Kaamaakshi Ati
Research Mentor(s): Shauna Paulson
Mentor Department: ISR Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office
Authors: Kaamaakshi Ati, Tiffany Sudijono, Shauna Paulson, Tara Engholm
Session: Session 6 (3:00pm – 3:50pm)
Presentation Type: Poster 32
Abstract
Background: In an increasingly digital society, inaccessible online resources are a large barrier to equitable access to information and learning. Addressing digital accessibility is essential for ensuring fairness and inclusivity in knowledge distribution. Research Purpose: This research aimed to enhance the accessibility of digital resources, including PDFs and websites, at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research (ISR). The project involved developing standardized accessibility guidelines and emphasizing website remediation to ensure users can navigate and engage with research and digital content more effectively. Methods: Online PDFs and websites from ISR were assessed for inaccessible features, such as serif fonts, missing alternative text for images, and incorrectly ordered tables. Issues were documented, and remediation steps were implemented when possible. Annotations and improvement recommendations were provided when direct changes were not allowed by the document/website creators. Results: Many ISR digital content creators were unaware of easily implementable, federally mandated, accessibility standards. While remediation through tools such as Adobe Creative Suite and CommonLook is valuable, prevention emerged as a more effective long-term solution. Simple stylistic and design adjustments can integrate accessibility during the initial building stages for these digital resources, significantly reducing and even eliminating the need for post-creation remediation efforts. Conclusion: Ultimately, this work is essential to our society, as every individual is entitled to access to public digital resources and the knowledge they disseminate. This project helps improve the accessibility of ISR digital resources and increases broader awareness of accessibility standards and practices.
