What is the Accessible
Information ?
Everyday Accessibility Training
Day Topics
1. The need for Accessible information
2. What is the Accessible info policy – major
areas – Word, PDF, PowerPoint, Email &
Web,
3. Online resources & help
4. TIC evaluation tool
Being accessible is being smart:
I can make my documents
• Easier to navigate,
• Easier to read,
• Easier to transform,
• More engaging and user-friendly.
I can make my presentations
• A more effective learning resource.
• Suitable for a variety of media platforms.
• More interactive and collaborative.
The Need - Being accessible is
being smart.
• Number of students registered with the Disability Service
attending College from 2001 – 2002 to present
01.02 02.03
222
285
1.50% 1.9%
03.04
345
2.3%
04.05
365
2.4%
05.06
421
2.8%
06.07 07.08
420
434
3.2% 2.8%
08.09
585
3.6%
09.10
685
4.2%
10.11
818
4.9%
11.12 12.13 13.14
911 1058 1186
5.4% 6.4% 7.1%
Accessible Information Policy?
Trinity College Accessible Information Policy – link
What the Policy covers ?
• Print communication – Word / PowerPoint
/PDF
• College web accessibility
• e-Learning accessibility
• Person to person communication
• Information Technology procurement
• College organised events
• Legislative context for creating accessible
information
Accessible tips in Microsoft Word.
Font Style & Size:
• Your font should have clearly defined letters and
spacing between letters.
• Research found a majority of users prefer a sanserif font over a serif font.
• Sans-serif fonts look good at most sizes, unlike
serif fonts.
Accessible tips in Microsoft Word
Font Style & Size:
• Use Sans Serif fonts (e.g.. Verdana, Arial,
Calibri).
• Use at least 12 point.
• Avoid:
• underlining,
• italics,
• BLOCK CAPITALS;
• Use bold for emphasis.
Accessible tips in Microsoft Word.
• Left align text: justified text can lead to 'rivers
of white space’
River effect:
Accessible tips in Microsoft Word.
Styles & structure:
Why ?
Ease of navigation and access (especially
users with low vision or vision impairment) .
The use of headings and style structures
enable effective navigation.
Use of Styles and Formatting.
Demo:
• Open both of the attached word documents
Unstructured document
Structured document
If you take away just One thing today –use
heading styles in all Word documents!!
This one action could make a vast difference.
Alternative text :
• Alternative text is to give a textual
description of an image used in a word
document / website.
• This text/tag allows visually impaired
users to read relevant information from
the image.
Example of Alternative Text
Color Contrast :
No universal ‘best practice’. Depends on
user preferences.
Colour contrast settings may affect the
view of the document on-screen.
Also consider black and white printers.
Example of Color Contrast issues
Screen tips for images:
Screen tips can provide 'pop-up'
information on different parts of an image
allowing more specific information to be
presented without cluttering the image .
These can be very useful when annotating
a diagram.
Example of Screen Tips enabling
interpretation
Line spacing.
1.5 spacing is recommended.
• For some people text can appear too close
together. Letters can merge, making it
difficult to read words.
Accessibility tips for PDFs.
Basic requirements : From Word to Pdf
From the File menu, select Save As...
Select the Computer option, then select
your specified directory:
Accessibility tips for PDFs.
Basic requirements : From Word to Pdf
Select the PDF format.
Click the Options button to open a new
window:
Accessibility tips for PDFs.
Ensure that the
"Document structure
tags for accessibility"
option is checked.
Check the option for
"Create bookmarks
using:“ Select the
Headings option.
Adding Tags and Structure to PDFs :
Navigate to Advanced > Accessibility > Touchup Reading Order
Accessibility tips of PDFs.
Bookmarks
Allows faster navigation through the
document.
View > Navigation Panels
> Bookmarks
Use the 'Select Tool' to select
text within the PDF and click on
the New Book mark icon.
Use on In-Built accessibility
checkers
• All MS office application and Abobe apps
come with a in-built accessibility checker
• Good at a first point of reference
• Tool gives feedback on how to make
adjustments to content
E-mails Accessibility.
• E-mails should be in plain text format and
use a sans serif font of 12pt.
• Defaulting for Accessible E-mails:
Select ‘File‘, 'Options' and then the 'Mail
Format' tab / select 'Plain Text'
Defaulting E-mails for
Accessibility.
• In the ‘Stationery and Fonts’ section
click on ‘Fonts’ and select 12pt Arial or
Verdana for all three boxes.
