develop Accessible Instructional Materials

Accessible course materials are formatted so a person with a disability may navigate it using a screen reader to access the document.

Why should content and documents be made accessible?

1. It’s the right thing to do. Accessible content and documents benefit all users, not just people using assistive technologies (e.g., closed captions)

2. Navigating with a screen reader is easier if the web page or document is formatted properly. 

3. It’s the law. Federal ADA laws require us (because we receive federal funding) to make any file we post digitally meet compliance standards.

Use the Basic 4 to ensure Accessibility.

Four techniques improve the accessibility of your course content for students with disabilities. They are:

1. Document Structure (headings, lists, tables with headers, text/background contrast, and descriptive links)

2. Alt text for pictures (a written description that appears when the picture does not or can be read aloud by a screen reader)

3. Accurate, properly captioned videos

4. Accessible 3rd Party Resources (publisher resources, YouTube or Vimeo videos, external websites)