Quick question: when did your staff last complete accessibility training?
Follow-up question: how much of it do they actually remember?
If the answer to the second question is 'not much', you're not alone. And it's not your staff's fault.
The Forgetting Curve
In the 1880s, psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered something uncomfortable about human memory. He called it the 'forgetting curve':
This isn't a character flaw. It's how brains work. We're designed to forget things we don't use regularly.
The Problem With Annual Training
Most organisations do accessibility training once a year. A 30-minute module, maybe an hour. Staff complete it, tick the box, move on.
Six months later, when a wheelchair user actually arrives, what do they remember?
Almost nothing useful. The knowledge has decayed. They're back to guessing, feeling awkward, or defaulting to unhelpful instincts.
You've spent the money. You've got the completion certificates. But you haven't got trained staff.
What Actually Works: Spaced Repetition
The antidote to the forgetting curve is spaced repetition: revisiting information at strategic intervals before it's forgotten.
Instead of one 30-minute session, imagine:
Same total time. Dramatically different retention.
Each touchpoint is tiny—under 3 minutes—but the cumulative effect is transformative. Staff actually remember what they learned.
The Missing Link: Relevance
There's another problem with traditional training: it's abstract.
Staff learn about 'wheelchair users' in general. But when a specific wheelchair user with specific requirements arrives next Tuesday, that generic knowledge doesn't quite fit.
What if training was triggered by actual visits?
When you know James is arriving tomorrow with his powered wheelchair and needs a rest break due to ME/CFS, a 30-second refresher on those specific requirements is worth more than hours of generic training.
Relevance beats volume every time.
What WelcoMe Does Differently
WelcoMe's training system is built on both principles:
**Spaced repetition:** Instead of annual modules, staff receive regular micro-touchpoints. Short, frequent, sustainable. Knowledge stays fresh.
**Just-in-time relevance:** When a visit is scheduled, staff receive targeted preparation specific to that customer's requirements. Training at the moment it matters most.
The result? Staff who actually remember their training. Staff who feel confident, not awkward. Staff who remove barriers instead of creating them.
The Compliance Trap
Here's the uncomfortable truth: most accessibility training is about compliance, not competence.
Organisations need to demonstrate they've trained staff. So they buy a module, track completions, file the certificates. Box ticked.
But completions don't equal competence. A certificate doesn't help when a Deaf customer is trying to check in and your receptionist has forgotten everything about communication access.
Real accessibility requires real knowledge retention. That takes a different approach.
Ready for training that actually sticks? Book a demo to see WelcoMe's adaptive learning system in action.