Accessibility Best Practices

Best Practices
  1. Use the Quick Guide as a checklist
    Treat the Quick Guide as your go-to checklist to ensure key accessibility elements are addressed consistently.
  2. Start with accessibility in mind
    Build accessibility into your materials from the beginning — whether you're designing documents, presentations or digital content.
  3. Remediate from the original source
    When fixing accessibility issues, always work from the original document or file. This ensures cleaner formatting and better results. Remediation is the last step, not the first step. Don't put effort into making a document accessible if it isn't needed.
AI Hero
AI and Accessibility

Learn how artificial intelligence can be used to assist with the evaluation process.
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Built-In Checking

Learn how to best use accessibility checkers during document creation, editing and final review.
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Manual Checking

Learn what automated tools can't do and needs manual review for context, clarity and user experience.
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Clear Communication

Plain language ensures that content is understandable, usable and accessible—especially for individuals with cognitive disabilities, English language learners and anyone unfamiliar with academic or technical jargon.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Using color alone to convey information
  • Always provide additional indicators.
  • Ensure sufficient contrast.
2. Missing alternative text
  • Every meaningful image needs alternative text.
  • Decorative images should have null alt text.
3. Poor document structure
  • Use proper heading hierarchy.
  • Avoid skipping heading levels.
4. Inaccessible forms
  • Label all form fields.
  • Provide clear error messages.
  • Allow keyboard navigation.
5. Fully relying on AI to make documents accessible
  • Complete a manual check.

Additional Training

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