Document Accessibility

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Document accessibility is essential to ensuring that all content, whether presented on paper, on the web or in another digital format, is usable by everyone. Document accessibility starts with making that content available digitally. Course content such as textbooks, course readings, assignments and other materials that are typically available in print, can be converted to a digital format such as PDF, DOCX, MP3 (audio) or even Braille.

Digital content can be distributed through Moodle, a Google drive, a website or some other digital means. Having access to course materials from any location 24/7 means that students can access them when they need them most and in a format that gives them the most flexibility to consume the content in a way that works best for them, whether that means converting it to audio, magnifying it, or adding filters to improve contrast.

Colgate provides options for insuring that documents are available and usable to all.

SensusAccess is a self-service, web-based tool that automatically converts documents into a range of alternative formats including MP3 audio, searchable PDF, DOCX, EPUB, HTML, RTF and digital Braille. Anyone with a Colgate.edu email address can use SensusAccess to convert documents into these alternative, accessible formats.

Visit the SensusAccess Document Conversion page on the Colgate website to read more about SensusAccess and submit files for conversion to a format that works best for you. SensusAccess is also available from within Moodle courses, providing easy access to alternative formats of assigned readings.

When copying pages from books or articles to a PDF file, it is easy to inadvertently create barriers for students. The default setting on the copier may be to create a PDF that is just an image of the text rather than real, searchable text. To use search functions or most types of assistive technology, the document needs to be text-based rather than an image. Many people, including those who are blind or have low vision, those who struggle with reading and anyone who would like to be able to search a lengthy reading, benefit from having a document that is real text.

When photocopying to a file, make sure you adjust the settings on the copier to do OCR (Optical Character Recognition) which converts the image of text into real text. SensusAccess can also be used to convert an image-based file (PDF, JPG, PNG, etc.) to a text-based document file (HTML, DOC, PDF, TXT, etc.).

Creating accessible documents involves learning some basic techniques such as adding structure through the use of headings, adding descriptions to images, using descriptive hyperlinks and designating header rows and columns for tables. The key is to incorporate these techniques into the writing process rather than waiting until the document is complete and then retrofitting for accessibility. In actuality, some of the accessibility techniques, such as using heading styles, can actually save time when writing.

Explore the following resources to learn how to create accessible documents.