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Learn with S. Barnes Designs
Stop guessing. Start doing.
Practical courses in digital skills and barrier-free design — no technical mumbo jumbo, no overwhelm.
Here, you'll find practical, judgment-free courses that meet you where you are and help you move forward with confidence.
Start where you are.
Never built a website — or built one and still don't trust it?
Not sure which digital tools are actually worth your time?
Heard about digital accessibility but have no idea where to start?
Ready to go deeper and build inclusivity into everything you create?
Not sure which digital tools are actually worth your time?
Heard about digital accessibility but have no idea where to start?
Ready to go deeper and build inclusivity into everything you create?
Then you're in the right place.
Hi, I'm Shawna. I'm a U.S. Army veteran, certified accessibility consultant, and the author of Barrier-Free Web Design. I've spent years helping small business owners and web professionals navigate the digital landscape — without the overwhelm, jargon, or the judgment.
Every course on this platform is built around one idea: I don't teach you the tool. I teach you the thinking. The tool is just where you apply it.
Every course on this platform is built around one idea: I don't teach you the tool. I teach you the thinking. The tool is just where you apply it.
F. A. Q.
An online learning platform for people who want practical digital skills without the tech overwhelm. Courses cover the basics of running your business online — websites, tools, SEO — plus barrier-free design, which is how you make sure people with disabilities can actually use what you build. Everything is self-paced, plain-language, and built for people who don't have a tech background.
Small business owners, entrepreneurs, creatives, and freelancers who wear all the hats. If you're building your own website, running your own marketing, or trying to make sense of the digital side of your business — you're in the right place. No technical background needed.
No. The Barrier-Free by Design series starts at zero — no jargon, no assumed knowledge. If you've never thought about accessibility before, that's actually where most people start. You'll learn what it is, why it matters, and how to build it into your work without needing to become a compliance expert.
Yes. Every course is self-paced and available on-demand. You log in when you have time, work through one lesson at a time, and pick up where you left off. If you prefer live support alongside self-paced content, the Getting Started Cohort (link opens in a new tab on my main website sbarnesdesigns.com) runs a few times a year.
Individual courses vary. The first lesson of every course is free so you can see if the teaching style works for you before you commit. You can also join The Barrier-Free Collective (link will open in a new tab on the main website, sbarnesdesigns.com) — a monthly membership that includes group support and community access — or bundle courses together.
If you're not sure where you fall on the accessibility learning curve, take the free BFDM Quiz (will open in a new tab on my main site, sbarnesdesigns.com) — it tells you which of the five stages you're at and what to work on next. If you're focused on general digital skills, start with the Tech Demystified series. If you're ready to dig into accessibility, start with Barrier-Free by Design.
