Resources for Access in Multiple Spaces- an ongoing list I maintain that can be overwhelming
Last Updated: 1/31/22
Digital/Electronic Accessibility
- The United States Justice Department recently released updated guidance on Section 508 which is the law specific to web accessibility. Additional resources are here.
- Access Guide: https://www.flow.page/access_guide_
- Accessibility Reviews of tools: https://a11y.reviews/
- Digital Compliance:
- https://blog.ai-media.tv/blog/why-designing-for-accessibility-helps-everyone?fbclid=IwAR1AZQ7JbYi8LV8EI6dBTCgR1U50AqtXZsY0qGcOPQ5Z64kxIjOs0WNmUNA
- Section 508 (law enforcing technology accessibility for those receiving federal funding) https://www.section508.gov/manage/laws-and-policies
- Department of Education guidance on responsibility for ensuring access for students with disabilities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCMLk4cES6A&feature=youtu.be
- Digital Library Federation list of Accessibility Auditing Resources: https://wiki.diglib.org/Accessibility_Auditing_Resources
Guides for making content accessible
- Great Resources from the University of Minnesota: https://accessibility.umn.edu/tutorials/accessible-social-media
- If you are a visual learner- this is a great set of posters for different audiences for the UK: https://accessibility.blog.gov.uk/2016/09/02/dos-and-donts-on-designing-for-accessibility/?fbclid=IwAR3Nh4OpUJHgVRVe6SEFHoKEIZvIOajshMRhob9hQgC5QuJJxNg6sV1uonY
- A Researchers’ Guide to Making Content Accessible- https://umassmed.edu/cekter/resources/tip-sheets/2021/04/accessibility-101/
- How to Create Accessible & Inclusive Digital Platforms for Those With Mental Health Disabilities
Virtual Meetings:
- Rooted in Rights: https://rootedinrights.org/how-to-make-your-virtual-meetings-and-events-accessible-to-the-disability-community/?fbclid=IwAR36jRDUQCqZUI02FiqLb8yNTKzsv27_yU02Qas8SCGnaj6PO7rb4BAdV04https://www.deafhhtech.org/rerc/accessible-virtual-meeting-tips/
- Accessible Introductions and Access Needs
- Access is Love is a project focusing on shifting the conversation on accessibility from compliance to love
- General audience article that provides an overview
- https://peatworks.org/4-elements-of-an-accessible-meeting-platform/
- https://www.peatworks.org/checklist-for-an-accessible-virtual-meeting-presentation/?fbclid=IwAR3T6mgu2zXyiiTByyrw27ae-JMFIGZLGqxK56hHDPuQe4o5ZF69qQTPgeU
Zoom
- Zoom Accessibility Guide: https://wiki.diglib.org/Zoom_Accessibility
- Zoom and Captioning
- Zoom: https://news.ncsu.edu/2021/08/zoom-and-access/?fbclid=IwAR2OH2gcd94MlJEskH3q1KC15neXyffl4XInqS3KZRZdaIZ1Hw9H5oNLaFg
Web Design
- https://www.usability.gov/what-and-why/accessibility.html
- https://www.w3.org/WAI/fundamentals/accessibility-intro/
- https://uxplanet.org/a-primer-to-web-accessibility-for-designers-2c548448c612
- https://www.dbswebsite.com/blog/ada-compliance-starts-with-accessible-design/
- http://www.thenoodleincident.com/tutorials/css/index.html#text
Creating PDFs
- https://webaccess.berkeley.edu/resources/tips/pdfs
- https://www.washington.edu/accessibility/documents/pdf-word/
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/create-accessible-pdfs-064625e0-56ea-4e16-ad71-3aa33bb4b7ed
Alt-Text and Images
All images should contain image descriptions and captions. A picture caption tells you the details you want to know by viewing the picture- what are the names of the people, how do they know each other, what are they participating in. An image description describes the picture if you were not looking at it- what is in the picture- people, things, objects; what are the colors, what is inferred, etc.
