- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
The more accessible we make our information, the more people can use the information to improve their businesses and lives. In addition to accessibility being required by law for UC, making websites and social media posts accessible is also important for search engine optimization, according to Lucy Greco, UC Berkeley accessibility evangelist.
Greco recently gave a presentation for UC social media managers.
“We define accessibility as everyone being able to read, use, and act on all of our digital assets,” said Greco. “Everyone includes people with all levels of abilities.”
Some users may have difficulty accessing information due to:
- Low vision or blind
- Hand and or other physical disabilities
- Deaf or hard of hearing
- Reading disabilities
- English as a second language
To make photos and PDFs accessible, use alt text to describe images and include all text for screen readers. Videos should include captioning.
UCOP offers an online course with insights and best practices for making online information more accessible.
Before starting the course, you must login to siteimprove.ucop.edu using your UC credentials[MH1] .
Once you have successfully logged in, a pop-up should appear to go to the Siteimprove Academy – click on that, then click on https://siteimprove.litmos.com/course/3535108?r=False&ts=637786992813244419 and it should take you straight to the course.
- Author: Tunyalee Martin
People often use websites as their first step when researching something new and learning ways to improve their lives. By making websites and extension materials accessible, we help make this information available to more people – including people with visual, hearing, physical and cognitive impairments.
Consciously designing for accessibility has benefits beyond the people who use assistive technology. It makes websites simpler to navigate and information easier to understand for everyone.
As you know, ANR is transitioning its website to become an even better resource for our participants, partners and the general public. Making the new website and its information accessible will require everyone to pitch in, but it'll be worth it because we'll be demonstrating our commitment to making a positive difference for all Californians.
The DEI Alliance Learning Committee suggests watching this video to learn more about making websites accessible: https://youtu.be/o2vDmDGlRz8.