Clark University wants to ensure that all of our web audiences can read digital materials across the University’s website. As a Clark faculty or staff member who oversees, manages, or edits a University website, you can help us ensure a welcoming environment for all of our students, faculty, and staff and for any other audiences, including those with disabilities.
Below are the standards for all Clark website managers and digital content creators.
Creating Accessible Materials
Everyone perceives and interacts differently with digital content. Those who see, hear, move, or think differently deserve the opportunity to engage with digital content. All digital content on the Clark website should be accessible to all users, including students, faculty, staff, and those outside of Clark. All digital content should be “friendly” to screen readers and should provide captions.
Below are helpful guidelines and resources to help you create accessible digital content.
Standards to Follow
- Images should have alternative text (also known as “alt text”).
- Graphics or pie chart images must have alternative, text-only-formatted files available to download.
- Tables must include table headers and summary descriptions of the content included in the tables.
- Links must have advisory or tooltip text (a brief, informative message that appears when a user interacts with the text) and, in addition to a color associated with the link, should be underlined or italicized.
- Heading styles must follow logical order. Example: Header 1 (H1) should be followed by Header 2 (H2); H2 by H3; an so forth.
- Digital content must be navigational through the use of a keyboard and readable through screen readers.
- Digital content must use the proper color contrast between text and backgrounds for those with low vision.
- Images should not be used for text.
- Videos must have captions and transcripts available.
- Digital forms should include instruction and labeling, and users should be able to navigate through keyboard functions.
