Quick Accessibility Checklist
Below is a summary of the most important accessibility guidelines. The different details link all go to the http://accessibility.psu.edu
HTML Elements
- If you want to incorporate color, be sure that none of the content
relies on color coding alone. Color coding should be supplemented by text
or differences
in lightness or shape. Contrasts of bright colors and strongly textured
backgrounds should also be avoided to facilitate legibility.
Note: Contrasts of red/green or red/black are the most likely to be confused.
View Details: Color - If you wish to specify a font, consider fonts designed for a computer
monitor such as Arial and Verdana and always use relative sizes. Italics
text should be used minimally, and blinking text should be avoided.
View Details: Fonts - If your page has links, then make sure the text of the link describes the
location of the new page. Avoid generic "Click Here" links.
View Details: Links - If you use lists, use ordered lists so that items are numbered, or
include the item number within your text.
View Details: Lists - Basic HTML tips - Use appropriate H tags to structure your content
into sections and be as concise as possible. Be aware of how screen readers
pronounce acronyms and abbreviations as single words.
View Details: HTML Structure | View Details: Abbreviations
Multimedia Elements
- If you use images, use the ALT tag to provide a clear text
alternative. Descriptive ALT text should provide equivalent information
as the graphic. For complex images, an extended text description may
be needed. If you want a tooltip for an icon, use the TITLE attribute,
not the ALT attribute.
View Details: Images - If you use audio or video files, provide captioning or a description/transcript
in text form. If a transcript is used, then text can be can be on the
same page, or accessed via a hyperlink to a separate page can be placed
near the clip.
View Details: Video and Audio - If you want to upload a Powerpoint file, then make sure all graphics are
labeled and includes appropriate extended descriptions
are included. All audio should be captioned or have a transcript. Powerpoint
files converted to HTML should include ALT tags as needed.
View Details: Powerpoint and Word - If you use charts or graphs, provide a text alternative
that summarizes the content of each chart or graph, and make sure color coding
is not the only key used in the chart, but is supplemented with labels
or differences in line shape.
View Details: Charts - If you use mathematical or scientific notation, be sure a screen
reader can access the content either through an ALT tag on an image, an
extended text description or some other mechanism.
View Details: Math - If you use motion or animation, make sure that it's
necessary and that the flicker rate is lower than 2 Hz. and greater than
55 Hz; animations within these frequencies may trigger epileptic seizures.
If the animation is needed, be sure to provide an alternate text description
that clearly communicates
the
action
and its
purpose on a separate page.
View Details: Animation - If you want to use material from a Word file, then either upload it as
is, recreate the HTML file or convert it to a PDF file. Avoid the Save
as Web file
option in Word as it creates inaccessible files.
View Details: Powerpoint and Word