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What are Quick Tips?

In the ever changing landscape of today's online classroom, we must all find ways to ensure that content is accessible to students with disabilities. Quick Tips were created to help faculty begin making their online content accessible. Following these guidelines will not only remove the many barriers experienced by students who use adaptive technology but it will ensure full inclusion for all students.

  • Converting Text Images into Text Files. Electronic documents must be a text file in order to be accessible. OmniPage Software, available in the Media Development Center, can easily convert electronic documents saved as image files to an accessible format. If you regularly scan articles to upload, read this Quick Tip.


  • Adding Real Text to PDFs.PDF documents may appear to be text but are actually images. Accessible PDF documents must be in a "real" text format. "Real" text can be selected, copied and highlighted. If you use PDFs, read this Quick Tip.


  • Adding Styles to Word documents.When creating a Microsoft Word Document, many people do not use "true styles". Instead, they simply change the font, enlarge the font size, and make it bold when creating a heading, for example. If you create documents using Word, read this Quick Tip to learn more about using Styles and Formatting.

    We also have a video available to help users of Office 2007:
    video for creating alternative text tags for pictures in Word 2007.


  • Tagging PDFs.PDF documents that include images, graphs or tables must have "tags". "Tags" are text descriptions of the imbedded images, graphs or charts. Tags also highlight structural elements, such as headings, in longer documents, for adaptive technology to pick up on. Adobe Acrobat Software, available in the Media Development Center, makes adding "tags" very easy. If your PDF documents include any type of image or is longer than one chapter, read this Quick Tip.


  • Creating Accessible PowerPoint Presentations.PowerPoint is widely used to deliver course content online. This Quick Tip offers simple guidelines to help make the presentation more accessible to students who use adaptive software.

    We also have videos available to help users of Office 2007:
    video for using templates in PowerPoint;
    video for adding alternative text to graphics in PowerPoint.


  • Purchasing Accessible 3rd Party Software.Typically, faculty have a choice on what company to use when ordering DVD's, instructional software or content software. It is imperative that the product meet accessibility standards. If you are planning to order a product from a 3rd party, please read this Quick Tip.


  • Creating Transcripts.Transcripts are needed for any audio or video content if a student in your course has a hearing or visual related disability. Transcripts can be helpful for all students; English as a Second Language students, students with visual learning styles. If you plan on using video or audio content in your course you will want to familiarize yourself with this Quick Tip.


  • Captioning. Any video content should have captions for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. They can also be a superb study aid for students without disabilities or who speak English as a second language. Some departments have this technology available; you can also download a program called MAGpie and with transcripts in hand, caption many types of video. The quickest way is to pay for a captioning agency to caption your video. They can take transcripts and caption or create the transcripts and then caption.


  • Web and other Content Accessibilty Although much of our coursework is done within K-State Online, there are times when it is good to know how to make an accessible webpage. This page of links will direct you to sites that access and teach accessibility. There are also sites that delve deeper into accessibility for less common types of content.


If you need clarification of information from any of these web pages, or would like to request information on media or technologies that are not addressed here, please contact Disability Support Services at 785-532-6441 or dss@ksu.edu.