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View these principles as a printable Checklist: |
Getting started
Digital accessibility doesn’t have to be complicated! There are quick steps you can take to make content more accessible right away.
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These principles are modified from the a11y project checklist, and align with WCAG 2.1 AA standards. These principles can be adapted to create accessibility criteria for other projects as needed. For standards specific to document types, see the linked resources. For more information about each princpleprinciple, see the Deep Dives.
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- Can users understand the entire content without needing to see a particular color?
- Check the contrast for all content:
- Text
- Icons
- Borders
- Text within images or video
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Lists
Basic Principle
Lists are an excellent way to improve readability by turning lengthy strings of content into a scannable format. Lists can be unordered (bullet points) or ordered (1, 2, 3). This is identified to the screen reader using code, but that code is automatically input if you use the built-in list maker in your program to create the list. It is important to use an ordered list if the content builds on itself or must be read/followed in a step-by-step pattern.
Questions to Ask
- Am I using the built-in list-maker to format my list?
- Am I using an ordered list when my content must be read in a sequential pattern, or when list items build on each other?
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Tables
Basic Principle
Tables are a specific way of displaying data in a relational way, and their accessibility can become complex, particularly for screen reader users. Tables should be kept as simple as possible - ideally, no more than a single header row and column. Consider splitting the data into separate tables to reduce its complexity. You should always use the built-in table generator in your software to create the table, so accessibility features can be applied before exporting to a different format. Finally, tables should never be used to format a document - this may look correct visually, but can be difficult or impossible for a screen reader user to navigate.
Questions to Ask
- Am I only using a table to display a data set?
- Can I split any complex tables into separate, simpler tables?
- Am I using the built-in table creator to generate my table?
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Video & Audio
Basic Principle
Audiovisual material requires using multiple techniques to make it accessible. Captions, subtitles and transcripts support Deaf and hard of hearing people, while audio description allows people who are blind or low vision to understand the visual components. Other techniques such as avoiding autoplay and ensuring media can be paused make it more accesssible to people with sensory processing and focus needs.
Questions to Ask
- Make sure media does not autoplay
- Make sure all media can be paused
- Confirm any videos have captions
- Confirm any audio media has transcripts