Websites

The Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C), the governing body of the web, provides the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): a set of guidelines used internationally.  The WCAG is broadly broken down into four principles — major things that web content must be to be considered accessible.

•    Perceivable: Users must be able to perceive it in some way, using one or more of their senses.
•    Operable: Users must be able to control UI elements (e.g., buttons must be clickable in some way — mouse, keyboard, voice command, etc.).
•    Understandable: The content must be understandable to its users.
•    Robust: The content must be developed using well-adopted web standards that will work across different browsers, now and in the future.

Tips to achieve these four principles here at UCR:

1. Use Drupal to build your website.  Drupal’s content management system is designed to promote accessibility and has other benefits.  To learn more, visit ITS’s website about websites.  
    
2. Familiarize yourself with ITS’s information about electronic accessibility and UCOP’s Quick Tips for Creating Accessible Websites (pdf)
   • When uploading any image or document, follow the relevant guidelines for that image or document type.
      
3. Add alternative text (alt-text) for images.  If someone is relying on a screen reader, to access your website, that screen reader cannot analyze an image and determine what the image presents. Instead the website needs to include text that communicates the content and purpose (or function) of the image. WebAIM offers a helpful article on how to create good alternative text WebAIM: Alternative Text 
    
4. Add your site to Siteimprove and test for accessibility and address problems identified.

For additional guidance, please visit:
WCAG 2.0 standard
IT Accessibility Guidelines for Web Developers (.pdf) 
IT Accessibility Guidelines for Content Providers (.pdf)
Checking website accessibility with Siteimprove
Siteimprove Tip Sheets
Siteimprove e-Courses on Accessibility
 

Documents.  General guidelines as well as tips for particular document types.  

The most easily accessible format is a Word document. Word documents are well-designed for people using assistive technology to access text-to-speech and/or enlarged text in a way that does not disrupt the flow of the document.

For all documents:

• Use headings to structure the document.
• Add alternative text to images.  
  • Tip: add alternative text to a shape, picture, chart, SmartArt graphic, or other object (microsoft.com) 
• Create links by using meaningful text descriptions.
• Avoid the use of SmartArt.
• Avoid adding text boxes.
• Avoid putting important information in headers or footers.

Documents-PDFs  

If you are providing a document in PDF format, the PDF must be a text based/searchable PDF.  If not, it will be inaccessible to screen readers.  

Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Start with an accessible source document. By following the previous suggestions for creating an accessible MS Word document, you are on your way to creating an accessible PDF.
• If you are creating a pdf from an MS Word document, save/convert the MS Word document to PDF by choosing “Save as PDF” rather than printing to PDF.
• Simple documents should convert pretty well from MS Word to PDF. More complex documents may need to be checked for accessibility and even remediated for accessibility.
• If you have a Professional version of Adobe Acrobat, you can run an accessibility check.
• If you are using PDFs that were created by someone else, check to make sure they are accessible. Older PDFs created by scanning an article are often purely an image—these image documents are inaccessible to screen readers.  
  • Tip: check if you can highlight the text on the page. If not, it may be an image of the text instead of real text.

For additional UCOP guidance, please visit:
Quick Tips for Creating Accessible Documents (pdf)
Create accessible PDFs
 

PowerPoint Slide Presentations

• Choose a design template that offers good contrast, so that people with low vision or who are colorblind can distinguish foreground from background text (for example).   The free tool Color Contrast Checker - TPGi can help.  
• Avoid the “Design ideas” presented by PowerPoint. Some are accessible but many are not.
• Avoid starting with a blank slide and adding text boxes.  Instead, choose the layout that fits your slide design.
• Use slide titles and if a topic continues on multiple slides, communicate that for example 1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc.
• Check the “outline view” of the slide to see if the text on your slide is visible there.
• Describe images, charts and graphs with alternative text.  This Microsoft support article provides instruction on adding alt-text: Add alternative text to a shape, picture, chart, SmartArt graphic, or other object (microsoft.com) 

  • Remember the goal of alt-text is to describe what is happening in the image rather than simply listing what is in the image. Your goal is to provide the visually impaired with the same or similar experience as someone who is sighted. Avoid classifying someone’s race in the alt text or any commentary - keep it neutral and fact-based. 

  • Note that alternative text is only available to screen reader users. If there is visible text in your image that is small, low-contrast or low-resolution (cannot be enlarged), low-vision users who do not use a screen reader may not be able to read it.

