How can you make your written content accessible to people with disabilities?

3 Provide alternative text for images

If you use images in your written content, you need to provide alternative text that describes the content and function of the image for people who use screen readers or other assistive technologies. Alternative text is a short and accurate description of the image that conveys the same information and meaning as the image. For example, if you use an image of a pie chart to show the results of a survey, your alternative text should summarize the main data points and trends. You can add alternative text to your images using the alt attribute in HTML or the accessibility features in your word processor or presentation software.

4 Use descriptive links and captions

If you use links or captions in your written content, you need to make them descriptive and informative for people who use screen readers or other assistive technologies. Descriptive links and captions tell the reader what to expect when they click on the link or view the caption. For example, instead of using "click here" or "read more" as your link text, use the title of the page or document you are linking to. Similarly, instead of using "figure 1" or "image 2" as your caption text, use a brief description of what the figure or image shows.

5 Avoid sensory or directional language

If you want to make your written content inclusive and respectful of people with disabilities, you need to avoid sensory or directional language that assumes a certain level of ability or experience. Sensory or directional language is language that refers to sight, sound, touch, smell, taste, or movement. For example, instead of saying "see the chart below" or "listen to the podcast", say "refer to the chart" or "access the podcast". Instead of saying "raise your hand" or "stand up", say "indicate your interest" or "participate".

6 Test and review your content

The final step to make your written content accessible to people with disabilities is to test and review your content using various methods and tools. You can test your content by using a screen reader or a text-to-speech software to listen to your content, by using a keyboard or a mouse to navigate your content, by using a magnifier or a color filter to view your content, or by using a readability checker or a grammar checker to evaluate your content. You can also review your content by asking for feedback from people with disabilities or from experts in accessibility and inclusion.