As storytellers and factfinders, journalists and media professionals have a responsibility to share their content with as many people as possible. The best way to reach everyone in your audience is to make your content accessible to all, regardless of location, disability, or technology used.
Ensuring accessibility in online media requires a combination of technical and practical applications. However, many of these practices are very basic techniques that anyone can do. Whether you're still drafting your piece or getting it ready for publication online, the following basic techniques can help you optimize your content for a wider audience.
1. Use clear, concise writing.
Stick to simple, short sentences and paragraphs. Avoid complicated words or phrases, skipping lyrical prose in favor of straightforward information.
Acronyms can be very helpful for maintaining simple flow and grammar. Just make sure to expand an acronym the first time you use it. For example, say Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) first, then use the acronym ADA in further mentions.
A large block of text on the screen can be overwhelming and confusing for people with dyslexia, low vision, or other information-processing disabilities. Utilize the formatting features built into most web word processors, like bulleted lists, headings and sub-headings, and content blocks that highlight relevant quotes.
2. Build screen reader-accessible websites and content.
Screen readers are common augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools that “read” written text and present it in a new format, like Braille or audio. Every screen reader is different, and some approach the same piece of content in different ways.
The best way to write for screen readers is to use simple, clear content. Pay close attention to punctuation, spelling, and grammar. Complex grammar and sentence structure can be confusing when read aloud by text-to-speech software or translated onto a Braille display.
Acronyms can be tricky for screen readers. Where some software will read “ADA” as “A-D-A,” another might pronounce it like the name “Ada.” Similarly, some software reads punctuation like a human would, with pauses at periods or pitching up your voice at a question mark. Others, however, state the punctuation out loud. Cutting down excess punctuation can help avoid comprehension errors.
Automated formatting options, like the heading, title, and subtitle settings in Microsoft Word, are also beneficial for people who use screen readers. Creating descriptive heading texts and using formatting settings like bulleted lists makes it easier for screen reader users to understand and navigate a document.
When you’re ready to publish, you can always test your content’s accessibility by using a free screen reader service like NVDA or Windows Narrator. However, no screen reader program is perfect, so be sure to manually check for accessibility issues during your edits.
3. Adapt visually-led content.
Include images, video, or audio only if they help clarify meaning. Ask yourself if your content is understandable without visual cues. Update links to make them more descriptive: for example, change “Download report” to “Click here to download the 2024 Impact Report as a PDF.”
Dynamic content like image carousels, animations, or auto-playing videos can also trip up AAC like screen readers. Give users control over their online experience by disabling any auto-changing features.
When considering images and downloadable content, static web pages are generally more accessible than things like PDF downloads. If you must include a PDF in your web content, consider built-in accessibility features in programs like Adobe Acrobat, your web browser, or your word processor.
To learn more about making PDFs and other downloadable content accessible, see [this article from UC Berkeley’s Digital Accessibility Program (DAP)](https://dap.berkeley.edu/learn/techniques/how-make-pdfs-accessible).
4. Utilize alt text for images.
One of the best ways to make web content accessible is to include alternative text for images. Alternative text or alt text describes images for someone with low or no vision. At the same time, alt text supplies information if an image doesn’t load correctly in someone’s browser.
Alt text is short and descriptive, usually around 125 characters. If an image is purely decorative, it doesn’t need alt text. The goal of alt text isn’t just to describe the image, but to explain its context and purpose.
For example, a simple description of the picture above might be, “Boy at school.” While this does technically describe the image, it lacks detail and does not explain the image’s purpose. Good alt text describes an image in detail while also providing relevant context.
Let’s say we used the photo above for an article about dyscalculia, a learning disability that makes math difficult to understand.
Poor alt text: “Boy at school.”
Better alt text: “Boy with dark skin and curly hair sits at a desk among his classmates.”
Optimized alt text with proper context and purpose: “An anxious boy with dark skin, curly hair, and a blue striped shirt holds his head in both hands while struggling to make sense of a math test.”
Alt text’s success depends on the image’s context, and you can tell a different story with the same image.
For example, if we used the image above in an article about auditory processing disorder, the optimized alt text might change to, “An anxious boy with dark skin, curly hair, and a blue striped shirt covers both ears while trying to focus on an assignment in a noisy classroom.”
Context, purpose, and clarity are key to successful alt text.
Choose images with authentic disability representation.
Paired with high-quality alt text, images and video content featuring diverse, authentic representations of the disability community add connection and cohesion to media.
It’s important to choose imagery that not only showcases disability, but features actual examples of disability, not models pretending to have a disability.
Authentic disability representation in images and video content:
Keeps your content relevant.
Improves your storytelling.
Adds a feeling of genuine connection.
Enhances your message.
Does away with stereotypes.
Centers storytelling on people with disabilities.
Makes people more likely to return to your content.
New Skills for Your Online Toolbox
These five techniques are basic accessibility improvements anyone can make, from journalists to web developers and everyone in between. Committing to a regular practice of these items will create a new emphasis on accessibility. And with practice, these five techniques will become so familiar and seamless, they’ll feel like part of your drafting routine.
To learn more about web accessibility for online content, see How to Check Content Accessibility Before Publishing.
This article is part of our series The Journalist’s Guide to Disability in Media: An Overview of Disability Inclusion, Accessibility, and Representation.
Read the full series:
Writing About Disabilities: What to Include and What to Avoid
The Journalist's Guide to Disability in Media: Further Resources
For further information about disability-related media, or to get in contact with members of the Ability Central board and community who are available to speak about their experience or disability, reach out to the Ability Central team at hello@abilitycentral.org.
Additional Information
The content provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for legal, medical, or other professional advice. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date resources, some information may become outdated or incomplete. Always consult with your provider about personal medical concerns.
