Creating accessible course content may require that you take a few extra steps to ensure that course materials, and other interactive tools are designed for student learning. The information on this page provides resources and guidance on creating accessible course materials in keeping with the university’s efforts to provide all students, online or on-ground, with an equal opportunity to learn. Additional information on the University’s efforts to support accessibility is available online.
Teaching and Learning Accessibility Videos
Microsoft Word Accessibility Checker in 2016 is a free tool that identifies accessibility issues and offers suggestions on how to make your document more readable. The video above walks viewer through use of the tool to make a document more accessible.
How do we Make our Documents Accessible in Word on PC? (run time 6m 36s)
Alternative text, or "alt text" associated with an image can be read aloud by software. This allows users who are blind or have low vision to perceive an image. In this video, we review different ways images are used in documents, and what the best practices are for associating alternative text based on how the image is being used.
Making Digital Images Accessible (run time 4m 9s)
Workshops on Accessibility
The Education Technology Office offers workshops on creating accessible course content throughout the year. For current workshop listings and to register use the following link to the office LearningStream registration page.
Education Technology Office Workshop listings and registration
Additional Resource Information
Microsoft Office Support: Creating Accessible Office Files links to the official Microsoft Office support page for creating accessible documents, and provides links to specific articles and video series about making accessible files in the different Office programs.
On the attachments to the right of this page, you'll find a one-page Accessibility Facts vs. Fiction handout. This looks at potential misconceptions about accessibility requirements for course materials at FSU and provides factual information about each concern.
On the attachments to the right of this page, you'll find the Best Practices for Accessibility. This is a two page handout that lays out three essential and three important practical steps you can take to increase the accessibility of your course materials.
On the attachments to the right of this page, you'll find the document "Using Alt Text for Accessible Images". This is a two page reading that discusses how to best use alternative text associated with images to make documents accessible to blind or low vision users.
Contact Information
For questions or concerns about creating accessible course materials email accessibility@framingham.edu