Online learning management systems and electronic presentation materials should conform with all WCAG 2.0 requirements relevant to them, including:
Images (Photography and Graphics)
- Provide alternative text for all images (e.g. course materials, social media conversations)
- Use a text-first strategy when designing infographics, including the important information directly in the text of your course content
- Avoid using bright contrasting colors against each other
Textual Content
- Provide descriptive and informative headings
- Provide descriptive and informative links
- Don’t underline non-links
- Follow a linear and logical layout; don’t create busy layouts
- Use proper semantics (e.g. paragraphs, headings, lists, tables)
- Keep text aligned to the left
- Don’t write in all uppercase
- Keep content short, clear and simple; use simple sentences and lists
- Use plain English where possible, not figures of speech or idioms; define your jargon first
Hyperlinks and Navigation
- Provide descriptive and informative links (or alternative text on image links)
- Don’t underline non-links
- Don’t force users to open documents outside webpages for all their information
Multimedia
- Provide closed captioning for all videos
- Provide transcripts for all audio (audio descriptions can be in the transcriptions if video content contains imagery not audibly described)
Documents and other files
- Link to accessible documents or webpages (e.g. event pages, information pages)
- Don’t force users to open documents outside webpages for all their information
The Center for Instructional Innovation has a rubric to assist faculty who are designing or updating their online course content.
Information presented to classes or attendees at our web conferences or webinars should also be accessible. They should provide attendees with the ability to request ADA accommodations, like transcripts or closed captioning for videos.
Students who need ADA accommodations (e.g. in person or online) in their classrooms or study should contact the Department of Disability Resources & Testing (DRT).
References
Guides and How-To’s
- Usability.gov’s Web Standards and Usability Guidelines
- Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
- How to Make Your Presentations Accessible to All
- Designing and Developing
- Use headings to convey meaning and structure
- Make link text meaningful
- Write meaningful text alternatives for images
- Provide clear instructions
- Keep content clear and concise
- Provide sufficient contrast between foreground and background
- Don’t use color alone to convey information
- Ensure that interactive elements are easy to identify
- Create designs for different viewport sizes
- Include image and media alternatives in your design
- Use mark-up to convey meaning and structure
- Web AIM
- National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM)
- Describing Images for Enhanced Assessments
- Item Writer Guidelines for Greater Accessibility for lecture and exam graphics
- AODA: Incorporating Accessibility into Teaching and Training
- Interactive Accessibility: Creating an Accessible Infographic
Guidelines
- WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.1 – Text Alternatives
- WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.3 – Adaptable
- WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.4 – Distinguishable
- WCAG 2.0 Guideline 2.4 – Navigable
- WCAG 2.0 Guideline 3.2 – Predictable
Simulations
- User Simulation: Through Eyes of a Screen Reader
- LevelAccess
- Simulation: ZoomText Demo
- Simulation: Screen Magnification & Reflow in Acrobat Reader (also example of horizontal scrolling issues)
- Simulation: Effective Color Contrast
- Simulation: On-Screen Keyboard Demo
- Simulation: Readability
- User Simulation: Carly’s Café – Experience Autism Through Carly’s Eyes
- The National Autistic Society Simulation: Autism and sensory sensitivity