How can we help?
On this guide page
Provide a way to receive feedback
Provide a way for people to give you feedback. Our main website includes an Accessibility link in the footer of every webpage. At the top of the Accessibility page is a Campus Complaint Form. People can fill that out for assistance. They can also request help through any of our services.
Use accessibility checkers
- Microsoft Accessibility Checker
Use the accessibility checker in any Microsoft 365 application. - Accessibility tools for Microsoft 365
Find out about all the accessibility tools in Microsoft 365 applications. - Siteimprove
Use our enterprise solution to review your web content for accessibility issues. Siteimprove includes tutorials to assist you.
Do manual checking
You can test the accessibility of digital content with your device. All operating systems have built-in accessibility settings. Many applications have accessibility features. You can turn them on and off as needed. Manual checking is the best way to test, but it does take more time.
While having people with disabilities test is better, you can check the following with general ease:
- appropriate color choices
- active voice or purpose contained in link text
- ability to keyboard tab to all important elements
- screen reader informs you of where you are and what you can do
Use plain language
When we instruct our audience, their needs are placed above our own. They want to know:
- Where am I? Quickly note the webpage location or the title of the document. They can determine if they went to the wrong place.
- What can I do here? Action items first. Historical or background information can be placed on an informational page. Transactional pages (e.g., how to register) need to be more direct and to the point.
- Where can I go? Describe the next steps.
The reading level is also important. Each audience should be spoken to at their appropriate reading level. Examples:
- Content for a public audience should be written at a sixth-grade reading level.
- Most people do not readily understand legalese. Provide the main takeaways and then link to the full legal explanation.
- University jargon and abbreviations should be defined before using them again.
Contact a digital accessibility specialist
If you need any assistance or guidance, contact our Digital Accessibility Officer at digitalaccessibility@tamucc.edu or view our digital accessibility website for tutorials and other resources.