Creating Accessible Learning Materials
This page contains tips for creating and improving accessibility in your courses. This page covers accessibility related to Documents (Word and PDFs), videos (including PowerPoints, and Brightspace.
Guides
Documents (Word and PDFs)
Almost all instructors use Words documents and PDFs in their classes. To know if your documents are accessible, use Microsoft Word or the Adobe built-in- accessibility checker. It is easier to create an accessible document in Word and convert it in PDF because it will retain most of the accessibility as you create new documents, make sure you:
- Provide structured headings to make sure that someone can access them using screen readers and see the organization of the content. WC3 provides a guide on using headings appropriately.
- Use descriptive wording for hyperlinks. To learn more about descriptive hyperlinks, check out this resource called Key Principles of Accessible Hyperlinks.
- Use Sans serif font style like Arial and Helvetica. Some fonts like Times New Roman and Palatino have additional strokes that make it difficult to read.
- Use a dark-colored font on a light-colored background (Read WC3 guidelines on color contrast).
- Avoid using red-green or yellow-blue combinations as contrasting colors. It can be disadvantageous for students with colorblindness.
- Avoid underlining words (only hyperlinks should be underlined).
- Include headers, labels, and summaries for any table or chart.
- Add alternative text or captions to all non-decorative images or graphics found on your documents.
- Review your document using the Microsoft Word guide for creating accessible documents.
Videos and PowerPoints
This section covers videos and PowerPoints because many faculty use their PowerPoints to make videos. We are also recommending that you share your PowerPoints as an alternative method for studying the course content. On top of using the accessibility tips for Word Documents (see above section), consider the following tips that pertain to PowerPoints:
- Use the built-in Microsoft slide templates. They are already set up properly for screen readers.
- Since we use a lot of images in PowerPoints, make sure alternative text to describe the images.
- Reduce or avoid the use of animations and transitions. Some people are sensitive to them.
- Ensure that tables, charts, and graphs are on their own separate slides.
- Review your PowerPoint using the Microsoft PowerPoint guide.
For your videos, please ensure:
- They have clear audio (minimal background noises) and image quality.
- They are closed-captioned. Note: Captioning services are only 80% accurate, so it is recommended to review the captions and edit them as needed. If you need help, check out this guide: Editing Captions on a Kaltura Video.
- They are designed to be mobile-friendly because many students are using their mobile devices to access their courses. Some tips for mobile-friendly videos include:
- Use bigger fonts and fewer words.
- Minimize headings and maximize the content of the slides.
- Use contrast to emphasize what is important.
Brightspace Accessibility Checker
Brightspace has an accessibility checker to help instructors determine if the content they are adding into a module is accessible. Here is a Brightspace video on how to use their accessibility checker.
Notes on the Brightspace Accessibility Checker:
- The Accessibility Checker is only available when an instructor "creates a file" in Brightspace. This will not work on uploaded files.
- The Accessibility Checker is available within the HTML editor. To use the tool within the HTML editor select the three dots (...) on the right side of the editor to reveal additional tools. Select the tool that is an eye with a checkmark:
Additional Resources:
Need help with Accessibility?
Contact the Disability Access Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 260-481-6657
Location: Walb Union, Room 113