9 Core Practices

Why Readability Matters

Clear, well-formatted text helps everyone. It’s especially important for people with disabilities, like users with dyslexia, low vision, or cognitive challenges—who rely on simple language, clean fonts, and consistent spacing. Readable text also supports non-native speakers and anyone who’s short on time. When content is easier to read, it’s more accessible for all.

Use simple language:

• Avoid jargon or complex vocabulary
• Use plain, direct sentences

Example:

Use: “Log in with your college username and credentials.”

NOT: “Initiate the login protocol using your institutional settings.”

Spell out acronyms:

• First use: Learning Management System (LMS)
• After that, just use the acronym

Break up walls of text:

• Use headers, bullets, and short paragraphs
• Add visuals or whitespace to reduce visual fatigue

Set a minimum font size:

• Use at least 12pt for body text
• Larger sizes for headers or key content

Consider line and letter spacing:

• Aim for 1.5 line spacing for readability
• Ensure no crowding or excessive spacing
• Use default browser / Operating System-friendly spacing unless needed

Choose readable fonts:

• Use sans-serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Helvetica, Verdana)
• Avoid decorative or script fonts

Follow a style guide:

Align with Bellevue College’s institutional style guide for consistency

Why Headings Matter

Headings help everyone understand how your content is organized. They’re especially important for people using screen readers, who can navigate a page by jumping from one heading to another. Using headings correctly saves time, improves readability, and supports users with cognitive disabilities.

Follow a logical order:

Think of headings like an outline:

• H1 is your page or document title (used only once)
• H2 is a main section under H1
• H3 is a subsection under H2
  And so on.

Never jump levels (e.g., H1 → H4), and don’t skip levels.

One H1 per page:

Each page or document should have only one H1, usually reserved for the title. Additional headings should start from H2 downward.

What counts as a heading?

Use headings to introduce:

• New sections or topics
• Major steps in a process
• Important transitions in your content

If it helps users understand the flow, it probably needs a heading!

Simple pages may need only one heading:

If your document is short or has only one main point, an H1 might be all you need. Don’t overuse headings just for decoration or spacing.

Don’t like the heading style? Format it, don’t replace it:

If you don’t like how a heading looks, still use the correct style (like H2 or H3), and adjust the visual formatting with your editor tools. Don’t downgrade headings just to get the visual you want.

Why Lists Matter

Lists make information easier to scan and understand. When built with proper formatting, screen readers announce how many items are in the list and read them in order. Manually creating lists with dashes or asterisks removes that structure. Accessible lists improve clarity and comprehension for everyone.

Use proper list styles:

Always use your platform’s built-in list formatting tools (bullets or numbers), not manual characters like hyphens or tabs. This ensures screen readers can detect and announce the list correctly.

Ordered vs. unordered lists:

• Use ordered (numbered) lists when sequence or priority matters—like steps in a process.
• Use unordered (bulleted) lists for grouped items with no specific order.

Nested lists:

If you need sub-points, use nested lists created with the formatting tool (e.g., tab to indent). This helps screen readers communicate the hierarchy of information.

Why Links Matter

Descriptive links help everyone navigate more easily. Screen reader users often browse links out of context, so vague text like “click here” or “read more” isn’t helpful. Clear, well-formatted links show where they lead and also support users who print content or use keyboard navigation.

Use descriptive link text:

Your link text should clearly describe the destination, not say: “Click here.”

Example:

Use: Learn more in the Accessibility in Canvas Guides

NOT: Click here for the guide

Why Tables Matter

Tables are useful for organizing data, but they need proper structure to be accessible. Screen readers depend on headers and a consistent layout to make sense of the information, without that, tables can become confusing or unreadable.

Use tables for data only:

Use tables to present structured data, not for layout or formatting. Layout tables confuse screen readers and should be avoided.

Mark row and column headers:

Always use the formatting tools to designate headers. This helps screen readers identify how the data is organized.

Add scope to headers:

If possible, add a scope attribute (e.g., row or column) to headers. This tells assistive tech how to associate data cells with headers.

Avoid merged cells:

Merged cells can confuse screen readers. Keep table structures simple and consistent across rows and columns.

Don’t leave cells blank:

Avoid empty table cells—screen readers will announce nothing. If data is not available, enter “N/A” or another placeholder.

