Digital Instructional Materials – Accessibility Checklist

Updated 12/18/2025

This is a quick start guide to assist Purdue instructors with ensuring instructional materials are accessible, according to the new ADA Title II Ruling, with a compliance date of April 24, 2026.  

Accessibility Checklist Resource Document

Download Accessibility Checklist

Areas of Focus for Your Class 

Focus on areas of compliance, below, that are applicable to your course context. Not all of the requirements will pertain to your course. 

**Main resource showing how to create accessible documents, please go to Microsoft’s Make your content accessible in the Microsoft 365 apps 

  • Ensure Word documents are accessible by using built-in heading styles (Heading 1 (H1), Heading 2 (H2), etc.).  
    • Note: Only one Heading 1 should be used per document and should serve as the title of the document. For example, this checklist is titled (Heading 1 or H1) as “Digital Instructional Materials – Accessibility Checklist.”  
    • Word documents will also need a “Document Title” added, which is separate from H1.  
  • Add alt text to all images, charts, and tables (see below for more details).  
  • Run the Accessibility Checker in Word (under the Review tab) before sharing documents. 
  • Hyperlinks. Use self-describing and meaningful names for hyperlinks. For example, use “Quality Matters website” rather than the long URL www.qualitymatters.org  
    • Avoid using ‘click here’ or similar language. 
    • Underlined text is only used for hyperlinks 
  • Please visit Microsoft Office’s Accessibility resources for details. 
  • Use high-contrast color schemes (e.g., black text on white background); see the Color Contrast tutorial below. 
  • Avoid using color alone to convey meaning—use labels or patterns.
  • Include alt text for all visuals and ensure reading order is logical.  
  • Use the Accessibility Checker in PowerPoint to catch common issues (under the Review tab). 
  • Please visit Microsoft’s PowerPoint Accessibility resources for details. 

  • We encourage instructors to not convert files into PDF format (because accessibility is often difficult to replicate within PDFs) and instead, we encourage instructors to provide students with the original file (e.g., .docx file, .ppt file). However, if you need to convert your document into a PDF format, here is how to do this, accessibly: Microsoft’s Create Accessible PDFs. 
  • Always use closed captions for any video content you share in class or online. 
  • Ensure captions are accurate, synchronized, and include non-speech elements (e.g., [music], [laughter]). 
  • You will want to verify that synchronized captions are provided for live videos containing audio. Example: a movie being shown in class would have captions working alongside the audio that is being played, ensuring they are synched together. 
  • All content uploaded to Mediaspace will have captions generated and added automatically. Captions should still be manually checked for accuracy by following this Edit Captions help guide from Kaltura. 
  • Audio descriptions should be provided for all prerecorded video content. An audio description is a form of narration that provides information surrounding key visual elements in a video. For example, an important thematic element of a video appears on the screen in text, such as “eerie music starts up.” 
  • Add alt text to all images, charts, and tables. Alternative Text best practice 
  • Tip: Focus on context (e.g., explain the image like you would if you were talking on the phone to someone).  
  • Tip: Alt text should not have more than 150 characters. 
  • Tip: Don’t include ‘this is an image of’ language, since that is not needed (screen readers know they are reading an image). 
  • If the image is complex and needs more description than 150 characters, consider creating an image description. For more information on how to create an image description, visit W3C’s tutorial on Complex Images. 
  • NEW: Utilize Microsoft CoPilot to save time creating Alternative Text for images.

    For detailed instructions, please visit the Using Microsoft CoPilot to Create Alternative Text for Images webpage.
  • The visual presentation of text and images of text has a color contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. You can check color contrast ratio by utilizing WebAIM’s color contrast checker. 
  • Color contrast checker tutorial. 
  • Large Text: Large-scale text and images of large-scale text have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 (at least 14 pt. font) 
  • Alternative Text for Images: Adding alternative text can be challenging depending on context. If students are expected to recognize the image (e.g., the Eiffel Tower), avoid giving away the answer. Use descriptive but non-revealing text, such as: “A towering lattice of wrought iron in Paris.”
  • Complex Images: For detailed visuals, include an image description within the surrounding content. If the image is fully described in the text, mark it as decorative.
  • Motion in Visual Art: When artwork includes motion, provide a companion document that explains the movement so individuals with visual impairments can understand what is happening.
  • Audio Clips with Dialogue: Add accurate captions for spoken content.
  • Audio Clips with Music Only: Provide a textual description of key musical elements. For example: “Entire orchestra crescendos, then drops out immediately. After a brief pause, a solo flute begins a light, quick melody.”
  • Scripts and Materials: Ensure all shared digital files (Word, PDF, etc.) meet accessibility standards outlined in this checklist.
  • Video Content: Provide accurate captions for all video materials.
  • When possible, offer materials in more than one format (e.g., PDF + Word or PowerPoint). 
  • Multiple formats allow students to choose how they engage with content based on their needs and preferences. 

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