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Understanding Core Concepts

Digital content must be:

  • Perceivable – Users must be able to recognize and understand the information presented.
  • Operable – Users must be able to navigate and interact with content.
  • Understandable – Content and interfaces should be clear and predictable.
  • Robust – Content must work across a wide range of devices and assistive technologies.

Best Practices

Producing and maintaining accessible digital content requires understanding and following some simple best practices.

  • Titles and Headings
    • Clear Hierarchy: Use a logical heading structure (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to organize your content. This helps screen reader users navigate your content and understand its structure.
    • Descriptive Language: Make sure your titles and headings accurately describe the content that follows. Avoid vague or overly creative titles that might confuse users.
  • Readability
    • Simple Language: Use clear and concise language that's easy to understand. Avoid jargon and technical terms unless they're absolutely necessary.
    • Short Sentences and Paragraphs: Break up your content into manageable chunks. This improves readability for everyone, especially those with cognitive disabilities or who are reading on a small screen.
    • Font Choice: Choose a font that's easy to read. Sans-serif fonts like Arial or Verdana are generally good choices. Avoid decorative or script fonts that can be difficult to decipher.
  • Color
    • Sufficient Contrast: Make sure there's enough contrast between the text and the background so it's easy to read. Use online contrast checkers to ensure you meet WCAG guidelines.
    • Color Blindness Considerations: Avoid using color as the sole means of conveying information. Use patterns or textures in addition to color to make your content accessible to people with color blindness.
  • Alt Text
    • Accurate Descriptions: Provide concise and accurate descriptions for all images. Alt text should convey the meaning and purpose of the image, not just a literal description.
    • Functional Images: If an image is purely decorative, leave the alt text blank or use null alt text (alt="").
    • Complex Images: For complex images like charts or graphs, provide a longer description in the surrounding text or link to a separate page with a full explanation. See example
  • Multimedia
    • Captions & Transcripts: Provide captions for all videos and transcripts for all audio content. This makes your multimedia accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
    • Audio Descriptions: For videos with important visual elements, provide audio descriptions to describe what's happening on screen for people who are blind or have a vision impairment.
    • Keyboard Accessibility: Make sure all multimedia controls can be operated with a keyboard.
  • Links
    • Descriptive Link Text: Make sure your link text clearly describes where the link will take the user. Avoid generic phrases like "click here" or "learn more."
    • Unique Link Text: Avoid using the same link text for multiple links that go to different destinations. This can confuse screen reader users.
    • Meaningful Context: Provide context for your links so users know what to expect when they click on them. 

Getting Started: Existing Documents/Files

For existing PDFs and Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, a bit of housekeeping first will save a lot of time. Some materials may no longer be needed and can be deleted, and much may be archived in case of future use. Only the remaining would need to be remediated to meet accessibility standards.

Getting Started: Web Content

Housekeeping for webpages is a bit different. Webpages no longer needed should be unpublished, not deleted, to maintain our web history and provide a starting point for similar new pages.

For webpages that will remain published, ensure you receive Siteimprove reports for your websites. Siteimprove provides a list of accessibility issues to fix. Please focus on the ones labeled as Content and UX Design. Web Services will handle the ones marked as Development. If you need to be set up, please submit a ServiceNow ticket to Web Services.

Get Help from Digital team

For New Content, Use Approved Templates

When creating new documents, please use accessible templates for Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. These templates offer pre-designed structure and formatting that assist in creating and maintaining accessible content.

Benefits of Accessible Content

Everyone deserves equal access to information and opportunities. Digital accessibility ensures that people with disabilities or impairments can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with digital content and tools. By making our websites, documents, and applications accessible, we:

  • Empower individuals with disabilities to participate fully in our online world.
  • Enhance the user experience for everyone, regardless of ability.
  • Comply with legal and ethical obligations.
  • Strengthen our brand reputation and attract a wider audience.

Understanding Needs

Disabilities and impairments exist on a broad spectrum, and individuals may experience them differently. However, these common types can significantly impact a user's digital experience:

  • Visual Impairments
    • Blindness: Users who are blind rely on screen readers and other assistive technologies to access information. Websites and applications need to be compatible with these tools and provide alternative text descriptions for images and other non-text content.
    • Low Vision: Users with low vision may have difficulty seeing small text or perceiving contrast. Websites should offer features like zoom, adjustable font sizes, and high-contrast color schemes.
    • Color Blindness: Users who are color blind see color differently or do not see color. Using only color to convey information impacts this group. Ensuring good contrast and including text with color help this group.
  • Hearing Impairments
    • Deafness: Users who are deaf cannot hear audio content. Websites and applications should provide captions and transcripts for videos and audio recordings.
    • Hard of Hearing: Users with hearing impairments may have difficulty hearing certain frequencies or understanding speech in noisy environments. Websites should offer closed captions, adjustable audio volume, and transcripts for audio content.
  • Physical and Motor Disabilities
    • Limited dexterity: Users with limited hand or arm movement may have difficulty using a mouse or keyboard. Websites and applications should be navigable using alternative methods like voice commands, touch gestures, or assistive devices.
    • Mobility impairments: Users who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids may have difficulty accessing visual information on a screen. Websites should have a clear and logical layout, be navigable using a keyboard, and avoid content that requires precise clicking or scrolling.
  • Cognitive and Learning Disabilities
    • Dyslexia: Users with dyslexia may have difficulty reading and understanding text. Websites should use clear and concise language, avoid complex sentence structures, and offer alternative ways to access information, such as audio recordings or videos.
    • ADHD: Users with ADHD may have difficulty focusing on tasks or navigating complex interfaces. Websites should be designed with a clear hierarchy, minimize distractions, and offer options for customization.
  • Mental Health Disabilities
    • Anxiety or PTSD may be overwhelmed by complex interfaces or flashing elements. Websites should offer a calm, predictable design, avoid auto-playing content, and provide clear instructions.
    • Depression: Users with depression may lack motivation to engage with complex tasks. Websites should be easy to navigate and offer clear calls to action.

The Future

Accessibility is an ongoing process. As technology evolves, so too will the best practices for creating accessible content. Stay informed and committed to creating digital experiences that everyone can enjoy.

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