The University of Washington is committed to accessibility — making our websites, videos, newsletters and other digital collateral accessible to all users.
Make content scannable
Users scan web pages for headings, links and visual elements. Users of assistive technology jump to elements like headings, links and call-to-action buttons. Keep text brief, include meaningful headings and write meaningful, contextual link text.
Keep text brief
Users don't read web and newsletter content like they read novels or professional articles. Help them understand the concepts in a few sentences and provide links to more information and who to contact if they still have questions.
Include headings
Headings break up text visually, provide a way for users to scan content, and also help improve search rankings for web pages.
Write meaningful link text
When including links, the linked text should tell users where they're about to go. For example, instead of telling users to read more here, include context in the link: Read more in Nielsen/Norman Group's Writing Hyperlinks: Salient, Descriptive, Start with Keyword and the pithier Better Link Labels: 4Ss for Encouraging Clicks.
Describing images with alt text
Screen readers used by persons with visual impairments use alt text to describe images. Providing a strong description of the image's content is vital for conveying meaningful information that furthers understanding of a concept.
For tips, see "How do I write good alt text?" on MOZ's article about alt text.
Documents accessibility
When creating digital documents, there are a few basic issues to keep in mind in order to ensure your content is accessible. These issues are the same regardless of whether your document is in HTML, Word, PDF, or another document format. A good starting point for learning about accessibility is the UW IT Accessibility Checklist.
Additional resources
The following pages focus on issues that are unique to document accessibility:
- Checking PDFs for Accessibility
- PDFs from Microsoft Word
- PDFs from InDesign
- PowerPoint Presentations
- High-quality Scans
Resources for communicators
World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) publishes Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The UW looks to WCAG 2.0 Level AA as its goal for meeting its IT accessibility commitments. The Level AA success criteria provide a reasonable target for websites and web applications and additionally serve as a useful metric for products and services that are not specifically web-based.
Guidance for campus units UW employees for fulfilling the UW’s commitment to equal access to information technology and complying with the UW policy on IT accessibility.
UW-IT Accessible Technology Services (ATS)
For UW staff and faculty, where to get help with the accessibility of UW websites, online documents, or IT procurement decisions.
A discussion and communication forum about accessible web design relating to websites at the UW.
Over 700 case studies, promising practices, and Q&As regarding the accessibility of technology, college, graduate school, and careers for individuals with disabilities.