• Use sans serif fonts and make sure your text is 24-point or larger for online presentation and 28-point or larger for face-to-face (“live”) presentation.
• Use a maximum of 6-8 lines of text per slide.  
• Avoid transitions and animations.  
• Create an accessible PDF version of the PowerPoint for your audience to download or reference. This version will be more accessible to screen reader users.  (See guidelines for pdfs.)

For additional UCOP guidance, please visit:
In Windows: Make Accessible PowerPoint Presentations

Videos

• The video will need to be captioned. If you need assistance captioning videos of 20 minutes in length or less, please upload or link to your videos through our campus captioning request form (you will need to be logged in with your Net ID).
• The visual content will need to be described.
• A transcript will need to be created that includes the captions and the descriptions of the visual content.
• For videos embedded in a course, the video player needs to be accessible by keyboard and the controls need to be labeled properly so that a screen reader user can access all of the video controls.

Editing and Captioning Videos

When choosing a video that has been created by someone else, make sure it is captioned. Automatic captions do not provide equal access. 

If you are uploading a video to a platform, such as YouTube, which provides for automatic captioning, you will need to go back and edit the captions to meet accessibility standards. 

To edit captions on YouTube: 

1. Upload your video file to your YouTube channel. YouTube will automatically generate captions.
2. Go to your Video Manager.
3. Next to the video you want to edit captions for, click the drop-down next to "Edit" -> Subtitles/CC.
4. Click the caption track you want to edit.
5. Click Edit above the video.
6. Click Publish edits

Alternatively, you can create your own captions using a free online tool like amara.org. You can save your SRT captioning file and upload it onto your video. Here are the directions on how to import captions directly to YouTube:

1. Go to your Video Manager.
2. Next to the video you want to edit captions for, click the drop-down next to "Edit" -> Subtitles/CC.
3. Select “Add a new track.”
4. Upload your SRT file and identify the language. Your captions should appear on the video momentarily. If you need assistance captioning videos of 20 minutes in length or less, please upload or link to your videos through our campus captioning request form (you will need to be logged in with your Net ID).

Audio Description

Audio description refers to providing information about the visual aspects of a video to someone who is blind or who has low vision. Audio description can be provided as part of the general narration or can be added after the fact. If the video is simply a recording of you providing a lecture, then there would be little need for audio description. If you are also showing slides, you'll want to describe what is in the slides.

The following will help you consider what aspects of a video need additional audio description

•    Are there sections of the video that provide content in text only (i.e., credits, section titles, statistics, etc.)?
•    Are the names and/or titles of speakers listed under the speaker?
•    Are there presentation slides that are being shared that are not spoken by the narrator?
•    Are there other visuals that add to the content of the video?
•    Is something being demonstrated in the video?

Providing a Transcript

Once you have your transcript for the captions and the audio descriptions, you can combine the two to create a document that will make your video accessible to those who are deaf, blind, or have visual or hearing impairments. Simply create an accessible MS Word document with the caption transcript and the audio descriptions and provide a link to it below the video.

For additional UCOP guidance, please visit:
Quick Tips for Creating Accessible Videos (pdf)
Other Tips

As with other multi-media solutions, if you have audio-only content you are also required to supply an accurate text-based transcript. Create an accessible MS Word document with audio descriptions and provide a link to it.

Social Media

Alternative Text (Alt-text) Descriptions for Images

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn all have the ability to edit alternative text on video, photos and graphics. Take the time to put in more descriptive language about the image/video. Remember to describe what is happening in the image rather than simply listing what is in the image. Your goal is to provide the visually impaired with the same or similar experience as someone who is sighted. Avoid classifying someone’s race in the alt text or any commentary - keep it neutral and fact-based. 

Note that alternative text is only available to screen reader users. If there is visible text in your image that is small, low-contrast or low-resolution (cannot be enlarged), low-vision users who do not use a screen reader may not be able to read it.

1.    Twitter alt text guide 
2.    Facebook alt text guide
3.    Instagram alt text guide
4.    LinkedIn alt text guide

For additional UCOP guidance, please visit:
Quick Tips for Creating Accessible Social Posts (pdf)
Provide meaningful descriptions of images

Captioning of Videos

For video content, you should provide captions of the audio for the benefit of those without hearing, who are hard-of-hearing, and who are non-native speakers. Captions can be either closed captions (where a user can turn them on and off) or open captions (where the text is embedded into the video and cannot be turned on or off). 

For videos on Snapchat, Instagram stories, YouTube, Facebook and others, it is recommended to burn in captions. Make sure to use a san serif font at 12 points or larger to make reading easier for viewers. You can also use the auto-caption on YouTube and Facebook, but be sure to check for accuracy. There are tools out there for auto-captioning on Instagram/Snapchat stories like Cliptomatic and rev.com. Caption files (.srt) can also be added to YouTube. 

