---
# System prepended metadata

title: digital accessibility session
tags: [orientation]

---

---
tags: orientation
---

# digital accessibility session

media accessibility
* images 
    * need alt text 
        * text that represents the image
        * used for someone who reads the screen out loud
        * need to be accurate enough that someone who reads the image knows why it's there and what's there
        * be specific - distinguish between images that might have something similar (i.e., person with a dog)
        * be concise - leave out things that aren't relevant
        * if there's text in the image, make sure to convey that text too
        * if something is critical to understanding the image, try to include this too
        * tldr: short and sweet! save long descriptions for the text that surrounds the image instead

* videos
    * captions
        * include speaker identifications
        * include non-speech sounds
        * automated captions can be useful - better than nothing even though they're not perfect
    * audio description
        * spoken audio track of what's visually happening in a video (so not just dialogue)
        * try scripting out what the visuals are

* audio
    * transcripts
        * very helpful because they're searchable
        * include speaker identification
        * include non-speech sounds

* document and web accessibility
    * use headings
        * start with h1, then next one should be h2, and then h3 for whatever is the heading contained within h2, etc.
    * format text to improve readability
    * use color intentionally
    * write descriptive link text (let's someone know where that link will take them)
    * avoid tables as the only place where the user can get the content
        * should include a caption describing the contents of the table
    * use automated checkers to assist (Canvas has one embedded)
    * use white space to break up large groups of text
    * links
        * use bullet points if listing several links
        * change link text to better represent what the link goes to
    * avoid center aligning large blocks of text since it's harder for the eye to read center aligned text
    * color - don't embed meaning in this alone. include some additional text or style to indicate that that text is more important (so, don't just make important text red; you could use the word "important" before that text)
        * stick to darker shades on the spectrum so that they contrast with white background

### further resources
[The case for describing race in alternative text attributes](https://ux.shopify.com/the-case-for-describing-race-in-alternative-text-attributes-a093380634f2)