Accessibility standards encompass all aspects of a website. Here are some of the key criteria to ensure that multimedia content is accessible.


Images


Image Alternative Text ("Alt Text")


Image alt text helps people who have vision impairment use screen readers that read web page information aloud. When a screen reader comes to an image, it will read the image alt text, which should describe the photo to the visually impaired person. 


  • Informative images must contain alt text that describes the purpose of the image, not necessarily what the image is depicting
  • Decorative images do not contain alt text
  • Complex images, such as graphs and charts, must include a description of the image in text on the webpage itself


If you are not sure what purpose the image is serving, this decision-tree can help clarify whether alt text is needed or not. 



Images of Text


Many types of software that read text aloud cannot red images of text. Images of text also tend to pixelate and become blurry upon magnification, making them difficult to read.

  • Do not use images with large amounts of text
    • For example, a digital sign or a poster design will not be added to a webpage
  • Only essential images are permitted to have text, such as: 
    • Homepage banners with standard graphic treatment
    • Announcement graphics
    • Logos for University departments and organizations
    • Logos for partner organizations, memberships or accreditations
    • Call-to-action buttons
  • Any text in an image must be included in the alt text


Animated Images

  • Do not use animated images that blink or flash 
  • If images move in a slideshow, there must be no more than 3 images shown per second



Videos


While video can be an effective way to communicate, the visual nature of the medium makes it difficult for some people with disabilities to access the information. 


Expectations for All Videos: 

  • Must be embedded on a webpage using the proper page template
    • Do not place an iframe embed code in the middle of regular text
  • Any blinking or flashing images in the video must not exceed 3 beats per second
  • Must provide an alternative transcript of the video, such as an audio description or text transcript, to be linked to on the webpage


Additional Expectations for Videos with Audio

  • Must include accurate captions
  • The video is not set to automatically play with audio if video is at least 3 seconds
  • The user has the ability to pause or stop audio as well as control volume overall if video is at least 3 seconds



Embedded Media & Buttons


Typically, embedded media will need to be made accessible through the tool where it was originally built. This often requires working with a third-party vendor on their software application. 


Forms

  • All form fields must have an accurate label and associated description
  • Forms fields have accurate instructions, when appropriate
  • There must be a "submit" button
  • Must be embedded on a webpage using the proper page template
    • If embedded in a main content area on a webpage, there must also be a Heading 1 and a brief description prior to the form
  • The user must be able to know if they've made any errors in submitting the form and be able to fix errors
    • For example, an alert message appears when a required field is skipped
  • If a submitting a form completes a legal or financial transaction, it must meet at least one of the following criteria:
    • The form submission is reversible
    • The form submission is assessed for errors and the user has the opportunity to review the data entered and make corrections
    • There is a mechanism for allowing the user to review, correct errors and confirm accuracy before finalizing the submission


RSS Feeds

  • Images must contain appropriate alt text
  • Must be embedded on a webpage using the proper page template
    • If embedded in a main content area on a webpage, there must also be a Heading 1 and a brief description prior to the form


Buttons

  • Any text in an image must be included in the alt text
  • Must have a description for the button
  • Button cannot be placed next to a hyperlink that shares the same destination link



PDFs & Other Files


PDF documents and other files must be as accessible as possible. Documents should include the following in the meta data and mark-up: 

  • A document title
  • Tags for structures like headings and tables
  • Alternative presentation options for images
  • A defined language for the document
  • Machine-readable text


Learn how to make accessible PDFs and other documents.