The following accessibility guidelines are adapted from WebAIM Principles of Accessible Design. Creators can refer to them as general best practices for digital storytelling projects. However many of the tools discussed in this guide do not support all the accessibility features mentioned in this list. Careful consideration should be given to projects where accessibility is a priority before committing to a software platform.
- Alternative text: All images should have alt-text if supported by the platform. If not, image descriptions should be provided in captions or body text.
- Captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions: All multimedia should include captions and/or a transcript.
- Links and hypertext: Text for links should describe the destination page. For example, "Yao Collection of Ceremonial Artifacts" is preferable to "To explore the Yao Collection of Ceremonial Artifacts, click here"
- Accessible writing: Use plain language, focus your message, and create a hierarchy of information. Check out the Mailchimp Content Style Guide for tips on web writing.
- Headings: Use headings to convey meaning and structure. To maintain a logical hierarchy, do not skip heading levels.
- Color and Contrast: Don’t rely on color alone to convey meaning, as it can exclude those with color blindness and low vision. If you are using a graphic with text or adjusting the text style, make sure that it has sufficient contrast. For example, this page has a white background so dark text is much more legible than light text.
- Inline frames & embedded content: Make sure the iframe embed code includes a meaningful title in the “title=” attribute. Embeds should also adapt to different screen sizes and support fullscreen viewing options.
- Keyboard accessibility: Ensure users can navigate without a mouse and there are no keyboard focus traps. Provide an alternative format, such as an accessible document (PDF, Word, or PowerPoint), if this requirement cannot be met.
- If interactive media, such as maps, are not accessible via screen readers, use descriptive captions to convey key information and consider including static alternatives.
- Evaluate the responsive design of digital products by viewing with different browsers, mobile, and touchscreen devices.
- Utilize automated accessibility testing tools such as WAVE, Chrome Lighthouse or similar software.
- Perform manual evaluations with a screen reader, such as Microsoft Narrator (Windows) or VoiceOver (Mac).