Add a table caption:

Include a short caption summarizing what the table is about. Canvas screen readers will read this to give users context.

Why Color & Contrast Matter

When text and background colors don’t have enough contrast, it can be tough to read, especially for people with low vision or color blindness. Since some users can’t see certain colors, it’s important not to rely on color alone. Strong contrast makes your content clearer for everyone, in any setting.

Use a contrast checker:

Tools like WebAIM’s or TPGi’s contrast checkers help you confirm your color combinations are accessible.

Meet contrast ratio standards:

Ensure a 4.5:1 contrast ratio for regular text, and 3:1 for large text (18pt+ or 14pt bold). Use a contrast checker to verify. You do not have to calculate on your own.

Don’t rely on color alone:

Avoid using color as the only way to show meaning (e.g., “Items in red are incorrect”). Use text labels, patterns, or icons.

Make visuals high contrast:

Ensure charts, diagrams, and image overlays have enough contrast between colors, especially when labeling.

Avoid light-on-light combinations:

Low-contrast combos like light gray on white are hard to read. Always test your choices with real users or checkers.

Why Images Matter

Images are great for explaining ideas, but not if some users can’t access them. Screen readers rely on alt text to describe what’s shown, so skipping it means people miss out. Clear visuals and good descriptions make content easier for everyone to understand.

Provide meaningful alt text:

Describe the image based on its purpose in the context. What does the audience need to know from this image?

Mark decorative images:

If the image doesn’t convey information (e.g., borders, filler graphics), mark it as decorative so screen readers skip it.

Avoid including text in images:

Text embedded in images isn’t accessible to assistive technologies and can become unreadable when resized. If an image includes text, ALL text in the image must be provided via alt text or another accessible method.

Describe complex images in the body:

For charts, graphs, or diagrams, include a full text description elsewhere on the page to explain the data or message.

Add link context in alt text:

When an image acts as a link, the alt text should describe both the image and its destination or purpose. Since linked images provide navigation, they can’t be decorative.

Avoid cognitive overload:

Only include images that support your message. Avoid excessive visuals that don’t add meaning. They can distract or overwhelm.

Tag icons and shapes:

If icons or SmartArt carry meaning (e.g., a warning or tip icon), provide alt text so the meaning is clear to screen reader users.

Image use in exams:

For graded assessments, write alt text that describes necessary details without revealing the answer.

Why Video & Audio Matter

Multimedia brings content to life, but it’s not truly accessible without captions or descriptions. Adding transcripts and audio descriptions helps everyone follow along and even makes your videos easier to find and reuse.

Provide accurate captions:

All pre-recorded videos must have edited captions. Automated captions often include errors and must be corrected.

Record with good audio:

Use a microphone or headset for clear sound. Poor audio quality impacts comprehension for all users.

Live video? Use live captions:

Enable real-time captioning for Zoom, Teams, or other live tools. Offer a transcript after the session if possible.

Describe visual-only content:

If important information is only shown visually (e.g., a diagram), include audio description in the narration or separately.

Example: You’re showing a diagram of the water cycle in a video webinar.

Use: “This diagram shows the water cycle with arrows connecting four main stages: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. The arrows show water moving from oceans to clouds, then falling as rain and collecting in lakes and rivers.”
(This gives all users access to the same information, regardless of whether they can see the visual.)

NOT: “As you can see in this diagram, everything flows in a cycle.”
(Audio-only users won’t know what the diagram shows because the visual content isn’t described.)

Avoid flashing content:

Avoid rapid flashing or strobing (more than 3 flashes per second) as this can cause seizures in some users.

Why Forms Matter

Forms are how people sign up, share input, or finish key actions—but if they’re hard to use, some users can’t participate. Clear labels and keyboard-friendly design make forms smoother for everyone.

Label all fields clearly:

Each form field must have a clear label either visible or programmatically assigned so screen readers can announce it.

Ensure keyboard navigation:

Test your form using just the Tab key to move through fields. Users must be able to navigate without a mouse.

Use accessible tools:

Tools like Microsoft Forms, Qualtrics, and Gravity Forms have built-in accessibility checks. Use these rather than building from scratch when possible.

Avoid CAPTCHA or use alternatives:

If your form uses CAPTCHA, ensure there’s an accessible version (e.g., audio CAPTCHA or alternative questions).