Dear staff and faculty working in administrative roles at the INFO College, it’s a big (but important!) lift to make all of our digital content accessible by April 24, 2026. But we’re here to guide you hand-in-hand. Let’s get started! We’ll walk you through Learn, Prepare, and Implement step-by-step. Each section has a link you can click to find simple learning and implementation steps. If you have questions, drop-in training is available, email INFO OACES Director Ron Padrón to schedule a time.
1. LEARN
(Jan-Feb 2026)
- Learn how to make digital content accessible
Recommendation: Focus on learning how to make Google docs, slides, sheets that can be shared as viewable and replace PDFs in most instances
Jump to Learn instructions
2. PREPARE
(Feb-Mar 2026)
- Inventory existing digital content
- Determine what will remain actively in use, stay public as an archived reference material, or can be retired
Recommendation: Start an inventory now, track any digital content you are using in daily business
Jump to Prepare instructions
3. IMPLEMENT
(Mar-Apr 2026)
- New digital content: create as accessible
- Existing digital content: update to accessible, archive, or retire based on usage
Jump to Implement instructions
LEARN: Making Digital Content Accessible (Jan-Feb)
This applies to all native documents, which are electronic files in their original unedited format, created by the application in which they were produced, such as a .docx file from Microsoft Word. These files retain all original content, formatting, and metadata. This includes Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint (PPT), Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms. You should also apply the below best practices when possible to any/all digital communication, such as emails, e-newsletters, and surveys.
Recommendation: Focus on learning how to make Google docs, slides, sheets that can be shared as viewable and replace PDFs in most instances
Headings
Headings allow screen readers to navigate content the same way a sighted user might skim a document to find the content they are looking for. Headings should be assigned in order (H1>H2>H3) and never skipped. Avoid using bold or font size to indicate structure.
- Docs/Word: Select the text to become a heading. Home view, top menu, go to the styles drop down menu (often set to Normal Text). Select Heading 1, Heading 2… click apply.
- Slides/PPT: Use the preset text boxes on the slide templates, they have built-in Heading structure. View > Outline View or Theme Builder.
- Sheets/Excel/Tables: Use column and/or row headers. In documents, use the simplest table configuration possible. Tables are best for data, not layout.
Alt Text for Images
- In your doc, right-click the image and choose ‘Edit Alt Text’ or equivalent.
- Sheets exception: Insert “image in cell”: Right click on image > “image” > alt text. Other option: Insert “image over cells.” Click on the image > click on the three dots on the top right of the image > select “alt text.”
- Write a concise description (under 125 characters for simple images). Avoid phrases like ‘Image of…’ or ‘Picture of…’ Describe function and meaning, not just appearance.
- Think about the purpose of the image, the context in which it is being used, and what is the most important information it needs to convey.
- Complex graphs: Summarize or link to a long description nearby.
Color Contrast
- Use high-contrast combinations (e.g., black text on white). Particularly avoid red combined with gray or green. If you’re unsure, use the WebAim Contrast Checker to determine if a color combo passes or fails accessibility standards.
- Avoid background images or gradients behind text.
- For charts and graphs use clearly distinct colors and/or patterns.
Hyperlinks
- Hyperlinks should describe the destination of the link (“course syllabus” instead of “click here”).
- Indicate if a link opens in a new window or downloads a file, such as [PDF], [New Tab]. (example: Have the interviewee complete a Video Release Form [Word]).
- Things to avoid: Using full URLs as visible (unless print). Underlining text that may appear as a link when it is not.
- Provide a brief description of the content at the link.
Additional Tips for Forms and Surveys
- Give the Form/Survey a clear, meaningful title and description.
- Provide short, clear instructions for each question where needed.
- Use the “Add section” option to break long Forms/Surveys into logical parts.
- Turn on the “Show progress bar” feature in Settings to help users track their progress.
- Consider the accessibility limitations of certain response types such as drop-down menus, and whether the question can be formatted differently.
PDFs that Require Signature
Recommendation: Focus on learning how to make Google docs, slides, sheets that can be shared as viewable and replace PDFs in most instances. However, at this time, UMD does not have a solution for an alternative to using Adobe PDF documents that require a signature. Continue to use these in signature cases. Adobe provides instructions on how to check for and update these documents for accessibility:
Check accessibility of PDFs (Acrobat Pro)
You can use the Prepare for accessibility tool to check and make a PDF accessible. It prompts you to address accessibility issues, such as a missing document description or title. It looks for common elements that need further action, such as scanned text, form fields, tables, and images. You can run a Prepare for accessibility action on all PDFs except dynamic forms (XFA documents) or portfolios.
- Open the PDF, and then, from the global bar in the upper left, select All tools, select View more, and then select Prepare for accessibility. The Prepare for accessibility panel with a list of available actions appears on the left panel.
- From the left panel, select Check for accessibility.
- From the Accessibility Checker Options dialog, select the options as required and then select Start Checking.
