Digital accessibility
Brief instructions on improving digital accessibility at FAU
Legal situation
The Bavarian E-Government Regulation (BayEGovV) stipulates that websites, web applications and documents from office applications (including pdf files) that were published before September 30, 2018 had to be made accessible by September 30, 2020 (www.gesetze-bayern.de/Content/Document/BayBITV).
The regulation is based on the EU Directive 2016/2102 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies that was published in the Official Journal of the European Union in 2016. Bearing the EU Directive in mind, “new” websites, web applications and digital documents had already been obliged to follow the legal norm for two years, between 2016 and 2018. In Bavaria, the Landesamt für Digitalisierung, Breitband und Vermessung (Agency for Digitization, High-Speed Internet and Surveying), is responsible for ensuring and monitoring the accessibility of websites and mobile applications. It is also the authority people should complain to if they are discriminated against as a result of websites and web applications failing to conform to standards. The Office of Equality and Diversity has worked together with the Disability Liaison Office and the Erlangen Regional Computing Center RRZE to draw up these brief instructions to ensure that all websites and mobile applications at FAU are made accessible as soon as possible. The instructions are aimed at giving practical support in implementing legal requirements.
Measures
New documents
We would recommend using word processing software to create new documents (MS Word, Libre Office, LaTeX).
Please be sure to watch the following:
- Always use paragraph and format templates (in particular “title 1” to “title 6”).
- Do not use full justification.
- Do not use hyphenation.
- Use formatting for lists and numbering.
- Avoid several empty lines and spaces one after another.
- Provide alternative texts for visual objects (images, diagrams, logos….) that are of relevance to the content (not just decoration).
- Use a simple table structure and select simple titles for columns.
- Make sure there is a good contrast between text and background colors and that the font is a sufficient size (at least 11 points).
- Use link texts that are as informative as possible and include tooltips.
- Add a title and a language for the document.
- Microsoft Word offers integrated accessibility checks, but this varies from version to version. Under “help”, you can search for and activate “check accessibility” in Word.
Old pdf documents
Instructions on dealing pragmatically with old pdf documents (where you cannot access the original Word document).
As a rule, if you have an old pdf document but cannot access the original
- you should not subsequently edit it in pdf form to make it accessible
- you should not subsequently convert it into a Word document in order to make a new pdf.
This would entail a lot of effort.
In this instance, we recommend
- selecting and copying all relevant content and pasting it to one of FAU’s CMS pages,
- titles might need to be corrected and descriptions or alternative texts added to images/diagrams
The FAU Web Team (webredaktion@fau.de) or the RRZE will be happy to help you look for a suitable place for the new website in the FAU CMS system.
Dealing with old pdf documents (if you can access the original Word document)
- You can alter the titles, images and graphics in the original Word document and then provide this document in addition to the (newly created) pdf document. (Note from RRZE: As third parties can also reuse pdf content, the pdf format does not offer any increased protection against content being abused compared to Word).
Dealing with large pdf files (created with Adobe InDesign or Scribus)
- All the measures for documents created using word processing software also apply in this instance.
- However, RRZE sometimes commissions external agencies with post-editing extensive pdf documents.
- The web team at FAU’s RRZE (webmaster@fau.de) is happy to assist you in looking for a suitable agency.
„Web first“
This maxim states that documents have to meet all the criteria for online accessibility. Layout requests of relevance for printed publications ought to be ignored.
- This makes content easier to be found (also in search engines).
- Content is easier to read on mobile devices, as it can be scaled to match the size of the screen.
Courses on offer
The IT training center at RRZE
- provides training in the technical basics for creating accessible documents in its courses “Microsoft Word: the basics” and “Academic working using Microsoft Word”;
- has added a course in “Using Word to create accessible documents” that combines the aspects of both Word courses that are of most relevance to accessibility;
- also offers additional courses especially for the university administration on creating new documents using Word. If you are interested, please contact Ms. Hofmann (P7, constanze.ch.hofmann@fau.de).
The Office of Equality and Diversity and the FAU Disability Liaison Officer regularly offer lecturers a workshop in “Studying with a disability”, which also covers how to create accessible teaching and learning material.
Advice
The following advisory services are available at FAU on the topic of “digital accessibility”:
Digital accessibility / accessibility of FAU websites
Contact: wolfgang.wiese@fau.de / webmaster@fau.de
If you have any unusual questions about Office products, the RRZE may refer you to someone else, as the RRZE traditionally focuses on web applications and websites.
Queries regarding IT training and courses
Inclusion at FAU
The Office of Equality and Diversity can also help with questions concerning inclusion and accessibility, or refer you to the relevant point of contact if necessary.
Contact: Harriet Ziegler, harriet.ziegler@fau.de
URL: www.gender-und-diversity.fau.de
The information included here is also available in pdf format as the basis for a printed flyer.
Further links
The Office of Equality and Diversity provides extensive information and links on accessible teaching on its website, and most of these are also helpful for administrative matters.
www.gender-und-diversity.fau.de/diversity/inklusion-an-der-fau
J. Nehlsen, W. Wiese (2019): Leitfaden digitale Barrierefreiheit. Bessere Benutzerfreundlichkeit, Suchmaschinenoptimierung und Inklusion: Einfach für alle! www.rrze.fau.de/2020/01/leitfaden-zur-digitalen-barrierefreiheit-bessere-benutzerfreundlichkeit-suchmaschinenoptimierung-und-inklusion/
K. Emmerdinger, A. Gegenfurtner, W. Stern (2017): Leitfaden für Lehrende. Digitale Barrierefreiheit für sensorisch behinderte Menschen mit Sehbehinderung. (Checkliste auf S. 19) www.studentenwerke.de/sites/default/files/views_filebrowser/171129_leitfaden_fuer_dozenten_version_2.pdf
Philipps-Universität Marburg, Fachbereich Erziehungswissenschaften (2016): Handreichung zur Erstellung und Umsetzung barrierefreier Dokumente in der Lehre. (Checkliste auf S. 11) www.uni-marburg.de/de/fb21/fachbereich/digitale-lehre-21/hr-barrierefreie-dokumente-onlineversion_ol.pdf