Accessibility
We encourage all faculty, not just those with students needing accommodations, to design their courses and content to be accessible. Use Universal Design for Learning principles to design content in an accessible way for all learners. To take a first step to learn more about accessibility, complete the Keeping Accessibility Front of Mind training module. You can also visit the Accessibility Help Index in Ask.Butler to learn more about the various ways to make your content accessible.
The Law
According to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, any electronic information or technology developed, purchased, maintained, or used by Butler University must provide equitable access and use for individuals with disabilities. The access and use must be comparable to that provided to individuals without disabilities.
Universal Design
Universal Design, or Inclusive Design, is the design and creation of environments both physical and digital that can be accessed, understood, and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, physical stature, preferences, disability, or ability. It should be a fundamental goal to design environments that meet the needs of all people. Incorporating the needs of all people results in spaces, products, and service that are useful, beneficial and enjoyable for all. Developing your electronic materials using Universal Design principles is easy and simply, good design. To learn how to implement Universal Design in your course, email designcat@butler.edu.
Syllabus Requirement
The Butler University accommodation statement must be included on all your course syllabi. You can find the statement on the SDS website.
Resources for Faculty
OEET has a variety of resources and services to help you create accessible materials. Make a one-on-one consultation appointment, attend one of our accessibility workshops, or explore the resources below.
Accessibility Quick Wins
Accessibility Quick Wins is a curated collection of short, practical tips designed to make digital accessibility simple and approachable. Each Quick Win is presented in video format and focuses on a single skill or concept that can be implemented in under 10 minutes to help make your courses more accessible and inclusive for all students. All Quick Wins are available on our Accessibility Quick Wins page for you to explore at your own pace.
Accessibility Help Articles in Ask.Butler
Before you begin creating accessible pages, documents, or videos, it’s essential to understand the core principles that shape effective accessibility design. The resources below from our Accessibility Help Index in Ask.Butler offer practical guidance and insights into a range of accessibility best practices and techniques.
Butler has a campus-wide license for Ally, an accessibility tool integrated into all Canvas courses. For instructors, Ally automatically scans course content for accessibility issues and identifies areas that may need improvement. For students, Ally offers alternative formats, such as audio, ePub, electronic braille, BeeLine Reader, and more. This helps make course materials more accessible and flexible to meet individual student needs. For more information on using Ally, please see the links below:
Alternative text (alt text) is essential because it ensures that images are accessible to everyone, including people who use screen readers. It provides a written description of an image’s content or purpose, allowing users who can’t see the image to still understand the information it conveys. The following help article has more information on alternative text:
Headings are important for accessibility because they provide structure and organization to a page, making it easier for all users to navigate and understand the content. Screen reader users rely on headings to move quickly between sections and get an overview of the page’s layout. Properly nested headings also help convey the hierarchy of information, ensuring that everyone can access and interpret the content as intended. The following help article has more information on using headings:
Color contrast is essential for accessibility because it ensures that text and other visual elements are readable by everyone, including people with low vision or color blindness. Without sufficient contrast, users may struggle to read content or miss key information. Good contrast improves usability for everyone. For more information on color contrast, please see the link below:
An accessible list is a list that is properly structured so all users, including those using assistive technologies like screen readers, can easily understand and navigate it. This means using built‑in list formatting (bulleted or numbered) rather than manually typing symbols. This ensures the list has a clear order or hierarchy, and keeps the items consistent and easy to read. For more information on creating accessible lists, please see the link below:
Accessible hyperlink text is important because it helps all users understand where the link will take them, especially those using screen readers. Vague phrases like “click here” or “read more” don’t provide enough context when read out of order. Descriptive link text improves navigation and ensures users can efficiently find and understand your content. For more information on creating accessible hyperlinks, please see the link below:
It’s important that tables are accessible so they allow users to understand and navigate data accurately. When tables are properly structured, screen readers can more easily identify column and row headers, and data cells. For more information on creating accessible tables, please see the link below:
Captioning is essential for accessibility because it ensures that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can access audio content. Captions also benefit non-native speakers, support learning in noisy or quiet environments, and improve comprehension and retention for all learners. Providing captions helps create a more inclusive and equitable learning experience for everyone. For more information about captioning across Butler’s various video tools, please see the link below:
Accessible documents are important because they ensure that all users, including those with disabilities, can read and interact with digital content. Features like readable text, proper heading structure, alt text for images, and adequate color contrast make documents usable with assistive technologies such as screen readers. Creating accessible documents promotes equity and helps all learners engage fully with course materials. For more information and step-by-step guides on creating accessible Google Docs, Microsoft 365, and Adobe PDF documents, please see the links below: