Accessibility is an intrinsic part of OER.
A resource isn't open if it's not usable by all.
Many programs, including the Microsoft suite of programs like Word & PowerPoint, have built-in accessibility checkers (look for "Check Accessibility" under the "Review" ribbon). For more information on what makes your work more accessible, check out the following links:
Accessibility Checklist
Text
- Text includes markup that declares language of the content in a manner that is compatible with assistive technology.
- The reading order for content logically corresponds to the visual layout of the page when rendered by assistive technology.
- Text has a color contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.
Organization & Structure
- Headings and subheadings are used to organize content.
- Text allows for navigation by structural elements (headings, chapters, pages) using assistive technology (or is rendered by an application such as a browser, media player, or reader that offers this functionality).
Images
- Images that convey information include alternative text (alt text) descriptions of the image’s content or function.
- Graphs, charts, and maps also include contextual or supporting details in the text or a caption surrounding the image.
- Images do not rely solely on color to convey information.
- Images that are purely decorative have null alternative text or contain markup that allows them to be ignored by assistive technology.
Links
- The link is meaningful in context (descriptive) and does not use generic text such as “click here” or “read more.”
- Links are rendered in a manner that allows them to be detected and activated with assistive technology (or are rendered by an application such as a browser, media player, or reader that offers this functionality).
- Links do not open in new windows or tabs. If a link must open in a new window or tab, a textual reference is included in the link information (e.g., [NewTab]).
Tables
- Tables include markup (e.g. tags or styles) that identifies row and column headers in a manner that is compatible with assistive technology (or are rendered by an application such as a browser, media player, or reader that offers this functionality).
- Tables include captions.
- Complex tables may be rendered as an image with alternative text.
Multimedia/Interactive Elements
- Multimedia content and interactive elements are compatible with assistive technology.
- A transcript is provided with all audio, including relevant non-speech, content.
- Transcript includes: speaker’s name, all speech content, relevant descriptions of speech, descriptions of relevant non-speech audio, headings and subheadings.
- Captions of all speech content and relevant non-speech content are included in the multimedia resource; this includes the audio synchronized with a video presentation.
- Audio descriptions of contextual visuals (e.g., graphs, charts) are included in the multimedia resource.
- Multimedia/interactive content does not contain anything that flashes more than three times in a one-second period.
Formulas/Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
- Formulas and other STEM content are marked up in a manner that is compatible with assistive technology (ex. formulas created using MathML).
- Formulas and other STEM content that are not compatible with assistive technology may be rendered as images with alternative text descriptions.
Font size
- Font size is: 12 point or higher for body text; 9 point or higher for footnotes or endnotes.
- Font size can be adjusted/zoomed to a minimum of 200%.
License
This checklist was adapted from Michigan State University Libraries’ OER Accessibility Checklist and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
