Practical guides, tools, and University resources for creating accessible digital content.
Start Here: Accessibility Basics
Digital accessibility means creating content that everyone can access, understand, and use, including people who use screen readers, captions, keyboards, voice controls, and other assistive technologies.
Accessible content follows four foundational principles: it should be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
Perceivable
Present information in ways people can perceive. Provide alternative text for images, captions for videos, readable text, and sufficient color contrast.
Operable
Make content and controls usable with different input methods. People should be able to navigate using a keyboard without encountering barriers.
Understandable
Use clear language, descriptive links, consistent navigation, meaningful instructions, and labels that help people understand what to do.
Robust
Use proper headings, structure, labels, and supported formats so content works reliably with current and future assistive technologies.
Keep in mind: Accessibility is most effective when it is considered from the beginning—not added after content has already been created.
Accessibility How-To Guides
Select the type of content you are creating to find practical instructions, checklists, and accessibility tools.
Not sure where to begin? Choose the category that best describes your task and start with the first resource listed.
Canvas & Courses
Check course content, correct accessibility issues, and provide alternative formats.
Find answers to common questions about creating accessible documents, courses, presentations, media, events, and communications.
Getting Started
What is digital accessibility?
Digital accessibility is the practice of designing websites, documents, courses, videos, applications, and other digital content so they can be accessed, understood, and used by everyone, including people with disabilities.
Why is digital accessibility important?
Accessibility helps ensure digital information and services are easy for everyone to access and use while supporting the University’s accessibility standards.
Who is responsible for digital accessibility?
Accessibility is a shared responsibility. Faculty, staff, communicators, web editors, instructional designers, technology teams, and anyone who creates or distributes digital content should consider accessibility from the beginning.
What is WCAG?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are internationally recognized recommendations for making digital content more accessible. They are organized around four principles: content should be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
Where should I begin?
Begin by identifying the type of content you are creating. Then use the Accessibility How-To Guides to find the relevant checklist, instructions, or accessibility tool.
What is alternative text, and when should I use it?
Alternative text, commonly called alt text, describes the purpose or important information conveyed by an image. It allows people using screen readers to understand the image’s role in the content.
Do decorative images need alt text?
Images that are purely decorative and provide no meaningful information should generally be marked as decorative. This allows screen readers to skip them rather than announcing unnecessary information.
Can I use color alone to communicate information?
No. Use text, labels, icons, patterns, or other visual indicators in addition to color. People who cannot perceive certain colors must still be able to understand the information.
What are descriptive links?
Descriptive links clearly communicate their destination or purpose. Use meaningful wording such as “Review the accessibility checklist” instead of vague phrases such as “click here” or “read more.”
How do I check color contrast?
Use an accessibility checker or a contrast-checking tool to compare foreground and background colors. The WebAIM Contrast Checker can help you evaluate a color combination.
How do I create an accessible PDF?
Begin with an accessible source document containing proper headings, reading order, alternative text, descriptive links, and accessible tables. Export it as a tagged PDF, then use Adobe Acrobat to check and repair any remaining accessibility issues.
Why is a scanned PDF sometimes inaccessible?
A scanned PDF may contain only images of text rather than selectable, readable text. Optical character recognition (OCR) can convert the scanned images into text, but the resulting PDF should still be checked for headings, reading order, alternative text, and tags.
Can I use tables in accessible content?
Yes, when a table is needed to present data. Use a clear header row, identify row and column headings, keep the structure simple, and avoid using tables solely to control visual layout.
Use headings to organize pages, write descriptive links, add alternative text to images, caption videos, provide accessible documents, use accessible tables, and review course materials with Canvas and YuJa Panorama accessibility tools.
What does the Canvas Accessibility Checker review?
The Accessibility Checker in the Rich Content Editor can identify common issues in Canvas content, such as missing image descriptions, problematic headings, inaccessible tables, and color-contrast concerns.
What is YuJa Panorama?
YuJa Panorama is an accessibility platform integrated with Canvas. It helps identify accessibility issues, provides remediation guidance, and can generate alternative formats of supported course materials.
What are alternative formats?
Alternative formats are different versions of existing content that may better meet a user’s needs. Depending on the original file and the platform’s available options, these may include audio, electronic braille, HTML, or other formats.
Should I provide course materials before class?
Providing syllabi, assignments, readings, and other course materials in advance gives students additional time to review the content, obtain alternative formats, and prepare for class.
How should I support a student who has an approved accommodation?
Follow the approved accommodation information provided through the appropriate University process, maintain the student’s privacy, and contact the relevant University office if clarification or additional assistance is needed.
Use unique slide titles, logical reading order, sufficient color contrast, readable text, alternative text for meaningful images, accessible tables, captions for media, and the application’s built-in accessibility checker.
Why is slide reading order important?
Reading order determines the sequence in which a screen reader presents slide elements. A logical order helps users understand the title, text, images, and other content in the intended sequence.
What font size should I use in a presentation?
Use clear, readable fonts at a size appropriate for the presentation format, room, screen, and viewing distance. Avoid placing large amounts of text on a slide or shrinking text to make it fit.
Can PowerPoint and Google Slides provide live captions?
Yes. PowerPoint and Google Slides include captioning features that can display spoken words during a presentation. Review the applicable setup instructions and test the feature before the presentation begins.
Videos containing speech or meaningful audio information should include accurate, synchronized captions. Captions should identify relevant speakers and communicate meaningful non-speech audio when necessary.
What is the difference between captions and transcripts?
Captions appear in synchronization with the media during playback. A transcript is a separate text version of the spoken content and other important audio information.
Are automatically generated captions sufficient?
Automatically generated captions can provide a useful starting point, but they should be reviewed and corrected for accuracy, punctuation, speaker identification, terminology, and meaningful audio information.
When are audio descriptions needed?
Audio descriptions may be needed when important visual information is not communicated through the existing dialogue or narration. They describe visual actions, text, or context needed to understand the content.
What should I consider when planning an accessible event?
Consider the accessibility of the location or virtual platform, registration process, promotional materials, presentations, captions, communication access, distributed documents, accommodation requests, recordings, and follow-up materials.
How should I collect accommodation requests?
Include accommodation-request information in event promotions and registration materials. Provide a contact method and sufficient time for attendees to submit requests before the event.
What should an event accommodation statement include?
Include a clear method for requesting accommodations, appropriate contact information, and a recommended deadline. Follow the University’s approved language and procedures when available.
Do event flyers and graphics need to be accessible?
Yes. Use readable fonts, sufficient color contrast, meaningful alternative text, and descriptive links. Important event information should also be available as accessible text rather than appearing only inside an image.
Available resources include Canvas accessibility tools, YuJa Panorama, Microsoft 365 Accessibility Checker and Accessibility Assistant, Adobe Acrobat accessibility tools, captioning and transcript features, and accessibility features within supported University technologies.
How do I check whether my content is accessible?
Use the accessibility checker built into the application or platform, then manually review the content for headings, reading order, descriptive links, alternative text, captions, keyboard use, accessible tables, and color contrast.
Automated checkers are helpful, but they cannot identify every accessibility issue.
What is the difference between accessibility and an accommodation?
Accessibility involves proactively designing content and experiences to reduce barriers for everyone. An accommodation is a specific adjustment or support provided to an individual based on an approved need.
Who should I contact for accessibility assistance?
Use the relevant contact or service listed in the Accessibility Resources For U section. Questions involving approved student accommodations should be directed through the appropriate University disability-services process.
