Incorporating accessibility into our communications reflects our commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and equality; it is also the law—as a recipient of federal funding, the University is legally required to provide accessible content.
Digital accessibility enables a wide range of users, including those who have visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive disabilities to easily navigate and understand content shared on websites, social media platforms, mobile applications, or electronic documents, including email. Some people, including some individuals with disabilities, use assistive technology to access digital content. Assistive devices, e.g., screen readers, help users complete a task or access information they otherwise would not be able to complete or would be unable to access.
In general, the best way to ensure you are creating accessible content is to keep it simple. Messages in plain text that are free of colors, images, and busy designs work best for most people. Many users are consuming content on mobile devices, often making messages with text embedded into images hard to read. Additionally, backgrounds with moving videos or several images can take longer to load on mobile devices, which may cause the reader to abandon your message.
As you continue to share information and promotional messages about the myriad programs, events, and activities on our campus, please be aware of the accessibility considerations and familiarize yourself with the training resources available to you. The University offers training on digital accessibility through our LinkedIn Learning platform, and our Digital Accessibility Guidelines are available on the University website. Microsoft also offers video training on making documents accessible.
Thank you for your efforts to help support accessibility on our inclusive campus.