CAS OPERATIONS
Services Model
Communications
Digital accessibility means everyone, including community members who use assistive technologies, can perceive, understand, navigate and interact with your content. At the University of Delaware (UD), all official digital content must meet the University’s accessibility standards and our legal obligations. Accessibility improves usability for everyone and reflects our values as a welcoming, student‑centered institution.
What it means in practice
Accessibility for documents (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, PDF) ensures your content works with screen readers, keyboard navigation, zoom and color‑contrast needs, captions/transcripts and alternative formats. You don’t need to be a developer to focus on structure, clear writing and a few built‑in tools.
Why it’s important
- Student and employee success: Removes barriers so people can learn and work effectively.
- Equity and inclusion: Supports UD’s commitment to a welcoming campus.
- Compliance: UD follows accessibility standards; accessibility is required under federal law.
- Risk reduction: Addressing accessibility issues reduces complaints, rework and reputational risk.
Quick check: Is my document accessible?
We strongly advise against using PDFs to share information. However, if a PDF is your only option please use this 5‑minute checklist before you share a file:
- Run the built‑in checker
- Word/PowerPoint/Excel: Review → Check Accessibility (fix the issues flagged).
- Acrobat Pro PDF: Tools → Accessibility → Full Check (address errors; manually check any items marked “needs review”).
- Headings & structure
Apply real styles (Heading 1, Heading 2…). Do not just bold or enlarge text.
- Reading order
Ensure content reads top‑to‑bottom, left‑to‑right. In PDF, open the Tags panel to verify order.
- Images & graphics
Add meaningful alt text; mark decorative images as decorative. Avoid text inside images.
- Color & contrast
Use sufficient contrast; do not rely on color alone to convey meaning.
- Links
Use descriptive link text (e.g., “Apply to the program,” not “click here”).
- Lists & tables
Use actual list and table tools. For tables, set the header row; keep layout simple. Do not use merged cells.
- Language & titles
Set the document language and add a clear, descriptive title.
- Multimedia
Provide captions and/or transcripts for audio and video.
- Avoid scanned PDFs
If you must use a scan, run OCR and check accuracy; provide an accessible alternative if needed.
Tip: Automated checkers catch many issues, but not everything. Always do a quick manual review.
Tools you already have
When to ask for help