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Miami is committed to procuring web technology and software that will promote accessibility to users with learning and/or physical disabilities. However, in rare situations, a department or division may have a web technology or software that is not accessible for ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵs with certain disabilities. In that situation, the department or division should confer with Student Disability Services on how Miami will provide equally effective alternate access.

Web Standards & Accessible Text

AccessMU Center and eLearning Miami (ELM) can provide consultation and training to faculty creating accessible websites and course materials. Below are some general accessibility tips for websites and documents.

• Maintain a simple, consistent page layout throughout your site.
• Keep backgrounds simple.
• If you add an image to your website, provide descriptive alternative text for the image. Users unable to see images depend on authors to supplement images with alternative text.
• Make sure that there is enough color contrast between the text and the background of the page.
• For hyperlinks, use descriptive text explaining what the user will see when they click on the link. Avoid text such as “Click Here.”

Documents

• Use a sans serif font (e.g., Arial).
• Create headings and subheading using the built-in heading features of the authoring tool. This enables screen reader users to understand how the page is organized and to navigate effectively.
• Present data in bulleted or numbered lists, rather than tables. Content organized as a list should be created using the list controls that are provided in the document authoring tool.
• Do not convey information solely through color. Colors that are used should have sufficient contrast.
• If you add an image to your document, provide descriptive alternative text for the image. Users unable to see images depend on authors to supplement images with alternative text.
• If you provide hyperlinks in your document to websites, use descriptive text explaining what the user will see when they click on the link.

¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵ provides course materials in alternative accessible formats. AccessMU Center can assist faculty in converting textbooks (math, sciences, technical, foreign languages, arts, history, etc.), and other complex classroom materials to be compatible with assistive technology.

Textbooks and course materials requested in braille/tactile format will be outsourced to third-party vendors through the Miller Center for Student Disability Services (SDS). To request braille materials, ¾Ã¾ÃÈÈÊÓƵs should contact SDS as soon as the course is scheduled in order to begin the braille/tactile translation process.

For more information about accessible technology, please contact Miami’s AccessMU Center team at accessmu@MiamiOH.edu or visit .