Accessibility

1. Navigation
   1. Design clear and consistent navigation
   2. Use meaningful names for files and document titles
2. Readable
   1. The text size and font type are easily readable (Sans Serif fonts)
   2. The content is written concisely with minimal jargon
   3. Avoid sensory instructions
   4. Avoid flashing and blinking text
3. Flexibility
   1. Provide information in multiple formats (see Universal Design for Learning)
4. Headings & Lists
   1. Use built-in headings and styles guides to structure a document or webpage
   2. Use built-in lists in various authoring tools (e.g., Microsoft Word)
5. Color
   1. Use sufficient color contrast (free Color Contrast Checker)
   2. Avoid using color to convey meaning or pair the color with another indicator, such as an asterisk
6. Images
   1. Provide alternative (alt) text descriptions for images, graphs, etc.
   2. Regarding images of text: write text directly in the document or webpage
7. Hyperlinks
   1. Ensure hyperlinks are meaningful in context
8. Tables
   1. Create tables with column and/or row headers, and ensure a proper reading order (using the Tab key, the information should read from left to right)
9. Video & Audio
   1. Choose videos that have intelligible captions
   2. Caption videos you create (use auto-captioning and fix accuracy)
   3. Provide transcripts for audio recordings
10. Math & Science
    1. Use equation editors (e.g., Microsoft Equation Editor or MathType) or LaTeX input to a MathML expression
    2. If necessary, provide alt text descriptions for graphs, diagrams, and equations

Microsoft

• Microsoft Word: Making Word documents accessible
• Microsoft PowerPoint: Making PowerPoint presentations accessible
• Microsoft Excel: Making Excel spreadsheets accessible
• Microsoft Stream (video): Generating automatic captions and a transcript
• Microsoft Teams: Accessibility features (Including live closed captioning)

Tips: Use the built-in automated checkers when creating documents and presentations. If documents
are created accessibly from the beginning, use the “Save as PDF” rather than “Print to PDF” to retain
accessibility features. Also, always keep the source (original) document. If possible, share the Word
document instead of the PDF.

Adobe

• Adobe Reader:
  • Poorly scanned or seemingly readable PDF’s may pose barriers to users with disabilities. To check and see if a PDF can be read aloud, use the built-in Read Out Loud tool
• Adobe Professional DC:
  • Wherever possible, use web forms and websites to relay information instead of using PDFs.
  • If a PDF cannot be read aloud using the Read Out Loud feature, the document is inaccessible.
  • To enhance accessibility, there is an automated checker and Make Accessible feature.
  • At minimum, conduct an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) scan to make the text readable to all users.
  • Currently, limited licenses to the professional version of Adobe are available. Please work with your department to determine the best workflow for making PDFs accessible and then request a license from CTS.

BizLibrary Trainings

• Empathy ADA: Promoting Understanding and Accessibility (mandated)
• Section 508 compliance: Enhancing Accessibility and Elevating Engagement

Deque University
SUNY has contracted with a comprehensive training platform that covers a range of digital accessibility training courses. This is also a searchable resource. To gain access, please contact Lauren Jackson-Beck: jacksola@potsdam.edu

Additional Resources:

• WebAIM (web accessibility in mind)
• Accessibility and SUNY Library Services
• The Captioning Key