Digital Accessibility Resources

Ensure your text is easy to read (Color Contrast)

The text color and its background color must have enough contrast to be readable by everyone, including people with color blindness or low vision.

• Quick Check: Use the free WebAIM Color Contrast Checker to test your color combinations and confirm they pass the AA standard (the minimum legal requirement).
• Brand First: Always use the official UC Irvine brand colors, as they have been pre-tested to ensure compliance with contrast standards in most cases.

Give your content a clear roadmap 

A clean, consistent structure helps every user quickly understand where they are and where they can go.

• Use Headings like an Outline. Headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) are crucial for screen reader users, serving as a table of contents that allows them to jump directly to a section. 
  • Use H1 only once per page for the main page title. Use H2 for main section titles. Use H3 for sub-sections under an H2 and so on.
  • Never skip a level (e.g., jumping from H2 straight to H4).
     
• Write Descriptive Links, Not Vague Commands. Never use generic link text like "Click here," "Read more" or the raw URL. The link text should clearly describe the destination.
  • Bad link example: "To see our new policy, click here."
  • Good link example: "Review the New Employee Policy."
     
• Do NOT Force Links to Open in New Tabs. Opening a new tab or window without warning can be confusing and disorienting for screen reader users, potentially disrupting keyboard navigation. Accessible sites keep internal links opening in the same tab/window. The default setting is the accessible setting.

Accessibility Basics (Must-Do)

• ALWAYS Add Alt Text (Image Descriptions). Alt Text (Alternative Text) is a short, text-based description that communicates the meaning, purpose and context of an image in digital content. This is mandatory for accessibility.
   
• How to Write Good Alt Text: Best Practices
  • Keep it concise and clear: typically between eight and 80 characters, and no more than 125 characters (about 5–15 words) to accurately represent the image's content.
  • Describe the purpose or essential content of the image.
  • Avoid starting with "The image of" or "The picture of" since assistive technologies already announce images, and these phrases add redundancy.
  • Use long description features (such as caption fields) if more detailed descriptions are needed (e.g., for infographics or complex diagrams).
    • Bad alt text: "Marketing image banner graphic with colors red and blue and people in the background and some text." (Too vague, too wordy, and doesn't capture the purpose.)
    • Good alt text: "Team collaborating in an office, illustrating our customer support services." (Clear, under 125 characters, communicates the function of the image in context.)
  • For decorative images that do not provide meaningful information or context, enter two quotation marks ("") in the alt. text field so screen readers will skip them.
     
• Avoid Text in Images. Do not include important information (e.g., dates, quotes or contact details) directly in an image. Screen readers cannot read text that is "baked into" a picture. If you must use an image with text, make sure that the exact text is repeated in the regular body text nearby. 

Design & Technical Tips

• Use High-Quality Images. Photos should be clear, well-lit and professionally shot to maintain the university's brand standard.
• Technical Specifications:
  • Use standard web formats: JPG (for photos) or PNG (for photos or graphics/logos with transparent backgrounds).
  • Images should be sized appropriately for your website CMS. For School of Medicine Drupal websites, original images should be at least 5" x 5" (500 px. wide) and have a minimum resolution of 72 ppi (standard web resolution sufficient for screen viewing).

Alternative Text Resources

• Tips for writing effective alternative text
• Tools to create alt text for STEM content
• Request assistance from the DASH alt text service. Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on resource capacity.
• If working with many images, consider using an alt text generator or uploading files to an AI assistant to generate initial drafts. Digital content creators are expected to review and revise auto-generated alt text for accuracy, clarity and alignment with your content. Otherwise, the alt text may not serve its intended purpose.

Video Accessibility Guidance

Whether overseeing independent projects or submitting to official channels, prioritizing these accessibility standards ensures our video footprint remains inclusive for everyone by:

• Supporting Universal Design: Benefits everyone. In addition to providing equal access, it enables viewing in noisy environments and supports non-native English speakers.
• Enhanced Discoverability: Helps your videos appear in more search results by providing crawlable transcript text.
• Meeting Compliance Standards: Helps the university meet the high bar of the ADA Title II mandate.

Guidelines for Self-Managed Videos

If you manage an independent website or a video hosting platform, you are responsible for ensuring that the video content you host complies with the new standards. Please prioritize the following for all self-managed platforms:

• Accurate Captions: Do not rely solely on "Automatic" captions (like YouTube's auto-captioning function). You must manually edit them to reach 99% accuracy, including proper names, spelling and grammar.
• Descriptive Transcripts: Provide a text version of your video that includes all spoken dialogue plus text descriptions of any vital visual information.
• Accessible Design: Ensure all text overlays have at least a 4.5:1 contrast ratio. On websites, disable Autoplay settings and avoid content that flashes more than three times per second.
• Audio Descriptions (The "Eyes-Closed" Test): If a user cannot understand visual data or actions in your video solely from the audio, you must provide Audio Descriptions.
  • When is it Necessary?
    • Interviews & Talking Heads: Usually Not Necessary. If the speaker is identified audibly, there is no "hidden" visual info.
    • Lectures & Presentations: Necessary. If a speaker says "look at this chart," but does not explain the data points out loud.
    • Lab & Clinical Demonstrations: Necessary. If a procedure is performed silently.
    • Montages & Highlights: Necessary. If scenes are shown with only music playing, a descriptive track or transcript must explain the visual narrative.

