Accessibility and inclusion: Online training for all content creators
Web accessibility has always been a requirement for UMaine websites, and has been a regular feature in our monthly newsletter. Ensuring your content is accessible is part of an inclusive communication strategy. This month, we share improvements to online accessibility training from the University of Maine System.
UMS Academy learning pathway — Designing Accessible Digital Content
The University of Maine System has benefitted from talented Graduate Assistant Rachel Church, who has been instrumental with the maine.edu website improvements that have brought it into compliance with website accessibility standards. Last year, Rachel had undertaken the creation of a new learning pathway for UMS Academy, “Designing Accessible Digital Content.” The pathway is required for all maine.edu editors at this time.
The full pathway can be found on UMS Academy at this link.
In each module you will find a video tutorial, downloads of the slides with information and links to have for future reference, and a quiz section.
Module 1: Introduction to Accessibility and Compliance
Module 3: Writing and Content Organization
Module 4: Making Accessible Documents
These modules are designed to be taken sequentially, as the information in each module builds upon the information in the others.
In addition to these four modules, a fifth module is in development that is specifically geared toward content creators working with multimedia:
Unlike the other modules, those who work with video and audio topic may “skip ahead” and take this module directly after Module 1: Introduction to Accessibility and Compliance.
Will this training be required?
This pathway is required for all maine.edu editors at this time. Beginning this semester, Digital Communications will be requiring new WordPress users to go through modules 1-4, and encourage anyone working with audio and video to also take module 5. All existing WordPress users are encouraged to take this training, and we may require this training as part of an annual refresher on working with web content.