Over the past few months on LinkedIn, I’ve been sharing links to posts around the theme of digital accessibility. If you create web pages, write emails, create PowerPoint presentations, documents or videos and use social media, then you have a role in removing barriers and creating accessible digital content for everyone.
While these resources don’t cover everything about digital accessibility, they are a good starting point. Lots of little actions can make a big difference!
About accessibility
Giving a Damn About Accessibility by Sheri Byrne-Haber
Why Digital Access is Access for All (video, 6 minutes and 16 seconds) from the Centre for Accessibility Australia
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) primer by Leonie Watson
Developing an Accessibility Statement from the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative
Actions you can take
Action: Visit Microsoft’s Accessibility Resources page (it includes accessibility training essentials, creating accessible content resources, and using assistive technology).
Action: Check color (colour) contrast between text and its background.
Color Contrast Accessibility Requirements Explained by Whitney Lewis
Contrast Checker from WebAIM
Action: Add alternative (alt text) to your images and charts.
All about Alternative Text from WebAIM
Writing Alternative Text for Data Visualisations by Amy Cesal
Action: Write text as simply as possible.
Writing for Accessibility from the Mailchimp Style Guide
Action: Write descriptive hyperlink text.
9 Tips for Creating Accessible Hyperlinks by Colleen Gratzer
Action: Add captions to your videos.
The Complete Guide to Captioned Videos by Meryl Evans
Action: Use Camel Case or Pascal Case when writing hashtags for social media.
Social Media Hashtags from Accessible Social
Action: Try navigating a web page using the tab key.
Keyboard Accessibility from WebAIM
Tips for Designing Useful and Usable Focus Indicators by Aparna Pasi
Action: Include accessibility when organising meetings and events.
Hosting Accessible and Inclusive In-person Meetings and Events from Include Ability
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better”
Maya Angelou (American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist).