Introduction

Imagine that you are standing in front of a closed door. On the other side of that door is a world of information — news, entertainment, job listings, and updates from family and friends. You see other people enter that doorway, but you can’t find a way to enter.

People with disabilities come up against locked doors in the digital world continually. [1]

This site offers resources to help you create accessible documents. When you structure your documents correctly, you make your content  easier for everyone to understand and use. The accessibility improvements that you implement — like adding alt text and using headings — have tangible benefits for users with or without disabilities.

Assistive technologies, such as screen readers, empower people with visual, auditory, or mobility impairments to be productive and purposeful. As content creators, we have a responsibility to add to this culture of inclusivity. By giving others access to content, we leave the door open for opportunities.

 

An open door
Photo by Philipp Berndt on Unsplash

  1. Adapted from Enabling Access Through Web Renewal: Handbook (PDF), Wilfred Laurier University.

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Understanding Document Accessibility Copyright © 2020 by The Chang School, Toronto Metropolitan University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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