Open AIR: Appalachian State University Institutional Repository: Making Your Content Accessible

Digital Accessibility Standards and Policy 

Users who deposit content into OpenAIR are required to deposit content that complies with minimum accessibility standards set forth by law and by university policy.  For more information about Appalachian State University's accessibility standards, please see the Digital Accessibility Policy ("University Policy 909"), which seeks to provide direction on creating an accessible experience that enhances usability for everyone. Implementation of this policy ensures all individuals have access to Digital Content, Resources, and Technology (“Digital Material”) provided by or on behalf of the University. 

Making Content Accessible

• Make Presentations Accessible
• Make PDFs Accessible
• Make Videos Accessible
• Make Images, Graphics, and Photos Accessible
• Make Documents and Text Accessible
• Make Webpages, Blogs, and Social Media Content Accessible 

Source: University of Kent (Accessibility Information Team) 

Accessibility Training 

• Professional development workshops and trainings through:
  • Office of Access & Equity
  • Academic Technologies
• Accessibility for Online Content self-enrollable, self-paced online AsULearn course
• Scala Training for campus digital signage

Accessibility Support Resources

• Accessibility for Faculty is an online asynchronous course designed for instructors at Appalachian State.
• Accessibility for Online Content is an online asynchronous course designed for content creators at Appalachian State.
• Digital Accessibility Video Series by the Office of Civil Rights

Additional References

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA
• Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) 2.0 for tools that support web content authoring (e.g. HTML editors, software for generating websites, multimedia authoring tools, wikis, and blogs, etc.)

Administrative Unit Contact

Office of Disability Resources - (828)262-3056 - Office Disability Resources

Appalachian is committed to ensuring equal opportunities and inclusive experiences for individuals with disabilities. We are dedicated to providing equivalent digital experiences for all users.

There is joint responsibility between University Communications, Information Technology Services, and the Office of Disability Resources for ensuring web pages or web-based resources are accessible to individuals with disabilities and ensuring adherence to the Digital Accessibility Policy.

Resources are provided at accessibility.appstate.edu to assist the campus community in creating accessible materials and environments.