Accessibility Home

At our institutional core is the desire to contribute to the creation of a world that is just, humane, and sustainable.

Incorporating accessibility considerations in all aspects of what we do at Swarthmore is part of how we make our aspirations a reality.

We incorporate thinking about accessibility throughout our work and in the documentation of tools available to the Swarthmore College community. This section of our KnowledgeBase (KB) focuses on some of the fundamental principles and how-to's. You will find other accessibility tips and information in most of our other documentation as well.

Some examples include:

Jump to a category: Getting Started with Accessibility  |  Document Accessibility  |  Images & Visual Content  |  Video & Media  |  Web & Digital  |  Assistive Technology  |  Microsoft Office

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Getting Started with Accessibility

New to accessibility at Swarthmore? Start here for key concepts and Swarthmore-specific guidance.

• How People with Disabilities Use the Web
• "Fast Five" Essentials to Preparing Materials
• Simple testing before you buy

Web & Digital Accessibility

Ensure that web pages, course materials, and other digital content meet accessibility standards.

• Best Practices: Webpage Creation
• Automated Web Accessibility Checkers - Lighthouse
• Accessibility and Online Teaching

Document Accessibility

Create Word documents, PDFs, and other files that work for everyone, including people who use screen readers.

• Creating Accessible Documents
• Creating Accessible Documents and PDFs
• Creating PDFs
• Using Word's Properties to flow into a more accessible PDF
• Using Word's Style Gallery to Create Structure in Your Document
• Scanning Documents for Uploading to Moodle Assignments
• Process for obtaining accessible books
• Change the Look of Headings and Paragraphs in Google Docs

Microsoft Office Accessibility

Step-by-step guidance for making Office files accessible using Microsoft's built-in tools.

• Use Microsoft's Accessibility Checkers
• Using Word's Properties to flow into a more accessible PDF
• Using Word's Style Gallery to Create Structure in Your Document
• Do I have the right version of Word for Mac to use the Accessibility Checker?
• Get Microsoft Office 365

Images & Visual Content

Make sure images and visual materials convey their meaning to all users, including those who can't see them.

• Tools & Tips for Image Descriptions
• Guidelines for creating accessible digital signage

Video & Media Accessibility

Add captions and transcripts to videos so all users can access your content, including recordings of classes and meetings.

• Captioning Videos in Panopto
• Auto-Captioning Video in YouTube
• Live Captions and Transcripts on Personal Devices

Assistive Technology & Device Settings

Learn about screen readers, keyboard navigation, and built-in accessibility features on your devices.

• Assistive Technology Software
• Activating Sticky Keys
• iOS Background Sounds Focus, Calm, and Accessibility
• Accessibility Filescan

Links to Other Resources

External tools and Swarthmore-specific resources to support your accessibility work.

• Accessibility Filescan
• Accessibility at Swarthmore
• Gem Alt Text Tool