This page is a helpful resource to you in making digital content accessible in the form of documents and files. Before you forge ahead in making an accessible web document that you plan to upload and link on your website, you need to consider the following questions.
If the answer to both of these questions is "No", then publish your document as web content in the form of a web page on your site.
If the answer to question 2 is "No", then request a Formstack form be created by MCDE.
If the answer to either of these questions is "Yes", then you must follow and comply with each of the requirements outlined below.
When you create documents for your website—regardless of the program you are using—it is mandatory to ensure that users with disabilities can consume them. All digital content and external documents (HTML, PDFs, Word Docs, Excel spreadsheets, graphics, images, photos, etc.) published on any UB website or attached to any UB related email must pass WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards. This enables screen readers and other assistive devices to read and handle your web documents and files accurately. This holds true whether the item is publicly available or served behind a firewall, such as Shibboleth. It also applies to any document you link to externally (i.e., outside of the UB domain).
Although it is possible to remediate digital content and external documents after they have been created, it is strongly recommended that you address accessibility in their source files, as you create them.
The following standards will help increase the accessibility aspects of digital content and external documents and assist you with compliance.
Siteimprove is the university's subscription service for web and digital content auditing and accessibility checking. If you are not currently getting weekly Siteimprove reports, please submit a work order to request a user account.
If you have inaccessible PDF documents on your website and no longer have a copy of the original source file, you can attempt to remediate the PDF in a licensed copy of Adobe Acrobat Pro or you can request a free remediation quote from GrackleDocs. SUNY has contract pricing with GrackleDocs, so be sure to identify yourself with SUNY University at Buffalo when requesting a quote.
Marketing, Communications and Digital Engagement offers a variety of training courses to VPUE staff that include best practices and "how to's" relating to accessibility and website stewardship. If you have not yet attended one of our sessions or you simply want refresher training, please register for an upcoming session.
For more information on UB's responsibility and commitment to accessibility, please visit the Accessibility at UB website.