Digital DocumentationAs Accessible As Possible

Enda P Guinan & Claire McAvinia

NUI Maynooth

Digital Documents

Practical Benefits

• Take advantage of the medium

• Create large documents more efficiently

• Re-use material easily

• Helps ensure ease of access

Let Everyone Get Your Work

• Visually impaired users• Screenreaders can 'see' text in good docs• Tags add navigability

• Restricted mobility users• Text reflow on the page reduces need to move

mouse

• People with dyslexia, dyspraxia etc• Can use with assistive technology• Can repurpose as audio/print• Can choose own fonts, colour schemes, layout

Checklist

• Will plain text do?• Match format with context• Can users download, open and

manipulate you material easily?• Not sure about fonts, colours? - Let

your user decide• Are images needed?

Plain text & HTML

• Can be read by almost anything.

• Alternative to/accompany PDF/PowerPoint?

• Retains useful tags for screenreaders etc.

• Easily repurposed

• Moodle

In conclusion

• Minor changes = greater access– People with disabilities– Distance/international students– Less competent users– Variety of devices, platforms

• Good practice = more efficiency• Simple text = most accessible & flexible

• More info @ digidocs.nuim.ie