The Importance of Digital Accessibility
Digital accessibility is about providing content that is usable by all individuals, including those with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive disabilities. By prioritizing accessibility, we can not only mitigate access barriers to users with disabilities, but enhance the broader user experience as well.
Key Areas of Focus
Accessibility doesn’t happen by accident! It’s intentional, and there are simple practices all content creators can easily apply in their day-to-day operations to create more accessible digital experiences.
To guide our efforts, we focus on seven key areas that are fundamental to accessible digital content. Use the links provided for guidance on each topic, including general best practices, technical tips, and what to avoid with examples for reference.
- Headings : Organizing content with clear headings and a logical structure helps users navigate and understand information more effectively.
- Links: Creating meaningful and descriptive links ensures users know where they will be directed, enhancing navigation and usability.
- Alternative Text: Providing descriptive text for images and other non-text content makes visual information accessible to users with visual disabilities.
- Tables: Designing accessible tables with proper headers and summaries ensures that data is presented in a way that is understandable to all users.
- Color Contrast: Ensuring sufficient contrast between text and background colors improves readability for users with visual disabilities.
- Lists: Using proper list structures helps users comprehend and navigate content more efficiently.
- Video and Audio: Providing captions, transcripts, and descriptive audio for multimedia content ensures accessibility for users with audial and visual disabilities.
Digital Accessibility 101 Training Video
Contact Us
Have questions or need assistance? Contact the Digital Accessibility Services team directly at accessibleIT@syr.edu or visit our virtual Digital Accessibility Office Hours.