Digital Documentation As 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 digidocs.nuim.ie