English as a Second Language

English as a Second Language (ESL) refers to the teaching and learning of English by speakers of other languages. In accessibility contexts, language barriers are recognized as a significant form of exclusion, affecting over 1.5 billion English learners worldwide who may struggle to access education, science, business, and digital content produced primarily in English. Accessible ESL tools incorporate features like text-to-speech narration, synchronized highlighting, built-in translation, and simplified language levels to support learners with varying proficiency. Many ESL learners also have print disabilities such as dyslexia or vision loss, making universally designed language learning tools particularly important for inclusive education.