There are two aspects of accessibility that are key here: 1) technological accessibility for students and colleagues who may have challenges with reading/seeing/hearing digital files and content; and 2) physical accessibility for students and colleagues who have challenges participating fully in in-person events. For a great summary of issues, with suggestions and guidance, see the Accessibility Checklist for Programs and Events at SDSU.

1. Technology

Ensure all files, images, videos and other posted content are accessible. Here, accessibility primarily means that visual content can be clearly translated by a screen-reader (for those with visual impairments) and that audio content has visual captions.
- Word documents: ITS has lots of great resources, including a series of short tutorials that walk you step by step through using alt text, styles, and other components of Word that help ensure your document can be easily read by a screen reader
- PDF files: See Adobe’s guidance to Create and Verify PDF Accessibility
- Images: See lots of examples of image descriptors plus an explanation of the difference between Alt text, descriptions and captions in these Guidelines for Creating Image Descriptions from the American Anthropological Association
- PowerPoint: Microsoft has a nice grid of things to think about in Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible. One point a lot of us forget is that when we use color for emphasis or contrast (a particularly common practice with charts and pie graphs), anyone who is color blind won’t be able to see color differences. This Color Contrast Checker can help you determine what color scheme works best.
- Videos: Zoom and YouTube can automatically transcribe recorded (Zoom) or uploaded (YouTube) videos; Google slides and Powerpoint will create captions on the fly (and you can even translate captions to different languages in Powerpoint)
One benefit of the pandemic has been an increase in resources around accessibility; while many are aimed at instruction, the strategies apply to any content presented in online formats, from documents to presentations. See Accessible Teaching in the Time of COVID-19 from Mapping Access and Ten Steps Toward Universal Design of Online Courses from the University of Arkansas for additional ideas and resources. The Association on Higher Education and Disability also has some great resources around Higher Education Access in the Time of Coronavirus
The website for SDSU's Accessible Technology Initiative also provides a wealth of resources around accessible social media;, core skills like color, headings, links and tables; and tools that can be used to check the accessibility of your materials.
The Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) in NYC has several excellent guides for digital accessibility, including accessible social media, slidedecks and PDFs.

2. Physical spaces

Use accessible event spaces. While technically, all campus spaces should be in compliance with American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, some spaces are easier to navigate than others. Give some thought to the needs of your participants and consider how someone with mobility constraints will be able to move in the space you plan to use.
Ask about accommodations needs. Include a question on event registration forms for accommodations information. On advertising and marketing materials, include contact information for those who may need accommodations.
Ensure all materials are accessible. See the guidance in the previous section about accessible presentations and videos.
Speak accessibly. Presenters often speak in ways that can unintentionally marginalize those with visual impairments, such as referring to something they are pointing to on a slide. Try to avoid vague directional words like 'this' and 'that', or referring to information on a slide without clear explanation.

Learn More

The CSU provides multiple virtual training programs to learn more about best practices in technological accessibility.
SASC also has resources for faculty and staff on their website, including information on understanding disabilities, instructional strategies, and communicating with people with disabilities.