Web Accessibility.
Good practice for MS Word is good
practice for the Web. For example:
•Use of Alt Text
•Heading styles.
Web Accessibility.
The Web Office ensures style sheets are
accessible (e.g.. fonts, colours). Leaving you
to look after content.
Avoid using ‘click here’ on hyperlinks. Make
hyperlinks descriptive. e.g. from the Web
Office:
Web Accessibility - Meet WCAG
2.0 – 4 main principles
• 1. Perceivable –
“must be presentable to users in ways they
can perceive."
• E.g.
• Visually impaired users must be able to
receive information via sound or touch • Hearing impaired users must be able to
receive information via sight
• Colour deficient users must be able to receive
information without use of colour
Web Accessibility - Meet WCAG
2.0 – 4 main principles
• 2. Operable –
“User interface components and navigation
must be operable."
• E.g.
• All users are given sufficient time to read and
use content.
• Users are given mechanisms to skip
repetitive content.
• Multiple paths are provided to navigate Web
site structure.
Web Accessibility - Meet WCAG
2.0 – 4 main principles
• 3. Understandable–
“User interface components and navigation
must be operable."
• E.g.
• Site is free of unannounced pop up windows.
• Navigation and labels are consistent across a
Web site or application.
Web Accessibility - Meet WCAG
2.0 – 4 main principles
• 4. Robust –
“Maximize compatibility with current and
future user agents, including assistive
technologies."
• E.g.
• Use validated mark-up
• Label the name and role of all user interface
components.
Web Accessibility - Meet WCAG
2.0 – 4 main principles
•
Accessible tips in MS
PowerPoint.
Ensure font size is appropriate for
the room.
Example A:
This is Times New Roman, size 14. Smaller font sizes, and serif fonts are
harder to read. Fully justified text removes the shape of the text and can
create a river effect. FINALLY, BLOCK CAPITALS CAN BE DIFFICULT
TO FOLLOW AS BLOCK CAPITALS REMOVE THE NATURAL SHAPE
OF WORDS, TURNING THEM INTO BLOCKS.
Example B:
This is Arial, size 24 with 1.5 spacing. Larger font
sizes and sans serif fonts are easier to read. Left
aligned text gives the body of the text a specific
shape and avoids the river effect. Using colour on
PowerPoint allows information to stand out.
Avoid Over cluttering.
• As a rule avoid over cluttering the slide by only
adding as much information as you would have on a
postcard. (hint – this slide overdoes it by about a
third!)
• In a dark room use a dark background with light text.
Embolden this text for enhanced accessibility.
• In a light room use a light coloured background with
dark text.
• Ensure there is a decent contrast between
background colour and text colour. Dark Blue and
cream have been shown to be a good combination.
• Ensure images and animations are not distracting
from the messages of the text.
ART!
Unlocking Potential
Example One
Low Contrast
This is hard to read as the words
and background blend in!
Example Two
Red and Green
These are the same if you are
colour blind!
Example Three
Black on White
Can cause glare, eyestrain and
headaches
Notes in MS PowerPoint
• Notes Field can also act as an aide
memoir for presenters.
• This function can only be used if you
are presenting using more than one
monitor.
• The notes field can also act as a useful
resource when your presentation
doubles up as a hand-outs for students.
Person to Person comm –
Loops systems
• College will ensure that information will be
provided in an accessible manner when
speaking to a person with a hearing
impairment.
• Location of induction loops in public buildings
will be indicated to those who require such
assistance.
Procurement Policy
• Be technically accessible
• Be equally usable
• Be capable of being adapted or configured by
individual users to meet their specific needs
and preferences;
• All RFT must now include reference to the
accessibility of the goods or service
•
• Procurement Website
Organised Events
• Ensures a physical area is fully accessible
where possible
• Checklist & building checker available off the
Disability website
Online Tools & help create
Accessible Content
1. Reference the TIC website :
www.tcd.ie/CAPSL/TIC/accessibleinfo/
2. Use to TIC tool to evaluate you
present content :
http://www.tcd.ie/CAPSL/TIC/evaluation
Legislative need for
the policy
• Because its law
• The Disability Act (2005) requires public
bodies such as College to ensure, over time,
that buildings and services are accessible to
people with disabilities.
• It places an obligation on College to integrate
disability service provision with mainstream
services
.
For further feedback
please contact
:
http://www.tcd.ie/CAPSL/TIC/accessible-info
Andrew Costello – Disability Service – acostel@tcd.ie
acostel@tcd.ie