Accessibility 

Accessibility is such an important part of ensuring we include all individuals. For students it means access to the curriculum and being able to obtain materials at the same time as their peers. We hope this page helps you with this process. 

Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) 

Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) are those that can be used efficiently, effectively, and sustainably with technology and assistive technology (screen magnification, screen reader software, and switches, among others), and meet Web Content Accessibility Standards (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. Accessibility addresses discriminatory aspects related to equivalent user experience for people with disabilities. Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can equally perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with websites and tools. It also means that they can contribute equally, without barriers.

Legal requirements: Both state (COMAR) and federal laws and regulations require that educational materials and school-related technology be accessible.

Word Document Accessibility 

If you make your word documents accessible from the beginning, it will be beneficial to all students and staff, and less time will be spent to remediate it. Here are some resources that you might find helpful in working on accessibility. 

How to Make Word Documents Accessible 

There are some basic principles to making Word documents accessible that you can follow. You can watch the video that goes step-by-step into the process, and we also created an easy-to-follow cheat sheet for your easy reference. This might be a good tool to have by your desk for your reference. 

Resources for accessible word documents

PowerPoint Accessibility 

If you make your PowerPoints accessible from the beginning, it will be beneficial to all students and staff, and less time will be spent to remediate it. Here are some resources that you might find helpful in working on accessibility. 

Still have some questions or need support with accessibility? If you are in Maryland, reach out to our FREE Transition Help Desk