School of Medicine Video Submission Checklist

The Communications and Public Relations Office requires the following assets and features before content can be approved for School of Medicine Drupal websites or official video channels:

1. Required Supporting Files

• Synchronized Captions (.SRT File)
  • What it is: Text synced to the audio timing.
  • Why it matters: Provides access for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users.
  • Requirement: Must be human-verified for 99% accuracy and include non-speech sounds (e.g., [Laughter], [Medical monitor beeping]).
• Descriptive Transcript (.TXT File)
  • What it is: A full-text document of all video content.
  • Why it matters: Provides access for users with both visual and hearing loss (Deaf-Blind).
  • Requirement: Include all spoken dialogue plus descriptions of visual actions not spoken aloud (e.g., "A chart appears showing a 10% increase in applications").

2. Audio Descriptions (AD) Compliance

• What it is: Narration of key visual elements during pauses in dialogue.
• Why it matters: Helps blind and low-vision users understand the non-verbal parts of the video.
• How to comply: If your video is not "self-describing" and a user cannot understand the visual data or actions in your video from the audio alone, please provide one of the following:
  • A Secondary Audio Track: A full audio file that contains the original dialogue plus added descriptive narration.
  • An AD-Integrated Video: A second version of the video file with descriptive voiceover already mixed in.
  • Self-Describing Script (Best Practice/No Additional Cost): If the narrator describes all visual actions naturally while filming or during editing, no additional audio files are needed.

3. Visual Design & Safety Standards

The Technical Standards (WCAG 2.1 Level AA)

• Text Contrast: All on-screen text (including names, titles, and data) must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against the background. For large-scale text (18pt or 14pt bold), a 3:1 ratio is the minimum requirement.
• Seizure Safety: To prevent photoepileptic seizures, videos must not contain content that flashes more than three times in any one-second period.

Functional Best Practices (Professional Execution)

These are not "laws" with a specific WCAG number, but they are the industry-standard methods used to achieve the legal requirement of "Equally Effective Communication."

• Caption Safe Zones: While not a specific WCAG pixel-count, keeping vital graphics in the upper 80% of the screen ensures that mandatory closed captions do not obscure essential information like names or URLs. If a caption hides your content, it is no longer "equally effective."
• Clear Typography: Using UCI Brand sans-serif fonts and avoiding "thin" or "script" styles for on-screen text ensures your 4.5:1 contrast ratio results in a readable experience for users with low vision.
• Logical Reading Order: For complex graphics or charts, ensure the visual information is presented in a linear fashion that matches the audio description or transcript.

Submission & Support

• How to Submit: Include your .SRT and .TXT files when sending your video to the Communications team.
• Vendor Support: Visit the UC Irvine Accessibility Closed Captioning Vendors page for a list of both free, self-captioning tools and professional, paid services.

Example: Accessible Commencement Ceremony

To see how a complex event can successfully incorporate these standards into a single video, watch the George Washington University 2021 Commencement. This is an excellent example of how to weave dialogue, music and visual descriptions together.

Key Accessibility Features to Observe

• Integrated Audio Description (AD): A narrator describes visual montages and slides during natural pauses in dialogue.
• Synchronized Captions: High-accuracy captions that identify speakers and meaningful background sounds.
• Descriptive Scripting: Speakers introduce themselves and describe their visual aids, making the content "accessible by design."
• Text Read-Aloud: On-screen names and awards are spoken aloud, ensuring information is available to everyone.

When to Use PDFs

Rule of thumb: PDFs are for Printing, not for Reading Online.

• Offline Use. The primary purpose is for the user to download and print the file (e.g., a physical form to mail, brochure or handout).
• Preserving Formatting. Use PDFs for documents where maintaining original formatting is essential (e.g., formal reports, archived documents, legal documents).

When to Avoid PDFs 

Prioritize Webpages over PDFs.

• Easily Consumed Online. Content can be easily discovered, navigated and consumed online (e.g., news items, simple policies, updates).
• Mobile-Friendly. Weppages automatically adjust to screen size (responsive design), whereas PDFs often require tedious zooming and scrolling on phones.

All Documents Must Be Accessible

If you MUST use a document, it must be accessible. All documents (PDFs, word processing files, slide decks, etc.) uploaded to a public website must incorporate accessibility features before being uploaded.

