"A11y" is shorthand for "accessibility", with "11" representing the letters between 'a' and 'y.' In tech, it refers to designing websites, apps, and digital content for all users, including those with disabilities.  

Ensuring digital accessibility is essential for inclusivity and compliance with federal regulations and WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. We encourage all VCSU employees to follow a11y best practices to create an accessible online environment.  

Explore resources to enhance accessibility skills, whether you're a beginner or looking to improve. Start making content that everyone can access and enjoy!

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One Stop Articles:

The VCSU Passport Experience:

The Passport Experience helps us understand and simulate accessibility barriers. 

• Vision Passport: Simulating vision impairments.
• Hearing Passport: Understanding challenges for users with hearing impairments.
• Learning Difficulty Disorder: Navigating digital content with cognitive impairments.

VCSU's Core Topics of Accessibility:

VCSU has identified key accessibility topics to help create inclusive digital content:

• Core Topic: Digital Accessibility
• Core Topic: Alt (alternative) Text
• Core Topic: Accessible Document Structure
• Core Topic: Captioning and Transcripts
• Core Topic: Color Contrast: coming soon!

Toolkit:

• Digital A11y Toolkit: Tools and software recommended by VCSU to create accessible content.

Guidelines:

• Guidelines: Email Accessibility
• Guidelines: Creating Accessible PDFs
• Guidelines: Social Media Accessibility

Checklists: 

• Microsoft Office Checklists:

• Checklist for Email 
• Checklist for PDFs
• Checklist for Excel 
• Checklist for PowerPoint
• Checklist for Word

• Blackboard Ultra Accessibility Checklist
• One Stop: coming soon!

Training Resources:

Web Accessibility:

• WebAIM: Introduction to Web Accessibility
• GSA: Accessibility Bytes Series

Alternative Text: 

Alt text provides a brief, meaningful description of images so users who can’t see them understand their purpose or content.

• WebAIM: Adding Alt Text
• GSA Accessibility Bytes: Alt Text
• Blackboard: Adding Alt Text to Images
• One Stop: Adding Alt Text to Images

Document Structure: 

Use clear, logical document structure with proper headings, lists, and reading order to help all users navigate and understand content easily.

• WebAIM: Headings
• GSA Accessibility Bytes: Document Headings
• Blackboard: Adding Headings to a Document
• One Stop: Using Built-in Headings for Structure

Video Captions and Text Transcriptions: 

Captions and transcripts enhance accessibility for users who are deaf or hard of hearing. 

• WebAIM: Captions and Transcripts
• GSA: Creating Accessible Media
• Blackboard Caption Video Content
• One Stop: coming soon!

 

Color and Contrast:

Text and background colors must have sufficient contrast to be readable by all users. 

• WebAIM: Contrast and Color Accessibility
• GSA Accessibility Bytes: Color Contrast
• Blackboard Color Contrast
• One Stop Silktide color contrast tool 
• Color Contrast Analyzer tool

Microsoft Office Accessibility Training:

• GSA Microsoft Office Video Series: Create Accessible Digital Products

Adobe Pro Training: in progress!

• GSA: PDF Authoring Guides
• GSA: How to Test and Remediate PDFs for Accessibility Using Adobe Acrobat DC
• PDF Testing Guide

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New to WCAG? That's OK! Check out this short video from Silktide:

For more information or to schedule training, please contact:

Debbie Dramstad

Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC)

Web Accessibility and Applications Specialist 

Technology Services

debra.dramstad@vcsu.edu

Read about Section 508 IT Accessibility and the criteria required to meet digital accessibility compliance.

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: U.S. government IT accessibility standards.
• W3C Web Accessibility: Guidelines, tools, and best practices for web accessibility.
• WCAG 2.1 AA Standards: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines by W3C.