Accessibility Self-Review Checklist

Summary

Use this checklist to review documents for accessibility prior to distribution or publishing. (Fields are provided to facilitate partially filling the checklist online. Print the checklist as a PDF to preserve your selections.)

Document or Course Name: 

Review Date: 

Syllabus:

•  Include GCC accommodations statement.
•  Outline technology requirements.
•  Provide full course name and modality

General Text Content Formatting:

•  Use consistent fonts and font sizes throughout digital materials.
•  Have effective use of white space. No large blocks of text.
•  Use emphasis appropriately for word, short phrase, or title.
•  Use left-aligned text as a guideline. Avoid center or full alignment of content and multi-line headings that causes poor spacing between words or characters.
•  Read sentences without (), *, -, /, and # to ensure they make sense and have the intended break for those using assistive technologies.
•  Create formulas and equations using a formula editor.
•  Review roman numerals for readability.
•  Avoid idioms or slang when it is not a part of the course.
•  Spell out abbreviations the first time used.

Colors:

•  Have sufficient contrast between content and background.
•  Do not use color as the only visual way to convey information. If viewed or printed in black and white, colored items must remain distinguishable.
•  Avoid or increase contrast and/or brightness if using color blind or screen fatigue color combinations side by side.

Microsoft Word Documents:

•  Use built in styles to format headings and subheadings, bulleted or numbered lists, etc.
•  Indent using tab key and/or margin markers instead of the spacebar.
•  Use built-in accessibility checker along with manual checking the document

Microsoft PowerPoints:

•  Do not use any unnecessary animation. Use for pedagogical reasons, for example: to display problems line-by-line, fill in 'blanks' left on slide to illustrate answer, etc.
•  Do not skip titles. They are used by assistive technologies for navigation purposes.
•  Use built-in slide layouts.
•  Ensure the stack (reading) order is correct.
•  Include Notes text for anything said in a lecture that is not conveyed on the slides.

PDFs:

•  Ensure the document has selectable text and is not an image scan.
•  Ensure the document has structure with reading order (such as tags, bookmarks, etc.)

Brightspace Text Content (content items, learning modules):

•  Use built in styles to format headings, subheadings, and bulleted or numbered lists. If copying from Word or online, remove formatting with Ctrl-Shift-V or equivalent text pasting.
•  Start Here (Welcome) module provides Course Overview, Meet Your Instructor, and Brightspace Navigation at a minimum
•  Each module needs an About page using a template or accessible format

Non-Text Content Formatting:

Images (photos, clipart, charts, graphs, illustrations)

•  Provide preceding text, captions, or alternative text (alt-text) for non-text content.
•  Do not embed text in an image. It should be selectable (readable by assistive technologies).

Tables:

•  Use the Insert Table function to create tables.
•  Include table headers (top row and when appropriate the column).
•  Use alternative text to describe the table’s visual organization when possible.

Videos (screen capture, web conference recording, Brightspace, Adobe Connect):

•  On-screen closed captioning is preferred and text transcript is provided.
•  Visual-heavy videos need enough description via the audio track or provide accompanying text descriptions to convey the actions as well as the text of the video.
•  Web conference recordings should provide links and/or copies of materials shared in the presentation.
•  Ensure there is no flickering animations or images with rates that could cause seizures.

Audio-Only Files (podcasts, radio recordings, narration on PowerPoint):

•  Provide text transcript.

Other Items (Activities, Course Flow, 3^rd Party Software, and Hyperlinks):

•  All content should be accessible by mouse or keyboard. For example: if using drag/drop interactions that are mouse control only, another method needs to also be provided.
•  Activities should not be restricted to visual information only or require vision for completion.
•  Timed tests should have an option for an extension or to be untimed.
•  Ensure course formatting is consistent across week.
•  Ensure the course flows in a logical order for easier navigation.
•  Ensure 3rd party software and textbook web-packs are accessible or alternative is offered (check provider’s website).
•  Hyperlink text should be descriptive of where link goes, not "click here" and note if it navigates away from the origination point.
•  Hyperlinks (including email links) must work.
•  Start filenames with course number and instructor name.

Index

(), *, -, /, or # Usage:

• The parenthesis, asterisk, dash or hyphen, slash, and number or pound sign are not read by screen readers with default settings, but are treated like a space. Review sentences to ensure they convey the correct information and create the intended break or pause without these characters.
• If an asterisk (*) is used to denote a subnote, consider using superscript numbers instead or incorporating the note into the content.
• If a dash or hyphen (-) is intended as a pause, use colons (:) instead as with headings for lists.
• Consider replacing a dash or hyphen (-) between numbers with the word ‘to’ for better readability. For example: 1900 to 1920, A = 90% to 100%, or 1 to 2 % error.
• Change slash (/) to ‘and’, ‘or’, or ‘and/or’ when possible for better readability.
• Number or pound sign (#) may or may not be needed for clarity, so remove or spell out when applicable.

