Making Our Digital Content Accessible to Everyone

Posted on March 20, 2026 by Christy Nealey, Marketing and Technology Specialist, Organizational Learning and Talent Development (OLTD) Division, Department of Human Resources
cropped image of a white keyboard with three blue keys featuring icons, for mobility impairment, hearing impaired, and visual impairment

Did you know that the way we create documents, emails, presentations, and webpages can impact whether everyone can access and understand them? The way we label and arrange information can make the difference as to whether people who use screen readers, captions, voice controls, translators, or other assistive technologies can access our content just as easily as anyone else.

Accessibility isn’t just a technical and legal requirement. It is about making sure all people, including those with disabilities, can fully participate in the information we share every day.

Why It Matters

As County employees, part of our mission is to serve and help our community. Part of this is making sure our services and communications are user-friendly and easy to access for everybody including:

  • Employees and residents with visual, hearing, cognitive, or mobility disabilities
  • People using mobile devices or slower internet connections
  • Anyone who benefits from clearer, more organized information

Yes, there are laws that require us to meet accessibility standards, specifically Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but simply put, accessible content is better content for everyone.

What Does Accessible Content Look Like?

  • Use clear headings to organize your content
  • Add alternative text (alt text) to images so screen readers can describe them
  • Use descriptive links (e.g., “View the budget report” instead of “Click here”)
  • Choose high color contrast and larger, legible fonts for readability
  • Include captions in videos
  • Use built-in accessibility checkers in programs like Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat

You don’t need to be an expert to make a big difference. If you create or share content such as documents, emails, presentations, social media posts, or webpages, you play an important role in accessibility.

Accessibility is something we all contribute to and by building these habits into our daily work, we help ensure that everyone can access the information they need.

For more information on digital accessibility, please check out the Access and Opportunity SharePoint page. It details the accessibility requirements and provides a checklist and guides for creating accessible documents and presentations. It also includes tools such as screen reader testing, visual testing, and color contrast analyzers.  

If you have specific questions about digital accessibility, please email the accessibility team.

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