New Web Resource: Accessible U

screenshot: accessibility.umn.edu


Check out the completely redesigned digital accessibility website, Accessible U! 

http://accessibility.umn.edu/

When I first clicked on this new site in my email, I have to admit I was expecting pages of policies and cautions and lots of scolding. SNORE!

But trust me on this, you will love this resource! It is a concise treasure trove of practical resources. It was developed for and by members of the University of Minnesota community (including our very own Alison Holland!).

Why Accessibility?

As the designers, creators, and implementers of technology, we can positively or negatively impact the ability of individuals to access and use what we create. Why put up unnecessary barriers, when they are easy to remove? Also, increased accessibility helps everyone use our digital materials better! Who hasn't used closed captioning? Or struggled to see low-contrast text?

Core Skills

The site is based around SIX CORE SKILLS of accessibility. These rules come in handy for Google docs, web pages, presentations, Moodle courses, videos, all kinds of things Extension does every day. And in fact, there are pages on the site for each of those things! But first, the six skills.

The six core skills of accessibility:

  1. Headings and document structure
  2. Hyperlinks
  3. Bullets and numbered lists
  4. Video captions
  5. Color and contrast
  6. Alternative text for images

These skills will improve your communications for everyone who reads them. Check out the site and let us know what you found interesting by leaving a comment! I personally have gotten a bit lazy with accessibility and found the Advocacy page to be just the re-motivation I needed!

Comments

  1. I found the "Who benefits from captioning and/or transcripts?" section interesting - there are so many situations in which captions are helpful! http://accessibility.umn.edu/core-skills/video-captions-transcripts#Who%20benefits%20from%20captioning%20and/or%20transcripts?

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