Accessibility – definition from Wikipedia

• Accessibility refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities.^[1] The concept of accessible design ensures both "direct access" (i.e. unassisted) and "indirect access" meaning compatibility with a person's assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers).
• Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity. The concept focuses on enabling access for people with disabilities, or special needs, or enabling access through the use of assistive technology; however, research and development in accessibility brings benefits to everyone.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}
• Accessibility is strongly related to universal design which is the process of creating products that are usable by people with the widest possible range of abilities, operating within the widest possible range of situations. This is about making things accessible to all people (whether they have a disability or not).

Accessibility Statement – see GCC Accommodations Statement

Alternate Text:

• If the text preceding or a caption does not explain an image clearly to the reader, alternate text can be added for those who cannot see it.
• Instructions for adding alt text to Word and PowerPoint: youtu.be/P9y_4J6KfOA.
• Pad Presentation is Adding Alternate Text to Microsoft Document for Accessibility.

Assistive Technologies:

• Some assistive (or adaptive) technologies or accessibility programs include:
  • Alternate keyboards, mouse systems, or pointing devices
  • Braille Display or Embosser
  • Electronic Notetaker
  • Screen Magnifier or screen magnification software
    • CCTV (or Closed Circuit Television Magnifier) is available in the GCC Library
  • Screen Readers
    • JAWS and Read & Write Gold II software are available in the Assisted Learning Lab, Room D209, in the Center for Academic Progress.
  • Voice or Speech recognition software – Dragon Dictate and Kurzweil 3000 reading program are available in the Assisted Learning Lab, Room D209, in the Center for Academic Progress.

Captioning On-Screen:

• If you are using someone else's video and it is not captioned, seek a replacement video with captioning or see if the creator is willing to caption and upload a new copy.
• For videos you created, add captions. Instructions for adding captions to YouTube videos: youtu.be/SCWVBoZaQiU.

Color (including Color Combinations):

• High color contrasts are black and white, dark blue and light gray, etc.
• Color blind or screen fatigue combinations are: Red/green, blue/purple, red/orange, blue/red color combinations used side by side are difficult to distinguish for the color blind.
• There may also be issues with red/orange, red/black, and any color combination where colors are fairly close on the color wheel. Reference Wikipedia’s color wheel illustrations here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_wheel

Fonts:

• Sans-serif fonts are preferred as a general guideline. Sans-serif fonts (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, and others) are generally used for content that is to be read on-line while serif fonts (Times, Georgia, Cambria, and others) is used for content that is intended to be printed.
• Font size 12 point is a good guideline for readability.
• Use consistent heading styles for titles, headings, subheadings, content, etc. for better readability.
• For italics, keep in mind that older screen readers and people with learning disabilities may have a hard time reading large amounts of italics.

Formulas

• For MS Word, use the MathType plugin to create math and science equations, formulas and notations. Do not use Microsoft's equation editor.

GCC Accommodations Statement:

• Cut and paste the following statement:

• If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact your coursework or participation in this class, please contact the Assistant Dean of Student Services/Disabilities Coordinator, Success Coach, or Academic Advisor who will arrange an intake meeting. The Assistant Dean/Coordinator will determine with you what accommodations are necessary, appropriate and reasonable. All information and documentation is confidential.

   

  • The web page for Access & Accommodations is at: www.genesee.edu/home/offices/access-accommodation-services/
  • Optionally you can add:
• I am striving for Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in this course, however, it is a work in progress. If you encounter any course materials that are inaccessible with adaptive equipment or inaccessible due to extenuating circumstances please let me know or contact those above.

   

  • Or write your own statement that conveys this specific information.

  Microsoft PowerPoint:

  • MS PowerPoint Slide Layouts are defaulted create the proper white space.
    • Add content in text boxes and once the font size gets too small, avoid expanding the text box to the edges of the slide, instead create a new slide and continue adding text there.

  PDF Tags and Structure, Reading Order, and Converting Documents to PDF:

  • In Adobe Reader, see if the bookmarks option appears. This means there's at least some structure.
  • To check for tags and structure, run an accessibility check in Acrobat (Choose Tools > Accessibility > Full Check).
    •  Also open the Tags tab (which should have an obvious structure). Instructions to add tags in Acrobat can be found at: http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/16/04706129/0470612916-4.pdf.
  • Check and configure reading order in Acrobat. Instructions for tags and reading order: youtu.be/Xq9OCYRXUxE.
  • Best way to create structure is to use styles in Word and convert to PDF. Instructions on converting documents to PDFs: youtu.be/ZDQYpVSAjFI.

  Roman Numerals

  • Roman numerals are not read as numbers by screen readers. For example, I is read as 'eye' and XIV is read as 'ziv'. Consider using actual number when possible.

  Tables

  • Tables should be simple (with no merged or split cells) and are created as true tables (meaning no tables embedded in an image or text lined up by spaces or margin markers to look like a table).

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