Accessible OER ensures that all students—including those with disabilities—can fully use course materials.
Use real headings (H1 once per page; then H2 → H3). Don’t skip levels.
Keep paragraphs short; use lists for steps or criteria.
Left-align text; avoid full justification. Aim for ≥16px (≈12pt) body text and 1.4–1.6 line spacing.
Expand acronyms on first use (e.g., “Open Educational Resources (OER)”).Quick self-check
Run a page check (e.g., the LMS checker or WAVE), fix headings/alt/contrast flags.
Tab through the page without a mouse—can you reach everything?
Spot-test with a screen reader (even 1–2 minutes with VoiceOver for Macs or NVDA for Windows) to catch obvious issues.
Offer lightweight, mobile-friendly versions (PDF/EPUB/HTML).
Compress large images/video where feasible; note approximate file sizes next to links.
You should be able to complete all tasks using only the keyboard.
Ensure the tab order follows the visual order and that focus is clearly visible at every step.
Choose content types marked accessible and test with keyboard only (Tab/Shift+Tab/Enter/Space).
Ensure visible focus outlines and adequate contrast for controls.
Provide an alternative path (e.g., downloadable worksheet) if an interaction isn’t fully accessible.
Whenever possible, present content as an HTML page in the LMS.
If sharing files, provide accessible versions: tagged PDF + DOCX/EPUB.
Word/PowerPoint: use built-in styles, slide titles, and check reading order before exporting to tagged PDF.
OCR any scanned PDFs and verify selectable text and logical reading order.
Prefer accessible formats (MathML or LaTeX rendered by MathJax); avoid screenshots of equations.
If you must use an image, include alt text that conveys the expression (or provide a nearby textual equivalent).
Ensure code blocks have semantic <code>/<pre> markup and sufficient contrast.
Use tables only for data (not layout).
Mark header cells and set scope (scope="col"/scope="row"); avoid merged/split cells where possible.
Provide a brief caption/summary and consider a CSV/Excel download for large datasets.
Provide captions for video and transcripts for audio.
If visuals convey information not spoken, add audio description or include the info in surrounding text.
No autoplay; ensure users can control playback.
Maintain contrast ratios: normal text ≥4.5:1; large text (18pt/14pt bold) ≥3:1.
Don’t use color alone to convey meaning; pair color with labels, patterns, or icons.
Avoid placing text directly over images; use a solid or semi-opaque background.
Write concise, purpose-driven alt text (usually ≤125 characters).
Example: “Bar chart showing 2019–2024 enrollment rising from 2,100 to 3,400.”
Decorative images: set empty alt (alt="") so screen readers skip them.
Complex visuals (charts, infographics): add a short caption plus a longer description or linked data table.
Avoid text baked into images; provide the text in HTML.
Make link text descriptive: “Download Chapter 3 (PDF)” not “click here.”
Don’t rely on color alone—keep the underline or another non-color cue.
If a link opens a new tab/window, say so: “(opens in a new window).”
For actions inside pages (e.g., “Submit,” “Start quiz”), use buttons—not bare links.
Tips gathered from W3C: How to Meet WCAG (Quick Reference), the authoritative checklist for WCAG 2.2.