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Web Accessibility Clinic

May 21, 2020 by Brian Heaton

Students on computers in library

What’s the best way to announce new office hours?

How much italics should I use?

Is it OK to just say, “click here”?

While updating your office/department website over the past two months, you may have had questions like these.

This year’s virtual Web Accessibility Clinic, partnering with Global Accessibility Awareness Day, will provide answers.

Points of emphasis

Use the notice block when appropriate, but don’t go overboard.

Use bold and italics lightly.

Make sure you’re following the style guide.

  • Regularly check time-sensitive notices on your website to be sure they’re current, particularly those referencing office closures.
  • Consider using a Notice block for short-term, brief, important information.
  • Don’t bold or italicize an entire sentence. Treat just the important word(s).
  • Link text, by itself, should provide the user with an idea of the destination. Click here, More info and Read more should be avoided.
    • Examples of links that may be unclear if read out of context of the surrounding content:
      • Click here to see program requirements.
      • More info about web accessibility.
      • Read more about building websites with Web Press.
    • Examples of links that are concise, descriptive and clear:
      • Program requirements
      • Learn about web accessibility
      • Building websites in Web Press
  • Select Editorial Style Guide entries include:
    • In time references, use figures with a.m. and p.m throughout. Omit :00.
      • Examples: Summer office hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Telephone support is available 2:30-4 p.m. daily.
    • In email addresses, capitalize each word. Example: BoomerBear@MissouriState.edu.
    • Preferred capitalizations, spelling and usage:
      • Phone numbers: use dashes, not periods. Omit parentheses around the area code. 417-836-5000
      • Most words beginning with “non” or “post” should be formatted as one word with no hyphen (ex. noncredit, nondegree, nondegree-seeking, postbaccalaureate, postdoctoral, postdoctorate). Post-master’s should be hyphenated.
      • Email, not e-mail.
      • Use only one space between sentences. Do not use a space at the end of a paragraph or bulleted list item.
    • For web addresses, write descriptive link text.
    • Common Bear terms:
      • Bear CLAW
      • Bear Line
      • BearWear
      • BearFare
      • BearMail
      • BearPass
      • Bear Park North (South)
      • BoomerMeals
      • Bear Breaks

Content editing best practices

Headings make your content easier to read. Use them.

Alt text helps everyone understand the meaning behind your non-text content (images, infographics, etc.). Not everyone can see, or will want to see, your photo(s).

Link text, or descriptive links, helps the user know where a link goes.

Headings

  • Headings are an outline of your content and should make sense out of context.
  • Headings divide your content into consumable sections.
  • Do not select heading level based on resulting visual presentation style.
  • Page title is heading level 1 (h1); first heading in your content will be h2; subtopic will be h3; etc.
  • Do not use bold paragraph for heading.
  • Avoid centering headings.

Alternative text for non-text content

  • Provide alternate (alt) text for non-text content.
    • Images, including poster/flyer images (infographics).
    • Alt text should convey in text whatever meaning is conveyed by the image/flyer.
      • If the image has a lot of information, charts, diagrams, etc., the alt text should contain 1) a short description conveying the essential information presented by the image, and 2) a long description following the image or on another page.
        Bar chart displaying cost comparisons as detailed in the following paragraphs.

Link text (descriptions)

  • Very critical to the page containing the link and the destination page.
  • Links should make sense out of context.
  • Do not use meaningless or incomplete text like click here, learn more, download, etc.
  • Do not use URLs for link text.
  • Optimal link text is typically 2-6 words.
  • Each unique destination should have unique link text.

Content structure

  • Use paragraphs, unordered and ordered lists appropriately.
  • Write for your target audience.
  • Do not use a heading or bold paragraph for announcement or notice. Use “Intro” or “Notice” markup instead.
  • Do not add blank paragraphs to generate separating space.
  • Do not create manual lists (e.g., starting lines with a hyphen).
  • Do not bold or italicize entire paragraphs, even one-line paragraphs. Treat just the important words.
  • Do not use all capital letters.
  • Avoid centering content.
  • The template is spacious by design to facilitate touch interfaces; do not try to circumvent vertical spacing.

Tables

  • Used for presenting organized data.
  • Never use for layout (e.g., two columns).
  • Should always have headers (th). No need to bold or specify header as a heading style.
  • Do not combine multiple tables into one with embedded description row preceding each table.
  • Precede with descriptive heading, paragraph or include a table caption.

Access previous accessibility presentations

  • Web Accessibility Clinic (Oct 2018)
  • Web Accessibility Summit (June 2018)

More assistance

  • Web help desk

Filed Under: Accessibility, Training, Web Press

Web Press open lab relocated through December 2019

December 10, 2019 by Brian Heaton

Students in computer lab

The Web Press open labs for Friday, December 13 and 20, 2019 have been relocated to Meyer Alumni Center suite 601.

The Web Press open lab sessions beginning Friday, January 10, 2020 will return to Cheek 100.

The regularly scheduled time of 2-4 p.m. remains in effect.

Please contact the Web Help Desk at 417-836-5271 or webpress@missouristate.edu if you have any questions.

Filed Under: Training, Web Press, web strategy and development Tagged With: lab, Web Press

Web Press training schedule for June-December, 2019 announced

June 7, 2019 by Brian Heaton

Laptop

The summer and fall 2019 Web Press training schedule has been released.

Sessions

Sessions will be held at the following times:

  • Thursday, June 13, 2019 – 1-3 p.m., Cheek 100
  • Tuesday, August 20, 2019 – 1-3 p.m., Cheek 100
  • Tuesday, August 27, 2019 – 1-3 p.m., Cheek 100
  • Thursday, September 5, 2019 – 1-3 p.m., Cheek 100

Advance registration is required.

Self-guided training

Self-guided training modules are available at any time. In-person assistance is available during weekly open lab sessions held every Friday 2–4 p.m. Telephone and email support is available weekdays 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 417-836-5271 and webpress@missouristate.edu.

Filed Under: News, Training, Web Press, web strategy and development

RESCHEDULED: Tune up your website on Monday, May 20

May 10, 2019 by Brian Heaton

Students on computers in library

When:  3-5 p.m. Monday, May 20
Where: Meyer Library room 106
Training: 3 p.m.

At 3 p.m. Brian Heaton and Kristeena Laroue will present a brief training session. Brian will cover the top five website accessibility issues and the new online website scanning tool DubBot. Kristeena will demonstrate access technology, so you can better understand how your website may be used.

After the session, you can grab a computer, discover accessibility issues and make corrections. Everyone that improves their website will be eligible to win a prize. The grand prize is free registration to the Web Accessibility Summit hosted by Missouri State on May 29.

Free bonus

We will also give you some tips to make your website more search engine friendly, so your pages appear more frequently in search results.

Filed Under: Accessibility, Training, Web Press

Web Press open lab relocated for summer 2019

May 7, 2019 by Brian Heaton

Student at computer

The Web Press open lab held every Friday has been relocated to the office of web strategy and development in Meyer Alumni Center suite 601 through Friday, August 9, 2019.

The regularly scheduled time of 2-4 p.m. remains in effect.

More information

Please contact the web help desk at 417-836-5271, weekdays, or webpress@missouristate.edu if you have any questions.

Filed Under: Training, Web Press, web strategy and development Tagged With: lab, Web Press

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