Digital Accessibility

St. Edward's is committed to ensuring every member of our community has access to the resources available on the web. The Office of Information Technology (OIT) offers resources for creating accessible web content.

This article will cover the following topics:

Web Accessibility at St. Edward's University

St. Edwards University is committed to ensuring that its website is accessible to individuals with disabilities in compliance with the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the statute's implementing regulations at 34 C.F.R. Part 104, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and that statute's implementing regulations at 28 C.F.R. Part 35. 

Learn more about St. Edwards University's commitment to ADA Accessibility and Student Disability Services (SDS). View the St. Edward's Accessibility Guidelines.

What Is Web Accessibility and Why Does It Matter?

According to The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Web accessibility means that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them. Our goal is to provide digital resources that everyone can access, perceive, understand, and navigate.

Why Accessibility Matters

Creating with accessibility in mind is crucial for creating a just world. In this age, the world extends to the digital frontier. Ensuring equal access to information and resources is more important than ever. It's crucial to maintain the same standard of accessibility as we do with physical spaces.

Accessibility benefits everyone, especially the 13.52% of the people living in the United States who have a disability (2023 Disability Statistics Annual Report) and the 7.3 million (15%) of students ages 321 who received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). (Children and Youth with Disabilities).

In addition, this means that accessibility benefits those who:

  • Use different devices
  • Have changing abilities due to aging
  • Have temporary disabilities (e.g., a broken arm or lost glasses)
  • Have situational limitations (e.g., being in an environment where someone cannot listen to audio).

Moreover, students may not report a disability or may not have yet identified a disability. So, by being proactive, we maximize web accessibility, and we are prepared to support all of our St. Edwards community.

Universal Design for Learning Guidelines

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. These guidelines provide a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain, ensuring that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

How to read and understand the UDL Guidelines:
The UDL Guidelines are organized according to the three principles of UDL: engagement, representation, and action and expression. Additionally, they are organized  into sections:

  • Access: Guidelines that suggest ways to increase access to the learning goal by recruiting interest and offering options for perception and physical action.
  • Build: Guidelines that suggest ways to develop effort and persistence, language and symbols, and expression and communication.
  • Internalize: Guidelines that suggest ways to empower learners through self-regulation, comprehension, and executive function.

The UDL Guidelines are not intended to be a prescription, but rather a set of suggestions that can be applied to reduce barriers and maximize learning opportunities for all learners. They can be customized, enabling educators to tailor strategies to meet diverse learning objectives, content areas, and contexts with precision and effectiveness.

For more information about UDL, watch the video below about Universal Design for Learning and view these resources about UDL in Higher Ed:

The Importance of Captioning Videos

Video captions can make a significant difference to many people for various reasons. When videos include captions, the video is instantly more inclusive of people who may:

  • Be English as a Second Language (ESL) learners
  • Have ADHD and other learning disabilities
  • Have hearing/auditory impairments
  • Need reinforcement of learning with multiple modes (reencoding information)
  • Participate in a flipped classroom
  • Be studying/working in public places

So, how do you make sure your video content is accessible? Here are a few ideas:

  • If you create your own instructional videos, you can use Panopto to add computer-generated captioning to your recordings. You can then edit the resulting captions in Panopto.
    • Note: It is recommended that you review auto-generated captions, as automated services may not pick up everything correctly.
  • Provide text transcripts for audio-only content.
  • Provide an alternative format for an infographic, visualization or audio, such as inline text or a transcript that conveys the content.
  • You can use Munday Library Resources to find captioned videos.

Structuring Content

Using headings and structuring your content is more important than you think. The Canvas Accessibility Checker is a valuable tool for ensuring that your Canvas content is structured with accessibility in mind.

Think of headings as an outline for your content. Using structured headings, lists, and tables helps provide a visual outline, making the text easier to read. This can be particularly helpful for students with cognitive disabilities and is essential for those using assistive technology.

Watch the video below to see why headings are much more than a big, bold title:


Note: When structuring content within your Canvas Course, try to ensure that the layout is clear and the navigation is predictable. If a student can't find the information they want within three minutes, they can become frustrated.
 

Using Color and Color Contrast

Have you ever looked at something like a poster or restaurant menu and thought, Ouch, this hurts to look at! Or, have you ever looked at a data visualization and struggled to understand it?

Ensuring proper color usage, such as sufficient color contrast (i.e., the difference between text and other elements and their background color), is a small change that can make a significant difference for everyone, especially those who may be visually impaired or color blind.

Best Practices for Using Color:

  • Use Contrast Checkers: Various online tools and browser extensions can assess color contrast for you. They'll indicate if your colors pass or fail accessibility standards. We recommend these tools:
  • Highlight Links: Ensure links and interactive elements have a clear, distinct color and underline to indicate their purpose.
  • Accessible Charts and Graphs: In data visualizations, use distinct colors and patterns to differentiate elements.
  • Do Not Use Color Alone To Convey Meaning: Use bold in addition to color to emphasize text.

Resources for Creating Accessible Content

Below are some resources to help you learn about accessibility and how to make your materials available to everyone:

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