For additional UCOP guidance, please visit:
Quick Tips for Creating Accessible Social Posts (pdf)
Transcripts & Captioning

Context for Animated GIFs

On platforms that allow for alternative text descriptions on GIFs, you should provide them in the same manner as for still images.

Note that this alternative text is only available to screen reader users. Many users who do not use screen readers may have trouble reading images of text in a GIF that are low-resolution, low-contrast, distorted or only shown briefly.

In either case, make sure the post can be understood through its non-graphical text alone, even if this means the text seems visually redundant to the image. 

Other Tips: 

1. Avoid using graphics that have text overlay.
2. Shorten your URLs. URLs are read character-by-character by site-readers, so make them short and customize them when possible. Use a free link shortener tool like bit.ly.  
3. CamelCase Hashtags. Hashtags are an important component of social media posts. When authoring hashtags that are made up of multiple words, use initial capitalization, also known as CamelCase. Utilizing this simple technique makes the hashtag easier to read for all users and is more consumable by screen readers since their synthesized voices can recognize and pronounce individual words, and won’t concatenate and garble them. 
4. Avoid acronyms. They are tricky for site-readers. 

Emojis and Emoticons

Emojis displayed on a screen will be described by a screen reader. The ? emoji, for example, will be read aloud as “clapping hands.” Please be considerate of screen reader users by using emojis judiciously and by placing spaces between them. 

When creating emoticons with text, consider the experience for screen reader users. In this example, this visual experience of “shruggie” ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ will be read aloud by a screen reader as:
“Macron, backslash, underline, katakana, underline, slash, macron.”

Be aware of color contrast.

Check your images, your bio section, thumbnail images and graphics, and your Instagram and Snapchat stories to make sure there is a high contrast of colors to ensure legibility, including for those who have color blindness. Use a color contrast analyzer tool, such as this Chrome plug-in. It can help you determine if your content complies with accessibility standards. 

Accessibility Documentation by Platform
•    Facebook Accessibility Support Features
•    Twitter Accessibility Support Features: Images
•    Instagram Accessibility Support Features: Images
•    LinkedIn Accessibility Support Features
 

Teaching - UCR-Recommended Platforms for online instruction and exams

Please use only UCR-recommended platforms for administering online exams and delivering remote instruction.  Using these platforms helps ensure accessibility, privacy and security for our students. Use of iLearn (Blackboard) is strongly encouraged and will satisfy most instructors’ needs. Use of YouTube is discouraged. Faculty who already utilize YouTube should contact XCITE for further instructions on how to make YouTube ADA compliant. Other UCR-recommended platforms and best practices can be found on the KeepTeaching website. watch this ED OCR video on ensuring web accessibility for students with disabilities for schools using online learning.

Consider contacting Exploration Center for Innovative Teaching and Engagement (XCITE) or the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) to ask about the platforms you are using and their accessibility. 

For additional UCOP guidance, please visit:
Quick Tips for Creating Accessible Virtual Learning (pdf)
Creating Accessible E-Courses (pdf)

Syllabi.  A syllabus is a unique opportunity to convey your commitment to accessibility and accommodations for those with disabilities.  

[Sample] Students with Disabilities: UC Riverside is committed to providing equal access to learning opportunities to students with documented disabilities. To ensure access to this course, and your program, please contact the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) to engage in a confidential conversation about the process for requesting accommodations in a course or classroom. More information can be found on sdrc.ucr.edu. If you are a student registered with the SDRC, please ensure you request your quarterly accommodations through rability.ucr.edu.

Or use this syllabus template that includes an accessibility statement as well as links to other institutional resources and policies (e.g., academic integrity, Title IX, ITS, academic support services, copyright statement, etc.)
 

For UCOP guidance, please visit:
Quick Tips for Creating Accessible Emails (pdf)

For UCOP guidance, please visit:
Guidelines for accessible surveys and forms
 

Siteimprove courses can be found within the Siteimprove website. There is also a listing on UCOP's Electronic Accessibility site. 

The University of California Learning Center provides the same accessibility courses. These include web, document, and multimedia formats, and specific by role for instructional designers (in the classroom), purchasing, web designers, and developers.

To view the entire topic: Accessibility (under Technology, Systems, and Software)

General Digital Accessibility Principles

Accessibility for Designers

Accessibility for Developers

Accessibility for the Classroom

Accessible Documents

Accessible Multimedia

Accessible Purchasing

Testing for Web Accessibility