Below are a few areas where you can improve the accessibility in your online courses:
Use Arial or Calibri font for easy readability. Recommended body text size is 12 point.
Use dark font colors on light backgrounds for strong contrast. Black text on white background is the best.
Test your color contrast using WebAIM: Contrast Checker to ensure your color choices are accessible.
Avoid overuse of all CAPS, bold, and italics.
Color is not the only way to emphasize text. For example: color and bold are both used to convey importance.
Avoid underlining words as the screen reader can mistake it for a navigation link.
Avoid blinking or moving text.
Real text is used, not embedded in a graphic that cannot be read by a screen reader.
For those with Dyslexia, enable the Dyslexia-friendly font setting for your Canvas account.
Provide wording or phrase for links. Avoid using the phrase, “click here” or “read this” for the links.
Use concise text descriptions for the links telling where link is taking user.
Example: Find resources on the Faculty Teaching and Learning Website
If link opens in new window, state in parenthesis after link.
For email addresses, write out entire email address.
Example: [email protected]
Images are clear/unpixellated.
Use of animated images is limited to only those that contribute to the learning experience and supporting the course content.
Avoid animated or blinking images, text, or cursors. These can cause seizures for some users.
All images have alt-text with meaningful descriptions that isn't too lengthy
Avoid phrases like "graphic of" or "image of"; focus on describing the image context
Good example: "A valley of flowers."
Less accessible example: "Image of a valley of flowers. "
Audio quality is clear.
Audio has low background noise and equal level volume.
A written transcript is provided with all audio files.
Audio descriptions are clear and specific to what is being demonstrated.
Video quality is clear.
Video is accurately closed captioned. Do not rely solely on automated captions.
Videos that include visual demonstrations should include audio descriptions. An audio description describes the actions that are being performed throughout the duration of the video.
Avoid audio descriptions like "click here" or "select this button".
Good example: Select the courses button from the left side navigation menu
File lengths are adequate to meet the goals of the activity.
Ensure tables have a Header Row and First Column identified within the Table Design of the document.
Avoid using tables to format or structure a document. Use layout options to apply Columns to your document.
Avoid merged cells across rows; keep cells split to preserve screen reader reading order.
The document is organized with built-in Heading styles. See this support article on Adding a title, heading, or table of contents in Google Docs.
Lists are structured with bulleted or numbered list options.
Images have a meaningful alt text description.
Use Microsoft Accessibility Checker within Word Documents
Build slides using default program layouts rather than blank slides. Give each slide a unique title and slide number.
Lists are structured with bulleted or numbered list options.
Images have a meaningful alt text description.
Attached videos have closed captions and audio descriptions
Each slide has a unique title.
Slides are numbered
Ensure elements and objects in the document are properly tagged
The tags layer defines the document’s structure that supports assistive technologies. This includes headings, links, lists, and tables.
Ensure the Reading Order is logical and follows the flow of the document as intended.
Use bulleted or numbered list options when needed.
Add alt text to images.
Ensure PDF elements are properly tagged to preserve structural layout, headings, and reading order. Export/Save as PDF rather than using "Print to PDF" to avoid losing structure.