The standard below serves to summarize digital content accessibility standards associated with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These standards apply to digital materials, including, but not limited to, locating and creating digital content for public and controlled consumption. Reference: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Note: Campus adopted EIT often has accessibility built into its platform (e.g., CRM, LMS, Office 365). While the EITmay be accessible on its face, the individual developer or content editor must be mindful that certain design decisions may inadvertently reduce access for users with disabilities. Fortunately, many of these tools include automated accessibility checkers and templates to assist with maintaining accessible EIT. To add, there are many free or low-cost tools and methods to quickly evaluate the level of accessibility of websites and electronic content.
Text Alternatives & Color
- A text equivalent for every non-text element is provided ("alt" tags/text, captions, transcripts, etc.).
- Color is not the only means used to convey information
- Link text describes the destination of the link (No "click here" or "learn more")
- All links are distinguishable (must be able to differentiate links from non-link text)
- Use readable fonts and sizes, color contrast, and keep number of fonts used to a minimum
- Graphs, charts and maps include contextual or supporting details in text surrounding the image
Data Tables
- Table header rows and columns are assigned
- When possible, information is displayed in a linear format not as a table
- Avoid split cells, empty cells, merged cells, and embedded tables
Images
- Provide meaningful alt text for all images, except as described below:
- Use null alt text for decorative images (alt= "")
- Images used as links (without accompanying text description) have alt text indicating link target
- If the same visual presentation can be made using text alone, an image is not used to present that text.
Formulas
- For web pages, use an equation editor that outputs MathML (e.g., MathType)
- For documents and presentations, use an equation editor that supports accessibility (e.g., MathType)
Structure and Navigation
- Use source (original) document when possible - apply accessibility features within the source document
- The document contains a descriptive page title that makes sense
- Heading structure includes an H1 tag and does not skip levels (is sequential)
- Use the built-in features, styles, and templates (including predefined slides) of software to align spacing and designate lists
- Use different titles for each presentation slide
- Fillable documents (forms) are labeled appropriately
- Machine-readable (ensure doc is not an image and text is renderable)
- Keyboard navigable
- Reading order is logical and intuitive (Verify reading order using the tab key)
Multimedia
- Establish a timely process for requesting synchronized captions for multimedia
- Provide synchronized captions for newly created or adopted audio-video content
- Provide transcripts for audio-only content
- Provide descriptive audio for audio-video and video-only content, when needed
- Ensure video player controls are available and accessible via keyboard
- Ensure audio and video does not begin playing on page load
- Provide synchronized captions for live audio-video content
Accessibility Awareness & Verification
- Use built-in accessibility checkers in various software tools (e.g., Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat)
- Course syllabi contain an accessibility statement to inform students of available campus resources
- Newly developed courses undergo an accessibility review
- Recurring existing courses undergo an accessibility review