CFOS Accessibility Tips

Section 508 Compliance

The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences is committed to digital accessibility. We work to ensure that websites, documents, videos, online courses, and other digital materials are accessible to everyone — including people with disabilities. What is Section 508 Compliance? Read more in this short, US Government presentation (external site opens to a PDF).

To create a PDF that complies with 508 accessibility standards for web use, follow these steps:

  1. Make use of accessibility tools in original software: Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and Adobe Suite products all offer accessibility tools that can help build accessible documents from the outset, making it less work to remediate once something has been exported to PDF.
  2. Ensure Tagged Content: Utilize tagged PDFs to provide structural information. Auto-tagging features are acceptable, but ensure accuracy. Tags enable screen readers to navigate content effectively. (List of Standard PDF tags from Adobe.)
  3. Include Bookmarks: Add bookmarks to documents exceeding 20 pages to outline the document's structure. If a Table of Contents exists, ensure bookmarks reflect its layout. Bookmarks enhance navigation for users with disabilities.
  4. Provide Alternative Text: Add descriptive alternative text (alt text) to all visual elements such as images, charts, and graphs. Alt text enables users with visual impairments to understand visual content through screen reader software.
  5. Maintain Logical Reading Order: Arrange content in a logical reading order that follows the flow of the document. Logical reading order ensures that screen readers present content in a meaningful sequence, enhancing comprehension.
  6. Complete Document Properties: Fill in document properties such as title and language. Document properties improve searchability and provide essential information about the PDF.
  7. Run accessibility check tool in Adobe Acrobat or Foxit: This will provide step-by-step instructions for resolving accessibility errors.
  8. Avoid PDF forms: Google Forms creates mostly accessible forms, whereas PDFs are challenging - and much more work - to create and to make accessible.
 

Section 508 Resources and Tips

Resources

NOAA Central Library Section 508 YouTube Playlist and a more digestible version: These series of videos provides an introduction to basic PDF editing for accessibility including how to fix common errors such as:

  • adding bookmarks
  • fixing element tags
  • updating document properties
  • adding alternative text
  • correcting tab and reading order.

University of Alaska Accessibility website (resources for guidance at the UA level)

UAF-NTS Web and Digital Accessibility (resources for guidance at the UAF level)

Website Accessibility Initiative (provides resources and current information)

Web Accessibility Evaluation (WAVE: tool for evaluating a website for accessibility)

Section 508.gov (for documents)

Microsoft document accessibility tips

Alternative text tips

  • Describe the essential information and purpose of the image.
  • Be clear and concise (usually one sentence).
  • Focus on what’s important, not every detail.
  • Avoid phrases like “image of” or “picture of.”
  • Mark decorative images as "decorative (no alt text needed)."
Color and contrast

Color contrast between foreground elements (such as text or graphics) and the background should be sufficient (at least a 4.5:1 ratio). Free tools like WebAIM and Colour Contrast Analyser can help you evaluate and adjust the colors in your document or webpage.

Fonts
  • Use readable fonts
  • Minimum 12-point size for body text
  • Avoid decorative or script fonts (e.g., Comic Sans, Brush Script)
  • Maintain high contrast between text and background
  • Use consistent spacing and line height
  • Avoid ALL CAPS for large blocks of text
Best font choices
  • Sans-serif fonts (clean, modern, easy to read on screen):
  • Arial
  • Calibri
  • Helvetica
  • Verdana
  • Tahoma
  • Trebuchet MS
Accessible serif fonts (less common, but acceptable for print):
  • Georgia
  • Times New Roman (use with caution; smaller sizes can be hard to read)

Tables

  • Use simple tables with clearly marked header rows.
  • Do not merge cells or nest tables.
  • Use tables only for presenting data, not for layout or formatting.
  • Avoid empty cells or merged cells.

Writing Accessible Links

Use meaningful, descriptive link text that clearly explains the destination. Avoid generic phrases like “click here.” Also, if possible, use aria-tags (you can watch this short video about adding aria-tags) in HTML code to help the visually impaired navigate links in text.

Example: CFOS will be participating in the Arctic Research Open House (external site) this year. Note: the link has an aria-tag added to it so a screen reader will point out that it is a link, and, the visually impaired reader is also alerted that it's a link by the reference to an external site.

Websites

External websites are problematic. We are working with those who have them to bring them into compliance. If you are considering having an external website that is connected to the University in any way, most especially, referenced to by students, please consult with the CFOS Website Accessibility Manager before creating one.

Contact for more information, questions

For questions, contact Putt Clark, website accessibility manager at ecclark@alaska.edu or 907-450-8408.