diff --git a/.upgradenotes/MDL-81825-2024110812525353.yml b/.upgradenotes/MDL-81825-2024110812525353.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c84092060a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.upgradenotes/MDL-81825-2024110812525353.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+issueNumber: MDL-81825
+notes:
+  core:
+    - message: >-
+        The 'core_renderer::sr_text()' function has been deprecated, use
+        'core_renderer::visually_hidden_text()' instead.
+      type: deprecated
diff --git a/backup/util/ui/backup_ui_setting.class.php b/backup/util/ui/backup_ui_setting.class.php
index 9249c691fde..95bfb4f4d2e 100644
--- a/backup/util/ui/backup_ui_setting.class.php
+++ b/backup/util/ui/backup_ui_setting.class.php
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class base_setting_ui {
             return null;
         }
         $renderer = $PAGE->get_renderer('core_backup');
-        return $renderer->sr_text($this->altlabel);
+        return $renderer->visually_hidden_text($this->altlabel);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/course/format/classes/output/local/content/cm/visibility.php b/course/format/classes/output/local/content/cm/visibility.php
index 2af03a27bd4..b791d608dbc 100644
--- a/course/format/classes/output/local/content/cm/visibility.php
+++ b/course/format/classes/output/local/content/cm/visibility.php
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class visibility implements named_templatable, renderable {
         \renderer_base $output,
         choicelist $choice,
     ): stdClass {
-        $badgetext = $output->sr_text(get_string('availability'));
+        $badgetext = $output->visually_hidden_text(get_string('availability'));
 
         if (!$this->mod->visible) {
             $badgetext .= get_string('hiddenfromstudents');
diff --git a/course/format/classes/output/local/content/section/visibility.php b/course/format/classes/output/local/content/section/visibility.php
index dbc38e45d6c..9c9d965597a 100644
--- a/course/format/classes/output/local/content/section/visibility.php
+++ b/course/format/classes/output/local/content/section/visibility.php
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class visibility implements named_templatable, renderable {
      * @return array
      */
     protected function get_visibility_dropdown(\renderer_base $output): array {
-        $badgetext = $output->sr_text(get_string('availability'));
+        $badgetext = $output->visually_hidden_text(get_string('availability'));
         $badgetext .= get_string('hiddenfromstudents');
         $icon = $this->get_icon('hide');
 
diff --git a/lib/classes/output/core_renderer.php b/lib/classes/output/core_renderer.php
index 255c82d33b8..befef431861 100644
--- a/lib/classes/output/core_renderer.php
+++ b/lib/classes/output/core_renderer.php
@@ -2953,12 +2953,26 @@ EOD;
      *
      * @param string $contents The contents of the paragraph
      * @return string the HTML to output.
+     * @deprecated since 5.0. Use visually_hidden_text() instead.
+     * @todo Final deprecation in Moodle 6.0. See MDL-83671.
      */
+    #[\core\attribute\deprecated('core_renderer::visually_hidden_text()', since: '5.0', mdl: 'MDL-81825')]
     public function sr_text(string $contents): string {
+        \core\deprecation::emit_deprecation_if_present([$this, __FUNCTION__]);
+        return $this->visually_hidden_text($contents);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Outputs a visually hidden inline text (but accessible to assistive technologies).
+     *
+     * @param string $contents The contents of the paragraph
+     * @return string the HTML to output.
+     */
+    public function visually_hidden_text(string $contents): string {
         return html_writer::tag(
             'span',
             $contents,
-            ['class' => 'sr-only']
+            ['class' => 'visually-hidden']
         ) . ' ';
     }