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
(Jan-Feb 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. Use the online WebAim Contrast Checker to double check if you are unsure, it will tell you if the 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.
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PREPARE: Inventory Your Digital Content (Jan-Feb)
Recommendation: Start an inventory now, track any digital content you are using in daily business
Create Inventory
If assigned to you by your team supervisor to participate in this task:
- Use the Google Sheets “Digital Content Inventory Tracking” (coming soon) Template to log all digital content that is publicly shared/available right now for you and/or your team to conduct business.
- Indicate if it is:
- In use and should be reviewed/updated for accessibility
- In use but should be moved to an “archive section” as a reference item that is publicly available (items created prior to April 24, 2026 that will not be additionally edited, but should remain publicly viewable only for reference; not required reading/review for any business process); e.g. student handbooks from prior years. Note: an archived section can be a separate webpage labeled as archive OR a separate section within a webpage that also contains active content as long as that section is clearly labeled as archived content.
- Not in use and should be retired
- Where do you look: What are you attaching to emails? What do you have on the college’s intranet? What documents or forms are hyperlinked on the college website?
- If the digital content (e.g. documents, video file) is saved on your computer hard drive or other location that cannot be shared via hyperlink, move the item to your INFO Google Drive, and insert that link on the inventory.
What Does This Include?
Digital content that communicates information to the public, students, employees, or government agencies. This includes both digital documents and digital environments—such as documents shared with students, job descriptions, web pages, and training videos.
Common Digital Content Items:
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
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
Faculty Affairs
- Promotion and tenure documents
- Faculty orientation materials
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
What Does This Not Include?
- 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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