What staff need to know about electronic accessibility
Staff play a crucial role in ensuring that 91社区 is accessible to everyone. Creating an accessible digital environment is more than just a legal requirement or a deadline on a calendar鈥攊t is a fundamental part of our commitment to equity and inclusion. As staff and administrators, you are the architects of the University鈥檚 daily operations; by adopting simple habits like using accessibility checkers and sourcing compliant software, you ensure that our campus remains a welcoming, "premier" institution for everyone.
Electronic Documents
Before sharing or publishing an electronic document, ensure it follows accessibility best practices by passing an accessibility checker.
Microsoft Office
In Word, PowerPoint and Excel, use the built-in "Check Accessibility" tool under the Review tab. Learn how to use the .
Google Workspace
For Google Docs, Slides and Sheets, use the Grackle extension to find and fix issues. .
More Details and Other Software:
The Accessibility Knowledge Base has many articles on , including for Adobe, Canva and LaTeX.
Exporting to PDF
Always use "Save As" or "Export" to PDF. Never "Print" to PDF, as it removes all accessibility tags.
What if I can't fix the document?
If you have a PDF without a source file, complex forms, or errors you cannot resolve, do not struggle with them.
- to have our team fix it for you.
- Review our guide for .
- Book or
If you aren鈥檛 sure how some kind of document is supposed to be handled, or have questions about what is required for a document: .
Purchasing and Software
When purchasing web-based software, vendors must provide a VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template). This applies whether purchased with a PO, a P-card, or through the contracts workflow.
- See the Knowledge Base Article
Webpages
Our Content Management System (Omni Update) has built-in accessibility tools. Always use the page checker before publishing a page.
If you maintain a website outside of Omni Update, it needs to follow accessibility standards like heading structure, alternative text for images, color contrast minimums, and descriptive links. Please see these Knowledge Base articles for more guidance: