Technical Standards
Need some quick help? Check out the links below for answers to common questions.
The full list of standards can be found on WebAIM's Principles of Accessible Design.
Further directions are available on the Accessible Word Documents Tips and on the Accessible PowerPoint Tips located on the left-side navigation bar.
Provide equivalent alternative text: Alternative text provides a textual alternative to non-text content in web pages. It is especially helpful for people who are blind and rely on a screen reader to have the content of the website read to them.
Create logical document structure: Headings, lists, and other structural elements provide meaning and structure to web pages. They can also facilitate keyboard navigation within the page.
- Headings should be used in order, without skipping levels.
- To create larger text for emphasis, increase the font size instead.
- Use headings to indicate a new area of text or subject
Write links that make sense out of context: Every link should make sense when read by itself. Screen reader users may choose to read only the links on a web page. Certain phrases like "click here" and "more" must be avoided.
- All links must be made into hyperlinks (the blue text on this page are examples of hyperlinks).
Caption and/or provide transcripts for media: Videos and live audio must have captions and a transcript. With archived audio, a transcription may be enough. Proper captions include capitalization, punctuation, and edited text.
Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning: Color can enhance comprehension but cannot alone convey meaning. That information may not be available to a person who is color blind and will be unavailable to screen reader users.
- Underlining should only be used for links and not to emphasize a word or title.
Provide headers for data tables: Data tables need row and column header cells to programmatically associate them with their corresponding data cells, making it easier for screen reader users to navigate and understand the table. Tables are very difficult to make accessible and we discourage their use.
