Web Accessibility Services

This page contains information for using accessibility tools on our online platforms, training resources to assist faculty and staff in making their online documents accessible friendly, and web accessibility polices and procedures implemented at UA-PTC.

Commitment to Accessibility

At UA - Pulaski Tech, we are committed to providing accessible friendly content on all of our web platforms regardless of disability status. UA-PTC follows the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

User Tools and Resources

• Web/Mobile Accessibility Assistance - Information for using UA-PTC's accessibility tool, Ally on the public website and Blackboard, changing text size on computer/mobile devices, and where to access computers on campus with screen reader services.
• UA-PTC Library Patrons with Disabilities - Information about accessibility services and building accommodations.
• NVDA Download - NVDA is a free Windows-only screen reading software for blind and vision impaired users. NVDA can read text from most applications.

Blackboard Ally

• Blackboard Ally Training Manual for Faculty - Information for using Blackboard Ally, supported file types, alternative formats, correcting Accessibility issues in Ally, and more.
• Colors and Contrast - Information and resources for using accessibility friendly colors and contrast.

Video/Closed Captioning

ScreenPal

• ScreenPal Tutorials - Instructions for recording your screen, video editing, and more.
• ScreenPal: How to Add Captions - Instructions for adding captions to your videos.

YouTube

• Captioning Videos in YouTube - Visual instructions for uploading videos to YouTube, editing automatic generated captions, manually adding captions, adding a transcript, and uploading caption files.
• Adding Captions in YouTube - Video demonstration for adding captions.

Vimeo

• Adding Captions in Vimeo - Instructions for adding captions and subtitles.
• Editing a Transcript in Vimeo - Instructions for editing a video transcript.

Microsoft Teams / Zoom Resource

• Adding, Editing, and Downloading Captions in Microsoft Stream - Visual instructions for adding and editing automatic generated captions, including downloading transcript and caption files. This platform works great when captioning Teams/Zoom recordings or other videos.

Video Resources

• Video Accessibility - Helpful checklist for following best accessibility practices when publishing videos online.

Documents

Microsoft Word

• Creating an Accessible Microsoft Word Document - Visual instructions for creating proper headings, columns, lists, accessible tables, adding alt text, and more.

Converting Documents

Prior to converting documents, make sure Adobe Acrobat Professional is installed on your computer.

• Convert a PDF to a Word Document - Visual instructions through the PDF to Word conversion process. Instructions are also provided for converting documents out of Compatibility Mode.
• Convert a Word Document to an Accessible PDF - Visual instructions through the Word to PDF conversion process. Instructions are also provided for adding titles and languages to properties and how to use the Accessibility Checker prior to publishing your PDF.

Microsoft PowerPoint

• Making PowerPoint presentations Accessible - Helpful step-by-step instructions for creating accessible slides, adding alt text to visuals, creating accessible hyperlink text, using accessible colors, why to avoid using tables, and more.

Equations

• Using MathCast for creating Accessible Equations - Visual instructions for creating equation images, properly adding alt tags in Word, and using the tools panel in MathCast.
• Journal of Chemical Education: Communicating Chemical and Mathematical Equations in E-mail - Helpful article with great information for communicating technical materials, especially complex mathematical formulas and chemical equations, using MathCast.
• Creating Accessible Equations and Formulas - Section508.gov provides in-depth resources for creating accessible equations and formulas.
• MathCast Download - MathCast is an open source equation editor allowing you to input your equation using the Rapid Mathline interface, which then renders a graphical representation of your equation. MathCast is recommended by Section 508 when creating accessible friendly equations.

Policies and Procedures

• UA Systemwide Policy 280.1:  Information Technology Accessibility – Website Standards and Accessibility - UA System policy set to assist campuses and other units of the University of Arkansas System in meeting the latest WCAG standards.
• UA-PTC LMS Accessibility Procedure 202 -  UA-PTC procedure to provide accessible content in the Blackboard/Learning Management System (LMS) platform that meets the needs of our students. This procedure provides LMS accessibility guidelines, auditing accessibility non‐conformities in the LMS for providing faculty, chairs, and deans with ongoing feedback so that continuous improvements can be made.
  

Helpful Links

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines - A wide range of recommendations for making content accessible on the web.
• World Wide Web Consortium: Accessibility Fundamentals - A variety of resources for getting started with learning about web accessibility.
• Section508.gov - Information and accessibility resources related to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
• ADA Toolkit for Web Accessibility - Information about why websites should be accessible and solutions for resolving accessibility barriers.
• Microsoft Accessibility - Accessibility training and resources provided by Microsoft.
• Zoom Accessibility - Accessibility resources for using Zoom.

Report any Web Accessibility Barriers

If visitors encounter any web accessibility barriers or would like to share feedback regarding the accessibility of our website, please contact the webmaster at [email protected] or the Office of Disability Services at [email protected].