Accessibility for Content Editors
We strive to make content accessible for everyone
Web accessibility standards should follow Cornell’s policy. If you work with web content, explore the best practice guidelines for making digital content accessible.
Content teams creating PDFs should review Cornell’s Create Accessible PDFs page. For those working with InDesign or Acrobat, you may wish to look at Adobe’s Creating Accessible PDFs page as well.
Cornell’s Web Accessibility Standards Policy 5.12
Cornell University is committed to providing an environment in which all people have an equal opportunity to participate in the university’s programs, activities, and services.
Any new, newly added or redesigned university web content, web pages, web functionality, websites, and web applications must be made accessible to people with disabilities to the standard prescribed by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA, except where doing so would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a service, program, or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens.
When fundamental alteration or undue burden applies, equally effective alternative means of access must be provided so that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals with disabilities receive the same benefits and services.
Web content must follow all 4 principles of accessibility:
Perceivable: perceived equally using more than 1 sense. Written text is the foundation of perceivable content. Examples: meaningful images can be described with text or videos can be described with audio descriptions and captions
Operable: any item on the page can be used by any hardware or software device. Needs to be navigable using a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen, or more limited switch system
Understandable: Content and navigation that your visitor can understand. Defining language, expanding abbreviations, and defining unusual words. Offer consistency and predictability in navigation, Error handling, and have clear labels
Robust: works dependably in current and future browsers and with all assistive technology. Code used conforms to defined standards.