Accessibility
Why does this matter?
As educators become increasingly reliant on digital content for teaching, it is important to consider how the accessibility of materials affects students’ experiences. Designing courses with accessibility in mind from the outset will benefit all learners, not only those who need accommodations (see Universal Design for Learning). According to the CDC, one in four adults in the United States has a disability – these range from mobility, hearing, and vision impairments, to those that may not be as easy to discern, such as mental illnesses. Federal law requires that educators accommodate the needs of these students. Incorporating accessibility features will ensure all have access to an equitable and positive academic experience.
What does this look like in practice?
Canvas
- Provide the syllabus in Word format following accessibility guidelines.
- Organize course materials and assignments into modules so they are easy to find.
- Post documents in a logical order.
- Include meaningful text for links (e.g., “Accessibility in Word presentation” versus “Presentation”).
- Adjust test and quiz submission times for students with accommodations.
- Use accessible font styles (see suggestions for Word documents).
- Use color combinations that provide sufficient contrast between foreground and background.
- Provide appropriate headers and data cell designations for table-based layouts.
- Spell out acronyms and abbreviations (screen readers pronounce these as single words).
Word
- Use the Styles feature to apply headers to all documents – ensure headers are larger than the body text.
- Avoid ornate fonts. Use sans serif fonts, such as Ariel, Corbel, and Tahoma.
- Use 12-point font size or larger.
- Use 1.5 spacing when possible.
- Include a table of contents for documents over six pages in length.
- Add alternative text for all graphics (images, graphs, charts, etc.).
- For tables, include clear labels for rows and columns and ensure there are no empty cells.
- Add hyperlinks with Insert Hyperlink and use descriptive text for the link.
Not using Word? See accessibility features for Google Docs and Pages (please note that Suffolk does not offer technical support for these applications, so it is recommended that you use Office 365).
PowerPoint
- Use simple slide layouts and avoid busy backgrounds.
- Organize content in a logical structure.
- Use sans serif fonts with a 14-point size font or larger.
- Use color combinations that provide sufficient contrast between the foreground and background.
- Include ample white space on each slide.
- Include alternative text on all visual elements, including images, charts, graphs, mathematical/scientific notation, etc.
- Ensure audio narrations of slides discuss the slide’s content in relation to larger themes or ideas of the course.
- Add a transcript of narration for each slide to the notes section of that slide.
- Use meaningful descriptions for hyperlinks.
- Avoid using slide transitions or automatic timing functions.
Not using PowerPoint? See accessibility features for Google Slides and Keynote (please note that Suffolk does not offer technical support for these applications, so it is recommended that you use Office 365).
Excel
- Include row and column headings for tables.
- Add alternative text for all images, graphs, and figures.
- Add hyperlinks with Insert Hyperlink and use descriptive text for the link.
- Avoid using colors and highlighting alone as a means of providing information. If you need to do so, use other types of formatting, such as bold or italicized text, as an alternative.
- Use descriptive labels for sheets (not Sheet 1, Sheet 2, etc.).
Not using Excel? See accessibility features for Google Sheets and Numbers (please note that Suffolk does not offer technical support for these applications, so it is recommended that you use Office 365).
- Check if words can be highlighted with your cursor – this is a quick check for accessibility of the document. If not, it will be processed as an image for a screen reader.
- Make Word documents accessible before converting to a PDF (see section above).
- Tag PDF documents whenever possible.
- Provide alternative formats for PDFs that cannot be made accessible.
- Avoid converting text files with multiple columns to PDFs – screen readers might still read the text across columns.
Video & Audio
- Provide captioning or written transcripts for all video and audio files.
- Include a description of events or images for all visual information, if necessary for comprehension.
Resources
As accessibility becomes an increasingly prevalent aspect of course design, many universities and organizations have created online materials to help educators design equitable learning experiences. There is a wealth of resources available to assist you in designing accessible courses.
Before the course begins
Provide students with textbook and media requirements. When possible, observe the following guidelines:
- Select course textbooks at least six weeks prior to the start of the semester. Communicate how they can be accessed/purchased.
- Include the correct ISBN number and edition. Ensure electronic versions correspond to the paper version.
- Select materials from publishers and journals that provide electronic content.
- Make textbooks available at the library reserves desk.
- Provide students with information about how to access content in Canvas.
- Contact the Office of Disability Services to discuss your use of multimedia tools.
- Include the Office of Disability Services statement in your syllabus.
Make your materials accessible
Word
PowerPoint
Excel
Video & Audio