Creating accessible content ensures that all Hawkeyes—including individuals with disabilities—can fully engage with websites, documents, videos, and digital applications. This page provides essential guidelines and tools for making content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust, whether you're developing a website, formatting a document, captioning a video, or hosting an online meeting.
Small changes—like using high-contrast text, adding captions to videos, or including alternative text for images—can make a big difference. Explore the resources below to learn how to create accessible digital content.
Step 1: Build your understanding of creating accessible content
Strengthen your knowledge of accessible content with training opportunities and resources that cover key topics such as documents, social media, websites, and more.
Step 2: Review and inventory your digital content
Take stock of all the materials you manage—such as documents, webpages, videos, training content, and social media. An inventory will help you identify what to improve, update, or remove, and clarifies the resources and training you may need. Use the “Three R’s” approach:
- Remove – Delete outdated or unnecessary content.
- Revise – Update digital content you still need to share.
- Right First – Create new content with digital accessibility in mind.
Step 3: Delete or archive outdated content
Remove or archive files that are no longer accurate, up-to-date, or relevant. You don’t need to remediate every old file—only those that will be shared internally or externally (e.g., via email, Teams, or posted online). Content kept solely for your own reference can remain as-is.
Step 4: Reach out for support
If you need help, connect with the right resource:
- Accessibility Task Force – General accessibility guidance
- ITAccessibility@uiowa.edu – Technical accessibility questions
- ITS Help Desk – Classroom related questions
- OCRC Disability – General disability-related inquiries
Quick video resources
Learn to create accessible content in minutes
Quick video resources
Excel–Creating spreadsheets
Learn how to set up accessible Excel spreadsheets—think structured layout, clear labels, and formatting that supports readability and assistive technologies.
Outlook–Creating email
Discover quick tips to compose accessible emails with proper formatting, readable fonts, and thoughtful visual contrasts.
PDF–Creating PDFs
Get the essentials for building accessible PDFs, such as tagging, navigation structures, and clean formatting for improved usability.
PowerPoint–Creating presentations
Learn how to design presentations that are accessible from the start, using clear slide structure, high contrast, and alt text for visuals.
Word–Creating documents
Understand how to create accessible Word documents by applying styles, headings, and formatting that enhance navigation and readability.
In-depth video resources
Take a deeper dive into digital accessibility best practices
In-depth video resources
PDF accessibility–In-depth tips for PDFs
Deepen your PDF accessibility skills with expert tips on tagging, structure, and navigation enhancements for full usability.
PowerPoint accessibility–In-depth tips for presentations
Explore advanced strategies for making presentations accessible, including slide structure, visual clarity, and assistive labels.
Word accessibility–In-depth tips for documents
Learn advanced techniques to optimize Word documents for accessibility—focusing on headings, styles, and screen reader compatibility.
Key Topic Areas
Social Media
This section offers some suggestions on how to improve your social media connections by sharing more accessible online content.