Accessibility Resources
Why Accessibility Matters
Accessibility means making sure every student has a fair chance to learn, no matter what their abilities or challenges. When course materials and digital tools are designed with everyone in mind, it not only supports students with disabilities but also creates a more inclusive and supportive learning experience for all. This leads to better engagement and helps more students succeed.
Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
Ensuring digital accessibility is not only pedagogically sound but also required by law and grounded in ethics. In the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act mandate that educational institutions provide people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all programs, services, and activities, including those delivered online.
Accessibility Best Practices
| Best Practice | Why It Matters |
| Include Alt Text with all visuals
Add descriptions for images, charts, and SmartArt, ensuring screen reader compatibility. |
Help visually impaired users understand visual content, crucial for educational materials. |
| Ensure sufficient color contrast
Use high-contrast color schemes, e.g., black text on white background, checked with tools. |
Improves readability for low vision and colorblind students, enhancing learning outcomes. |
| Use 18pt font or larger
Prefer sans serif fonts like Arial, with ample white space to reduce reading load. |
Aids students with dyslexia or low vision, ensuring accessibility in lectures. |
| Add captions to videos
Include closed captions for all embedded videos, editing for accuracy if auto generated. |
Ensures deaf and hard-of-hearing students can access audio content, vital for instructional videos. |
| Avoid automatic transitions and animations
Use manual transitions, keeping animations brief and non-distracting. |
Prevents confusion for screen readers and maintains focus on content for all learners. |
View the CETL Session on Accessibility
In April 2025 CETL presented a session on accessibility for course documents and best practices titled, “Click, Learn, Include: Practical Accessibility Tips for Faculty”
View the video on accessibility in the CETL Session Archives
Accessibility Checklist
To get started view the Accessibility Checklist to help your course be accessible and more inclusive. Items such as headings, contrast, alt-tags and more are covered.