- Once the check is complete, it displays a panel on the right that lists the accessibility issues. Select each issue type drop-down to view the details and make fixes, as suggested. Since the Accessibility Check feature does not distinguish between essential and nonessential content types, some reported issues may not affect readability. We suggest that you review all issues to determine the ones that need correction. The report displays one of the following statuses for each rule check:
- Passed: The item is accessible.
- Skipped By User: Rule was not checked because it wasn’t selected in the Accessibility Checker Options dialog box.
- Needs Manual Check: The Full Check/Accessibility Check feature couldn’t check the item automatically. Verify the item manually.
- Failed: The item didn’t pass the accessibility check.
- To view a complete report of the check, from the left panel, select Open accessibility report. It displays a detailed report in the right panel.
Source: Adobe – Create and verify PDF accessibility (Acrobat Pro)
Fix accessibility issues (Acrobat Pro)
To fix a failed check after running the Prepare for accessibility check, select ellipsis in the Accessibility Checker panel on the right and select one of the following options from the context menu:
- Fix: Acrobat either fixes the item automatically or displays a dialog box prompting you to fix the item manually.
- Skip Rule: Deselects this option in the Accessibility Checker Options dialog box for future checks of this document, and change the item status to Skipped.
- Explain: Opens the online Help where you can get more details about the accessibility issue.
- Check Again: Runs the checker again on all items. Choose this option after modifying one or more items.
- Show Report: Displays a report with links to tips on how to repair failed checks.
- Options: Opens the Accessibility Checker Options dialog box, so you can select which checks are performed.
Source: Adobe – Create and verify PDF accessibility (Acrobat Pro)
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PREPARE: Inventory Your Digital Content (Feb-Mar)
Digital Documents/Content on the INFO Website & Intranet (No Action Needed)
The INFO Communications Team is auditing content on the main INFO website. The INFO IT Team is auditing content on the INFO intranet. If you are a document owner, they will contact you by April 2026 to review and update materials as needed.
Other Digital Documents/Content (Action Required)
INFO staff and faculty in administrative roles are responsible for ensuring the accessibility of digital materials used for administrative, academic, or other UMD business purposes that are not housed on the INFO website or intranet.
This includes items such as training videos, job descriptions, signature documents, spreadsheets, and files distributed, for example, via presentations, email, or Google Drive (i.e. anything that is not shared via linking to the website or intranet). You are responsible for inventorying and updating these documents/content as needed. Consider also if these items can be deleted or archived.
If it is useful, this inventory template was created by the UMD Office of Belonging & Community, but you are also welcome to use your own system. Items should be updated to be accessible by April 24, 2026.
Common items include:
All
- PDFs, Forms, Surveys
- Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint documents
- Google Docs, Sheets, Slides
- Strategic plans
- e-Newsletters
- Meeting agendas and minutes
- Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
- Training manuals and presentations
- Video or audio content
Communications, IT
- Websites, Social Media, DIY resources, How-To Guides
Academics
- Student handbooks, policy documents, forms
- Student course plans, syllabi, learning outcome documents
- Organizational charts
- Job descriptions
- Internal hiring documents, interview templates, charges
- Onboarding checklist, onboarding documents
- Travel authorization / reimbursement documents
- Scholarship or award applications
Faculty Affairs
- Promotion and tenure documents
- Faculty orientation materials
Finance & Administration
- Budget templates, budget reports
- Administrative forms
- Internal policy documents
- Organizational charts
- Job descriptions
- Internal hiring documents, interview templates, charges
- Onboarding checklist, onboarding documents
- Travel authorization / reimbursement documents
- Scholarship or award applications
What is NOT included:
- Materials produced by other UMD/government offices (e.g. W4 forms, Undergraduate Catalog)
- Materials posted for archival purposes prior to April 24, 2026 that are in a section labeled as archived content (on a separate page or within a page)
- Preexisting social media posts
- Personal planning documents, notes, etc.
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IMPLEMENT (Mar-Apr)
Create New Digital Content as Accessible (a.k.a. Born-Accessible)
Update Existing In-Use Digital Content to be Accessible
- Use your inventory spreadsheet (coming soon) to check and update your digital content to be accessible, using the best practices noted above. As an additional resource, Microsoft Suite has an Microsoft Accessibility Checker Tool that you can utilize.
- If these documents exist online and need to be replaced with new accessible versions, reach out to infocomm@umd.edu for main website updates and infotechsupport@umd.edu for intranet updates.
- For online, digital content that you would like to remain public, but as a reference item, IT and Communications will work with you on creating a separate, labeled archive space for this. Reach out to infocomm@umd.edu and infotechsupport@umd.edu if you have content that falls into this category.
- Ensure everyone in your unit knows where to find the updated, accessible documents.
Retire Digital Content That Will No Longer Be In-Use
- Work with your unit head/supervisor to determine where you will archive digital content that will no longer remain in use. Consider if they need to be saved or can be deleted. Note: these documents do not need to be made accessible unless requested.
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