Continuing Education Noncredit
LocationsView All
Glendale Community College Verdugo CampusGarfield Campus Continuing EducationMontrose CampusProfessional Development Center

Outlook Email Accessibility

MS Outlook Best Practices: Accessibility

Brought to you by DSPS

Introduction: Why is email accessibility important

Considering that email is arguably the most common and frequently used form of communication at GCC, it is imperative that the intended recipients (students, prospective students, faculty, staff, administrators, community members) can universally access that information. Currently, there are a great number of emails distributed across campus that contain information presented solely in a visual format (pictures). For those with certain disabilities, and for people using a variety of assistive technology software and devices, this content is inaccessible. It’s also imperative for GCC to demonstrate our commitment to providing equitable services and access to information to our students, staff, and the greater community, as required by Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the ADA. The following information will help demonstrate some of the simple steps we can take to ensure that the email content we distribute is accessible to all. If you have any questions or would like clarification on any of this information, please contact Scott at sziegler@glendale.edu.

Overview

Font/Contrast

  • Use 12 pt. or larger Sans Serif font such as Arial, Verdana, or Calibri
  • Do not use color alone to convey meaning. It’s OK to use different colors, but information presented with color must also be presented textually.
    Example: Color used to convey meaning

    Red: Required Course
    Green: Not Required
    Math 900
    		 Introductory Calculus
    Math 904
    		 Advanced Calculus

    Correction:
    Course Number
    		 Course Name
    		 Required?
    Math 900
    		 Introductory Calculus
    		 Yes
    Math 904
    		 Advanced Calculus
    		 No
  • Contrast: Ensure that choices of foreground and background colors provide sufficient contrast.
    Good:
    Sally swam up out of sleep. First, she glanced at the clock on the night table and saw it was quarter past two in the morning Sally swam up out of sleep. First, she glanced at the clock on the night table and saw it was quarter past two in the morning
    Bad:
    Sally swam up out of sleep. First, she glanced at the clock on the night table and saw it was quarter past two in the morning Sally swam up out of sleep. First, she glanced at the clock on the night table and saw it was quarter past two in the morning


Embedded Images

If you’re embedding an image in the body of an email, it needs alternative text or an image description.

Once the image is added to body of email (Insert > pictures > browse to file), right click on the image and select “Add Alternate Text”

Add Alternate Text

In the text field, write a brief description of the image, emphasizing the important points.

write a brief description of the image, emphasizing the important points.

If the image is a flyer or event notification, write the salient info (Who, what, when, why, Zoom link, etc.) in the body of the email prior to the embedded image.

Most important info in the body of the email prior to the embedded image

 

Attachments

The same accessibility rules that pertain to all electronic documents also apply to email attachments.

  • Attachments should not be image-only scans or pictures (.jpg, .png, etc.) or image-only PDFs, unless the same information contained in the picture is also presented textually in the body of the email.
  • PDFs are acceptable as attachments IF they have been created or remediated to be accessible.
  • MS Office documents are generally OK, but they may also need to be set up properly with styles, headings, etc. to be truly accessible.

 

Descriptive URLs

When you add a URL to your email, use a descriptive name rather than the actual URL.

  • Select Insert > Link
  • Paste the actual URL into the “Web address (URL)” text field.
  • In the “Display as” field, type a descriptive word or phrase such as “Library of Congress Gold Rush search results” rather than just pasting the link:https://findingaids.loc.gov/db/search/xq/searchMfer02.xq?_id=loc.mss.eadmss.ms015023&_faSection=overview&_faSubsection=did&_dmdid=

When you add a URL to your email, use a descriptive name rather than the actual URL.

 

Accessibility Checker

After composing your email, run the Accessibility Checker to find any common issues.
From the main Outlook toolbar, select (Options > Check Accessibility)
Outlook will prompt you if there are items to review, just click “Fix this.”

Accessibility Checker