Website Accessibility Checklist for Content Editors

Headings allow screen reader users to "skim" a page. Without them, they must listen to the entire page from top to bottom to find what they need.

• The H1 Rule: Every page must have exactly one H1. In our system, the Page Title is automatically your H1. Therefore, you should never create an H1 inside the body editor.
• Logical Nesting: Are your headings in order? (e.g., H2 followed by H3, never jumping from H2 to H4).
• No "Visual" Headings: Did you use the editor’s Heading dropdown? (Avoid using Bold or larger font sizes to manually create titles).

Link text should describe the destination clearly, even if the link is read completely out of context.

• Ban "Click Here": Use descriptive text like "View the Faculty Handbook" instead of "To see the handbook, click here."
• No Raw URLs: Avoid pasting long addresses (e.g., https://zoom.us/j/123...). Instead, use "Join the Committee Zoom Meeting."
• Document Type: If the link opens a file, let the user know by adding it to the text, like "Strategic Plan (PDF)."

Tables should only be used to show data relationships, not to control where text or images appear on the page.

• Header Rows: Did you use the Table Properties to set the top row as a "Header"? This allows screen readers to announce column names for every cell.
• Table Captions: Did you add a brief title (Caption) explaining what the table contains?
• Keep it Simple: Did you avoid "Merged" or "Split" cells? These can make a table unreadable for assistive technology.

Alternative text (Alt Text) describes an image for those who cannot see it. If left blank, screen readers may skip it or read a confusing file name.

• Be Descriptive: Does the Alt Text describe the content? (e.g., "Students studying in the library" instead of "Photo").
• Text in Images: If your image is a flyer or a graphic containing text, that text must be typed into the Alt Text field or the page body.
• Decorative Images: If the image is just a divider or background decoration, mark it as "Decorative" so the screen reader knows to skip it.

Accessibility requirements apply to your uploaded files as well as your web pages.

• Start in Word: Use headings and alt text in Microsoft Word before you "Save as PDF." This preserves the accessibility tags.
• Avoid "Print to PDF": Using the print command creates a flat image that screen readers cannot read. Always use "Save As" or "Export."
• No Scanned Images: If you scan a physical document, it is a picture, not text. Use OCR (text recognition) or type the content directly on the page.

How to make PDFs and documents accessible

• PDFs: Use the Adobe Acrobat Pro Accessibility Wizard to verify and fix PDF files.
• Word documents: Use the built-in Microsoft Word Accessibility Checker to find and fix issues.

Properly formatted lists allow screen readers to announce how many items are in a set, helping users understand the scale of the information.

• Use List Tools: Always use the "Bullet" or "Numbered List" buttons in the editor. Never manually type dashes (-) or asterisks (*) to create a list.
• Plain Language: Aim for clear, concise sentences. Avoid overly complex jargon or "walls of text."
• Avoid All-Caps: Don't use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS for long sentences. Screen readers may try to read them as individual acronyms.

Color should enhance your content, not be the only way information is communicated. People with low vision or color blindness must be able to perceive all information.

• Don't Use Color Alone: Avoid saying "Required fields are in red." Instead, use "Required fields are in red and marked with an asterisk (*)."
• High Contrast: Ensure your text stands out clearly against the background (e.g., avoid light gray text on a white background).

If you embed videos or audio clips, they must be accessible to those with hearing or visual impairments.

• Captions: Does your video have accurate captions? Edit auto-captions for accuracy.
• Transcripts: For audio-only files, provide a text transcript below the player.
• No Auto-Play: Never set media to play automatically; it interferes with screen reading software.