This summer, we featured an article in our weekly newsletter, Considerations for Digital Content Accessibility. This article outlined the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) P.O.U.R acronym for content creators (faculty members) to consider to improve student accessibility to course content. Each week, for the next three weeks, we will focus on one of the following areas: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. If you missed the previous articles, they can be found on the CIS Blog.
Operable
For a course’s digital content (web pages, video, or PDF files) to be operable, the user must be able to identify the interface and operate it using controls, buttons, navigation, etc.
Here are some ways to make course content operable:
- Use a consistent, useful document structure. Headings should accurately describe and separate content areas into logical sections for users to easily navigate documents by sight or by screen-reader.
- Use smart links so that screen-reader users can easily navigate them. A smart link should describe to the user what they will see when they click on the link. Hyperlinked text that reads “click here,” can be confusing to someone using a screen-reader.
- Make sure the “tabbing order” of form inputs or survey buttons makes logical sense. This helps the content to be used by non-sighted or keyboard-only users.
- Make sure your content is navigable—for instance—consider adding a “skip link” within your documents. This helps users navigate quickly past other repeated elements to the main content of the page or document.
- Do not use flashing content (flashing more than three times per second) as this can cause seizures in users with conditions such as epilepsy or dizziness.
Our staff is diligent in keeping abreast of the highest standards for compliance and is here to assist and support faculty as needed. If you need support with making your digital content accessible or would like it reviewed for compliance, contact CIS at cis@cmich.edu or by calling (989)774-3615.