screen-reader compatibility
- High-quality translated subtitles and transcripts
- Support for right-to-left (RTL) languages
- LMS-compatible file delivery
Our specialized expertise includes translation for nonprofits, French translations, and eLearning localization.
For a detailed overview of workflows, refer to our comprehensive guide to localizing eLearning content.
Understand Accessibility and Compliance Requirements
Accessibility is also shaped by legal and regulatory standards. While requirements vary by region, they share a common objective: equal access to digital content.
Common standards include:
- WCAG 2.1 AA (global benchmark)
- AODA — Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
- ADA / Section 508 (United States)
- European Accessibility Act (rolling out in 2025)
Meeting these standards reduces legal risk while improving usability for all learners.
Practical Steps to Improve Accessibility
Improving accessibility is best approached as an ongoing design practice rather than a one-time checklist.
Begin With an Accessible Framework
Start with templates built around accessibility principles. Font choices, spacing, navigation flow, and colour contrast should accommodate a wide range of users. This foundation also supports future translation into languages with longer text expansion.
Apply Accessibility to Multimedia and Interactive Components
Videos should always include captions, and audio files should be paired with transcripts. Interactive elements—such as drag-and-drop activities or branching scenarios—must support keyboard navigation and visible focus states. Animations should include controls that allow users to pause or stop movement.
Improve Text for Comprehension and Clarity
Support different literacy levels by incorporating summaries, examples, and visual aids. Clear language improves comprehension and leads to better localization outcomes when content is translated.
Test Materials with Real Users
Automated accessibility tools are useful, but they cannot replace real-world testing. Usability testing should include:
- Screen-reader users
- ESL or multilingual learners
- Learners with cognitive or attention differences
- Mobile-only users
These practices align with findings from workplace learning research, such as the LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report.
Conclusion: Accessibility Is an Ongoing Commitment
Accessible learning is not a one-time initiative. It is an ongoing process that evolves alongside content, technology, and audience needs. When organizations design with accessibility in mind and integrate education translation into their strategy, learning becomes clearer, more inclusive, and more effective.
Accessible learning supports:
- Higher engagement
- Stronger retention
- Improved completion rates
- Greater employee and learner satisfaction
- Broader community reach
- Enhanced organizational credibility
Make Your Learning Accessible and Inclusive with Education Translation
If you need support translating, adapting, or localizing learning content to meet accessibility standards, we can help.
We support public institutions, nonprofits, and education providers in creating multilingual, accessible learning content that reaches every learner—clearly and effectively.
Need help making educational content accessible in multiple languages? We support education, nonprofit and training organizations with clear, inclusive translation and localization.