- How to decide if you need to provide alt text: https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/decision-tree/
- AltText for images on website: https://accessibility.umn.edu/what-you-can-do/start-7-core-skills/alternative-text
- Facebook Alt-Text info
- Facebook Help: https://www.facebook.com/help/214124458607871
- When to use image descriptions
- https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/color-blind-audio-description-inaccessibility
- Describing Race in Alternative Text
- Color Contrast: https://webaim.org/articles/contrast/evaluating?fbclid=IwAR0jxg02DiT-vR8yps6barzYDeWm8ID3-krRd85ZFZQOSuwWir56IAYMiiU
- Alt-Text & Ambiguity: A Poetic Approach to Image Description by Alex Haagaard and Liz Jackson
Captioning- Meetings and Videos
- Captioning videos just does not provide access, it is also good practice: https://www.ai-media.tv/4-reasons-you-definitely-need-to-caption-your-videos/
- Automatic Captioning is what platforms like Zoom and Youtube use to auto-generate caption, which is different than having closed captioning
- Live vs Auto Captioning Policy Example: https://www.assist.vt.edu/services/captioning/live-cap.html?fbclid=IwAR2Gy9bEBDhV6_nMwYyOVZVRkh-mVOQk4QRXhdd-rwB-7VyogpO_EtaUAwo
- A series of YouTube videos (Playlist) of How To’s: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa2HGeuqKyQ1iOHXpqW8u-Cpd1xhjOFTW
- https://www.peatworks.org/how-to-handle-captioning-asl-requests-for-virtual-meetings/?fbclid=IwAR1d_ZzRAOqmyhB9nnWZnHFY_MrbwkIrW6_RpBOkgElz-ExoHI_lc_IjTbA
Social Media
- Tik Tok: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/tiktok-adds-new-accessibility-overview-to-provide-additional-support-for-us/601271/?fbclid=IwAR0Hogee9jNZ7sm2AhZbO-HOm1H1el3_Z2fsJGBq7Sv9cnYLSLrVT3hUHcw
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/access_guide_/
Writing & Language
- https://therollingexplorer.com/category/disability-advocacy/ableist-language-series/
- How Language Can Impact Accessibility and Inclusion
- https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/bias-free-language/disability
- Disability Style Guide
Plain Language
- United States Federal Government Guidelines: https://plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/
- Bureaucratic examples: https://www.plainlanguage.gov/examples/before-and-after/
- Examples and tools: https://centerforplainlanguage.org/learning-training/
- ProPublica recently discussed their use of Plain Language and other versions of a recent story:
- Publishing guidance from Autism in Adulthood journal covering several topics relating to writing for and about the disability community
- https://www.thefeministwire.com/2013/11/cognitively-accessible-language-why-we-should-care/
Specific Platforms/ Deeper Dive
- Designing an accessible online course (University of Arkansas) https://exploreaccess.org/accessible-online-course/
- Making Files Accessible from HHS: https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/making-files-accessible/index.html
- Accessible Word Documents from the Northeast ADA Center: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1osNlwJ0eKw-RyWGJx-tu6OL9Ofm-UV98/view?usp=sharing
- Google Apps: https://www.edtechupdate.com/accessibility/google/
- National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes has great lists of resources including where to find captioners and how to set up remote interpreting. https://www.nationaldeafcenter.org/covid19faqs
- Discord: https://www.starshipchangeling.net/discord/
- Presentation Accessibility: https://rockymountainada.talentlms.com/catalog/info/id:150
- Digital Documents Webinar: https://rockymountainada.talentlms.com/catalog/info/id:149
- Power Points: https://webaim.org/techniques/powerpoint/
In-Person Meetings
- Running Accessible In-Person Meetings https://www.odi.govt.nz/guidance-and-resources/running-accessible-meetings/?fbclid=IwAR2-ytbkHecwGPAS2ENg79S7jXjcE3Yest30R9ooVJ8CJg6yF-sMdRZ7DcY
- Making Temporary Spaces/Events Accessible
Fragrance-Free Information
- Basics with product lists and tips
- Toolkit with basic information and steps for systems change
- Why Go Fragrance-Free? Detailed information from the Invisible Disabilities Association