Making Digital Content Accessible

There are many different ways to design websites and webpage content with accessibility in mind. This page covers legal guidelines and approaches to digital accessibility, along with helpful resources and tools.

Need Accessibility Accommodations?

Students who need accommodations for classes should contact Disability Services. Faculty can find accessibility resources in the Teaching Innovation Canvas Community.

Compliance/Guidelines (external)

  • Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI): The WAI is responsible for developing standards and materials aimed at clarifying what accessibility means and how it can be implemented. Their site contains many helpful resources and tips for creating accessible content. 
  • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): WCAG provides technical accessibility standards and documentation on how to make web content more accessible. The digital accessibility guidelines established in WCAG are based on the POUR Principles.

Medium-Specific

  • Color & Contrast When designing web content, colors should have sufficient contrast to ensure accessibility for those who have low or impaired vision or colorblindness. Color contrast also benefits people who do not have a permanent disability, such as when using a screen under direct sunlight.
  • Email: Email is the primary source of information and communication across campus. The formatting of the text, images, and links all impact how accessible or inaccessible an email is for recipients who have disabilities. 
  • Alt-text: Alternative text is the only way a person using a screen reader can access the content of an image—it does not function as a caption for sighted users. Alt text will not be structured the same for all images; the content and context of the image matters. However, it should always be specific and concise. 
  • Video/Podcast: Videos need three things to meet accessibility standards: accurate captions, audio descriptions (if meaningful visual content is not explained in the audio), and a properly coded embed with a descriptive title if the video is placed on bsu.edu. 
  • Document/File: Word, PowerPoint, and Excel do not offer the same accessibility features or integrations; however, there are some accessibility requirements that apply to all three of them. Regardless of document type, it is important to know that screen readers do not see formatting. Instead, screen readers read the underlying structure of the document, such as tags for headings, lists, tables, and alt text, making them essential for document/file accessibility. 
  • PDFs: When possible, web content should be published as accessible HTML pages instead of as PDFs. PDFs should not be used for content that is frequently updated, critical for access (e.g. instructions, policies, forms), or intended for broad public use unless there is a clear business need. To check the accessibility of a PDF, you can use an Accessibility Checker or conduct a manual review.

Software

  • Canvas: The Teaching Innovation Canvas Community provides resources that faculty and staff can use to make course content and materials accessible. Additional information regarding accessibility tools and functionality within platforms like Canvas will be readily provided by Information Technology and Academic Affairs.
  • Microsoft’s Accessibility Checker is available across many platforms, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. It identifies accessibility issues and provides suggestions for how to address them, making it an invaluable tool for integrating digital accessibility.
  • Adobe offers many different accessibility tools for its applications. Adobe Acrobat contains a variety of accessibility tools that help creators identify and address accessibility issues. Acrobat’s Accessibility Checker can be used to ensure that PDFs follow digital accessibility guidelines.