Accessible email means your content is available to all users with limited barriers, regardless of the method or technology they use to access it. The good news is following these guidelines will make your content easier to read and understand.
Review quarterly
Just like security, digital accessibility requirements will evolve as software and technology develop.
The first time an acronym is used, all words should be written out,
followed by the acronym in parentheses. Subsequent instances can use
only the acronym.
For example:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990. The
ADA was created to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities.
Exception(s)
Abbreviations such as PDF which has become common usage
Content Designers and Application Developers and Programmers Best Practices
Text alignment can affect reading speed and comprehension
Centered text
can be helpful or visually pleasing and a way to organize a page.
Unfortunately, long sections of centered text significantly slow reading
speed.
Block or justifiedtext
was originally used in newspapers to make the columns visually
appealing. This is achieved by randomly adding spaces between words to
that the last character of a word ends each column. Because the spacing
is different for each sentence this significantly slows reading speed
and can cause delayed comprehension
Best practices:
Center short sections of text, primarily use for headings and new sections
Color can't be the only way to indicate the meaning of an item.
Example 1
Hyperlinks (links) that are only indicated by a change in text color
Solutions:
Hyperlinks should be underlined
Additional
affects should be added for focus and hover that do
not rely on color alone. (UTMB is currently adding a second underline.
For example, cards on the this site have a dashed edge on hover)
Example 2
Using green to indicate good, yellow to indicate warning, and red to
indicate an error. A person with colorblindness or low vision will need
additional formatting to distinguish between them.
Solutions:
Use a label for each area in addition to the color
Use a pattern in the color (such as stripes, or dots) so the meaning can be identified by texture
It can be helpful to remind others to create
accessible content. You might need this because you're using a screen
reader, have color blindness, or simply want email that's easier to
read. When configured, this setting will add a reminder to the sender's
compose window, similar to an out of office message. The reminder will
let the sender know you're requesting that their email be accessible and
provides a link for them to launch the Accessibility Checker.