• Outline Structure: Every document requires a proper structure (headings, lists, tables, etc.) to ensure screen readers can navigate it correctly.
  • Set up document properties, such as document title, author, language, etc.
  • Create a hierarchical heading structure in sequential order.
• Document Features: 
  • All images within the document need proper alt text.
  • Replace raw URLs with descriptive text links and avoid vague phrases like "Click Here" for hyperlinks.
  • Properly format lists with bullet points or numbers. Do not use emojis as bullet points.
  • Use built-in table features to present tabular or formatted data.
  • Enhance readability with font style, size and line spacing.
    • Font Style: Sans-serif (Montserrat, Arial, Calibri) for digital; serif (Hepta Slab) for print. Learn more about UC Irvine Brand fonts and download them via the UC Irvine Brand Typography webpage.
    • Line Spacing: At least 1.5 times the font size is recommended.
    • Font Sizes: 12 pt body text minimum; 18 pt for large text.

Resources for Creating Accessible Documents

If a document needs to be added to your website, ensure it is accessible using these guides.

• UC Systemwide Resources
  • IT Services: Accessible Documents and PDFs
  • Electronic Accessibility
  • Create Accessible PDFs
     
• UC Irvine Resources
  • Accessibility Basics Training (Student Life & Leadership)
  • Division of Teaching Excellence & Innovation (DTEI) – Accessibility Resources
  • Teaching Accessibility Cheat Sheet

NOTE: UC Irvine has provided an Accessibility Checker tool to help remediate documents. You can access the YuJa Panorama DocHub via Single Sign-on (SSO). 

• External Resources
  • Adobe Acrobat Workflow for Creating Accessible PDFs
  • Create Accessible Digital Products (Section 508)
  • WebAIM: Microsoft Word Accessibility
    • A practical guide for making Word documents accessible, including headings, alt text and structure 
  • Creating Accessible Documents Cheatsheets

Alt Text

Alternative text (alt text) is a brief written description (5-15 words) that conveys the meaning and purpose of an image. All images posted on social media must have alt text. With alt text, people using screen readers will have the information they need to understand the image content. The ‘Images’ section above provides guidance on writing effective alt text.

For instructions on adding alt text within the different social media platforms, please refer to the links below:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• X

Video/Audio Captioning

Videos posted on social media platforms must include captions. Captions — text on the screen that displays speaker dialogue, sounds and music — allow people to engage with the content. For guidelines and additional information about captions, please visit the UC Irvine Accessibility Captions and Transcripts FAQs page.

Text on Images

Screen readers cannot read text on images. It is best practice to only include written text in the body of a post. If there is no way around it and an image with text needs to be uploaded, you must add alt text (keep it brief — 5-15 words total) and include the text (if longer than the alt text) within the body of the post.

Camel Case

When creating hashtags, the first letter of every word should be capitalized. This format allows people using screen readers to read the hashtag as separate words rather than one long word.

Correct:
#LifeAtUCI #UCIMedSchool

Incorrect:
#lifeatuci #ucimedschool

Emoji Use

Emojis should only be used at the beginning of posts, as screenreaders will interpret them by providing the actual emoji description (i.e., “smiley face,” “clapping hands”). If they are placed between text, the emoji descriptions can cause confusion.

Descriptive & Shortened Links

When adding a website URL to a social media post, use a descriptive link to give readers context about where it points to.

Ex. Instead of a vague command like “Click Here,” use “Learn more about UC Irvine" if linking to the UC Irvine website.

If possible, create a short URL, as screen readers will read it aloud to users.

Accessibility Resources by Social Media Platform:

• Facebook
  • Facebook Accessibility
• Instagram
  • Instagram Accessibility
  • Advancing Accessibility on Instagram
• LinkedIn
  • LinkedIn Accessibility
• X
  • Accessibility at X
• YouTube 
  • Subtitles & Captions

Making Events Accessible

Ensure in-person, virtual or hybrid events are inclusive for all participants. This resource provides a detailed, phase-by-phase protocol covering everything from accessible promotional materials and registration forms to managing on-site accommodation requests and follow-up.

Please note that an SSO login is required to access this internal resource.

UCI Student Life & Leadership Information Technology: Accessible Events

Online accessibility training is available on the Siteimprove platform. The UC Irvine Office of Accessibility also provides several training resources, including the AccessibiliTrees training program and the Accessibility Basics training guides.

Although the April 24, 2026, deadline has passed, your commitment to digital accessibility remains a priority. If you have content that is not yet compliant, please document these specific items and establish a clear action plan to address them as soon as possible. Prioritize high-visibility, high-impact materials to ensure our community has access to the most essential information as you complete your remediation efforts.

Please contact the UC Irvine School of Medicine Digital Communications team (DCT) at somweb@hs.uci.edu. The DCT can assist with reviewing the content and providing suggestions to reach compliance.

Yes! Please refer to the following resources for more information about these mandates and meeting compliance requirements:

• ADA Title II Web and Mobile App Content Fact Sheet
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 101: Understanding the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
• Digital Accessibility Support & Help (DASH) 
• UCOP Monthly Digital Accessibility Office Hours