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Accessibility: OERs

A Guide from the Accessibility Advocate

Best Practices

Checklist for Accessibility Toolkit 

(Source: BC Open Textbook Accessibility Toolkit)

Organization

  • Utilize headings and subheadings sequentially (e.g. Heading 1, Heading 2, etc).

Images

  • Include an alternative Text (alt-text) description of the image's content or function.
  • Complex images such as graphs, charts, and maps should also include a long description. 
  • Images that are purely decorative should be marked as decorative. (Descriptive text is unnecessary if the image doesn't convey contextual content information).

Tables:

  • Include row and column headers and caption.
  • Should not have merged or split cells.

Hyperlinks

  • The link text is meaningful in context, does not contain the entire URL or use generic text such as "click here" or "read more".

Multimedia

  • A transcript has been made available for multimedia resource that includes audio narration or instruction.
  • Captions of all speech content and relevant non-speech content are included in the multimedia resource that includes audio synchronized with a video presentation.

Formulas

  • Should be created using MathML or if equations are images, alt text must be provided.

Accessibility of OERs

Accessibility Considerations

  • OERs must meet same accessibility criteria as traditional course materials.

Ways to Check Accessibility of OERs

  • Utilize accessibility checker if available.

    • Powerpoint and Word both have a built in accessibility checker available. 

    • Check webpages for accessibility using the WAVE tool by WebAIM. 

    • Check PDFs for accessibility using Adobe Acrobat Professional. Learn more from WebAIM's PDF Accessibility.

  • Test the source using reading support software, Immersive Reader (available on Microsoft programs and Canvas) or using a screen reader. JAWS os available on campus computers. For more information on how to use different screen readers, see the following information from WebAIM:

What if Source if not Accessible?

Steps to take:

1. Contact the author to ask if there might be an accessible alternative. If there is no alternative available, proceed to step 2.

2. Does the copyright of the OER allow for modification? If no, then the source cannot be made accessible unless there is permission from the author. If the source can be modified, proceed to step 3.

3. If the source can be modified to meet accessibility guidelines, refer to the following for assistance: