Getting Started with Digital Accessibility

UWM is committed to providing programs, services and resources that are accessible to everybody, including those with disabilities. But what does that mean for you? What do you need to know?

Table of Contents

What is digital accessibility?

People who use websites and web applications, digital documents, software, online videos, kiosks and other digital resources have a growing variety of characteristics. As people who are responsible for digital resources, we cannot assume that everybody is the same or are accessing our content using similar tools and methods. Consider these characteristics:

  • Unable to see. People who are blind use either audible output (products called screen readers that read web content using synthesized speech) or tactile output (a refreshable Braille device).
  • Has dyslexia. People with learning disabilities such as dyslexia may also use audible output, along with software that highlights words or phrases as they’re read aloud using synthesized speech.
  • Has low vision. People with low vision may use screen magnification software that allows them to zoom into all or a portion of the visual screen. Many others with less-than-perfect eyesight may enlarge the font on websites using standard browser functions, such as Ctrl + in Windows browsers or Command + in Mac browsers.
  • Has a physical disability. People with physical disabilities that affect their use of hands may be unable to use a mouse, and instead may rely exclusively on the keyboard or use assistive technologies such as speech recognition, head pointers, mouth sticks or eye-gaze tracking systems.
  • Unable to hear. People who are deaf or hard of hearing are unable to access audio content, so video needs to be captioned and audio needs to be transcribed.
  • Using a mobile device. People who are accessing the web using a compact mobile device such as a phone face accessibility barriers, just like people with disabilities do. They’re using a small screen and may need to zoom in or increase the font size, and they are likely to be using a touch interface rather than a mouse. Also, both Apple and Android mobile devices offer a wide variety of accessibility features, which users may have enabled.
  • Limited bandwidth. People may be on slow Internet connections if they’re located in a rural area or lack the financial resources to access high-speed Internet.
  • Limited time. People who are very busy may have too little time to watch an entire video or audio recording, but can quickly access its content if a transcript is available.

Digital accessibility helps all of these people, and many others not mentioned.

Inventory your digital assets

Begin by taking stock of all the digital resources you manage, including:

  • Web content – Note any web content and custom applications you oversee.
  • Mobile applications – List any mobile applications you oversee or use to present UWM content.
  • Documents – Include PDFs, Word files and any other shared documents.
  • Course materials – Note digital course content, from slides to video lectures.
  • Social media – List any social media accounts that you manage.
  • Third-party content & cloud services – Include platforms that you oversee or use for collaboration, data storage, student services or presenting UWM content.

How do I make my technology accessible?

To learn more about the accessibility of particular technologies, consult the topics most relevant for the technologies you’re using or are especially concerned about. Below are links to resources and guides:

Where do I get help?