Accessibility Basics: Quick Tips for All Content

Students in front of Dunkin sign holding drinks

Creating digital content everyone can access and understand!

Whether you're sending an email, posting to a classroom page, or sharing a document, accessibility starts with a few key habits.These simple practices help make sure that all members of our community -including people with disabilities - can use, read, and engage with your content.

Use Clear, Plain Language

Write in everyday language.
Keep sentences and paragraphs short.
Avoid jargon, or explain it when it’s necessary.
Spell out acronyms the first time you use them.
- Example: Individualized Education Program (IEP)

Use Proper Headings and Structure

Using proper headings helps everyone read and navigate your content—and is a key part of digital accessibility.

Use built-in heading styles to organize your document or page.
- (In Google Docs: Format > Paragraph styles)
Don’t just bold or enlarge text for section titles—use heading tags so screen readers can recognize the structure.
Keep lists and sections well-organized.

An In-Depth Look at Document Headings

An In-Depth Look at Document Headings

Use Real Headings—Not Just Bold or Big Text

When creating a document, it’s important to use actual heading styles—not just bold or large font—to structure your content. While bold or larger text may look like a heading, it doesn’t function like one for people using assistive technologies.

What Are Headings?

Headings are labeled pieces of text that help organize your content into sections and subsections. Think of them like chapter titles and subheadings in a book. Most word processing programs (like Microsoft Word or Google Docs) have built-in heading styles, usually labeled “Heading 1,” “Heading 2,” and so on.

Why Headings Matter

Using proper heading styles:

Provides structure that screen readers and other assistive tech can understand
Improves navigation, especially for users who rely on keyboard shortcuts to jump from section to section
Creates consistency in formatting across your document
Allows for automatic generation of tables of contents

Without true headings, a document becomes harder to navigate and interpret for many users—including people with vision impairments or learning disabilities.

How to Use Headings Correctly

Use “Heading 1” for your document title (only once!)
Use “Heading 2” for main sections, and “Heading 3” for subsections under those
Keep the order logical and nested—don’t skip heading levels (e.g., don’t jump from Heading 2 to Heading 4)

Stick with heading styles provided by your program rather than changing font size or style manually.

Screenshot of Google Headings offered through Google Doc

Add Alt Text to All Images

Include clear, concise descriptions of what the image shows or represents.
Focus on the purpose of the image - what someone needs to understand if they can't see it.
If the image is purely decorative, mark it as decorative.
Never rely on images of text to convey important information unless that text is also written out nearby or included in the alt text.

An In-Depth Look at Accessible Images

Why image accessibility matters—and how to do it right

Images are a powerful part of digital communication, but if they aren't made accessible, they can exclude people who use screen readers, have low vision, or rely on text-based browsers. The good news: making images accessible is simple and just takes a few extra seconds.

Two young students smile at the camera with text at the bottom showing the alt text.

What Is Alt Text

Alt text (alternative text) is a short description of an image that:

Explains what is shown and why it matters
Is read aloud by screen readers for people who can’t see the image
Replaces the image if it fails to load

You should add alt text to every image unless the image is purely decorative (in which case it should be marked as decorative or left blank appropriately).

Alt text can help everyone

If there are internet issues and an image fails to load, the alt text is displayed.

Example of a digital image that loaded correctly

a young student looks at the camera while sitting at a classroom table

Example of a digital image that did not load correctly and does not have alt text

an example of a broken image that does not have alt text

Example of a digital image that did not load correctly and does have alt text

example of a broken image that does have alt text

ALT Text Examples

Good Alt Text Tips

Keep it short and specific (1–2 sentences max)
Describe only what’s essential to understanding the content
Don’t say “Image of…”—just describe what it shows
If text appears in the image, include that text in the alt description or main body content

Good Alt Text: High school student sitting at a table with first grade student working on math enrichment
Bad Alt Text: Two kids

Good Alt Text: A happy graduate posing with diploma
Bal Alt Text: Graduate Girl

Additional Information

Gmail

Click on the image in your email message
Select "Edit Alt Text"

Google Docs / Slides

Right-click the image
Choose "Alt text"
Fill in the description field
Watch a 60-second Google Docs Alt Text demo video on YouTube

screenshot of someone adding alt text to a google doc

Microsoft Word / PowerPoint

Right-click the image
Select "View Alt Text"
If available, ensure the AI generated Alt-text is accurate or write your own brief, helpful description
Watch a 60-second Microsoft Word Alt Text demo video on YouTube

Webpages

Look for an "Alt text" field in the image upload or settings area
Some platforms automatically ask for it—fill it in before publishing

Avoid Text-Only Images

Images that contain only text (like many flyers) are not accessible unless the same information is also included in the body of your post, email, or web page. Screen readers can't interpret text embedded in an image unless it's added manually in the alt text or elsewhere.

Decorative Images

If an image is purely decorative (e.g., a border or background that doesn’t convey content), it can be marked as decorative or left with a blank alt attribute so screen readers skip it.

screenshot of an example of a decorative image

screenshot of the dialogue box where you indicate an image is decorative

Use Descriptive Link Text

Make it clear where the link goes.
- Correct: “View the 2025-26 school calendar”
- Incorrect: “Click here”
Avoid vague phrases like “read more” or “learn more” without context.

Make Sure Text Is Easy to Read

Use strong color contrast: dark text on a light background is best.
Avoid using only color to show meaning (e.g., “items in red are missing”).
Use a readable font size—usually 12pt or larger for documents, and 16px+ for websites.

Use Descriptive File Names and Titles

Give your files and documents meaningful names.
- Example: “5th_Grade_FieldTrip_Info.pdf” instead of “Document1”
Add a clear title at the top of the document, especially for shared or published files.

Avoid Flashing or Flickering Content

Fast-flashing animations or images (more than 3 times per second) can trigger seizures and should never be used.

Accessibility Check Tools (Optional but Helpful)

Many tools you already use have built-in accessibility checkers:

Microsoft Word: Go to Review > Check Accessibility
Web pages: Use browser extensions like WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool)
PDF: Use "Prepare for Accessibility" in the tools to check
Canva: Use Design Accessibility

Quick Checklist for All Digital Content

Before you hit send, post, or publish, ask:

Is the language clear and easy to understand?
Is the layout organized with real headings?
Can someone understand this without seeing colors or images?
Do images have alt text?
Are videos captioned?
Are links descriptive?
Is the file name helpful?

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