Importance for Accessibility

Accessible documents allow users of assistive technology to navigate and understand your content. Without proper design, assistive technology may interpret the document in the wrong order, without important graphics, or in a format too confusing for the user to comprehend.

Programs such as JAWS, NVDA, and Zoomtext all benefit from accessible document design. These tools are used by individuals with low or no vision to read web content and digital documents.

Below are additional ideas to keep in mind when learning about accessibility.

• Equal access to information is a civil right
• Accessible documents follow standard practices, allowing easy style updates and accurate conversions to other document formats
• University policy, federal, and state law require that content presented on websites be accessible