Disability Services

Accessible Course Materials

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Creating accessible course materials is an essential part of providing equal access to education. By designing courses with accessibility in mind from the beginning, faculty help ensure that all students, including students with disabilities, can fully participate in learning from the first day of class.

The University of Hawaiʻi is committed to providing digital content that meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, the recognized accessibility standard for digital information and technology. Faculty play an important role in helping the university meet or exceed these standards by creating accessible documents, course materials, and media.

Creating Accessible Course Content

When developing course materials, faculty should:

  • Use properly structured headings and document styles.
  • Create accessible Word, PowerPoint, PDFcontent.
  • Add meaningful alternative text (alt text) to images, charts, and graphics.
  • Use descriptive hyperlink text rather than "click here."
  • Ensure sufficient color contrast and do not rely on color alone to convey meaning.
  • Use readable fonts and appropriate spacing.
  • Create accessible tables and forms with proper headings.
  • Verify accessibility using built-in accessibility checkers before sharing materials.

Accessible Media

All instructional media needs to be accessible to students. Faculty should:

  • Provide accurate captions for all prerecorded and streamed instructional videos.
  • Ensure captions are synchronized and include meaningful spoken content.
  • Provide transcripts for audio-only materials, such as podcasts and recorded lectures.

When important visual information is not explained through narration, provide an audio description or an equivalent written description. Using accessible media benefits all learners, including students who are deaf or hard of hearing, multilingual learners, students in noisy environments, and those who prefer reading while listening.

Accessibility Benefits Everyone

Accessible course design is an example of inclusive teaching. Materials that are organized, readable, and compatible with assistive technology improve the learning experience for all students—not only those with approved accommodations. Designing courses with accessibility in mind also reduces barriers and supports student success across the university.

Disability Services Can Help

Disability Services partners with faculty to promote accessible learning environments and provide guidance on accommodation implementation, digital accessibility, accessible media, and assistive technology. If you have questions about creating accessible course materials or implementing accommodations, please contact our office. Additionally, you can reach out to IT Instructional Designers for assistance with accessible media requirements.

Digital Accessibility Resources

Instructions for the following tasks are linked below. They can also be found in the Digital Accessibility Resource Guide. You can request a digital copy by emailing uds@hawaii.edu.

Additional Resources