Marketing and Communications

Images

• When uploading images to Drupal, each user has the ability to add "alt text" for every image through an easy to use interface.
  
  Please note: "alt text" is not a caption— it is a short description of an image that a screen reader will "read" to the user.  
   
• Keep the alternative text short—less than one hundred characters.
   
• If a non-text element is merely decorative or does not convey meaningful information, assign it the "null" alt attribute. This is alt ="", where the quote marks have nothing between them: <img src="spacer.gif" height="1" width="10" alt="">.
   
• Do not repeat an image's alternative text in the adjacent text, such as captions.
   
• Provide text links if using graphical elements for navigation.
   
• Keep graphics as small as possible (graphics should not exceed 50KB).

Links

• Link text should be meaningful enough to make sense when read out of context. For example, write "Read more information about the department" instead of "Click here."
   
• Links should not open in a new window.

Downloads and plug-ins

• Use file compression, when possible, for faster download.
   
• File size should accompany all downloadable files.
   
• Provide concise how-to information for plug-ins or extras needed to access items.
   
• Create accessible PDFs and Word Documents available for download.​
  
  Creating accessible Microsoft Office documents.​
  
  Creating accessible PDF documents.

Headings

• Each element in Drupal page layout uses appropriate heading structure to accommodate accessibility. Use the styles available to you to select headings. 
   
• Use header elements for all headings. Don't use font size or bold type to indicate headings visually.
   
• When applying heading styles, order header elements properly. For example, <H2> elements should follow <H1> elements, <H3> elements should follow <H2> elements, etc.
   
• Do not "skip" levels (e.g., <H1> followed by <H3>).

Using best-practice design principles will help make self-published, affiliated and unofficial web pages accessible, but additional guidelines must be followed to ensure ADA compliance. Self-publishers uploading work to official college servers should review the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, to gauge the accessibility of their pages and run their sites through a code check, such as WebAIM WAVE. As you engage in the process of performing a site review, here are some very basic accessibility guidelines:

Images

• Use the "alt" tag to describe images.
   
• Provide text links if using graphical elements for navigation.
   
• Keep graphics as small as possible (graphics should not exceed 50KB).

Links 

• Link text should be meaningful enough to make sense when read out of context.
  
  For example, write "Read more information about the department" instead of "Click here."
   
• Links should not open in a new window.

Downloads and plug-ins 

• Use file compression, when possible, for faster download.
   
• File size should accompany all downloadable files.
   
• Provide concise how-to information for plug-ins or extras needed to access items.
   
• Create accessible PDFs and Word Documents available for download.
  
  Creating accessible Microsoft Office documents.
  
  Creating accessible PDF documents.

Page layout

• Optimize pages for viewing on as many devices and screen resolutions as possible.
   
• For added ease-of-use, maintain a consistent layout throughout the site.
   
• When applying heading styles, order header elements properly. For example, in HTML, <H2> elements should follow <H1> elements, <H3> elements should follow <H2> elements, etc.
   

Use Color judiciously 

• Maximize the color contrast between backgrounds and text.
   
• Avoid using colors only to convey meaning. Adhere to the built in styles of your template with headings, buttons, and colors.

Data Tables

• Use proper markup for data tables to allow screen reader users to navigate through the table

Every college website needs to be evaluated and checked for compliance periodically, as it is easy to fall out of compliance without vigilance. The Marketing and Communications Office relies on Primary Web Contacts to perform accessibility checks on the website(s) they manage on a regular basis. 

• WAVE (free): This toolbar provides a mechanism for running WAVE reports directly within Firefox and Chrome. WAVE is a free online tool from WebAIM.
• JAWSInspect (free): This Firefox extension is a web developer tool that reports how JAWS screen reader “sees” and “reads” a web page.
• Total Validator (free and commercial): Total Validator Basic tool is a free desktop testing tool for individual web developers to test single web pages. The Pro tool, which costs $40 per license, can report on entire websites. Total Validator is also available as an online testing resource and Firefox and Chrome browser extensions.