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  3. Accessibility in studies

ITÄ-SUOMEN YLIOPISTO

JOENSUU, KUOPIO

Accessibility in studies

Accessibility

Accessibility refers to implementing a physical, mental, and social environment where everyone, regardless of their personal capabilities, can act and interact equally with others. At the university, accessibility affects all students and staff members, but it is especially important to those members of the university community who have a disability, who are ageing, or who belong to a cultural or linguistic minority.

Learn more about accessibility in Kamu:

Accessibility is about promoting equality. It means that content should be easily accessible to everyone. When it comes to online services, it refers to the practice of making your online services to be as easy to use as possible. The accessibility of digital services applies to all public sector entities and is governed by the EU Web Accessibility Directive and defined in national law: the Act on the Provision of Digital Services 306/2019 (in Finnish).

What does accessibility mean for students?

When an online service (e.g. Moodle, a website) is made accessible, its content can be accessed even when using assistive technology. This technology helps everyone, not just the disabled or handicapped. 

All theses (Bachelor’s thesis, Master’s thesis, doctoral dissertations) published in the University’s electronic publication system should be accessible. The student is responsible for the accessibility of their own thesis. In addition, the student must follow the thesis instructions given by each faculty.

If you produce content (documents, etc.) for a specific course, it does not have to be accessible. If the content you produce for a course is available for several years, then accessibility requirements apply.

Follow accessibility guidelines when preparing documents

When producing accessible content, you should consider the following:

  • Writing clear and understandable official language is essential when it comes to online accessibility. The text should also have a sufficiently large and legible font.
  • Main headings should be descriptive and get to the point. When possible, write headings in the form of full sentences. Use the heading levels configured for the service.
  • Subheadings divide the text and content into readable sections. Heading levels should be logical to follow.
  • Link texts should be descriptive and share enough information about the linked item. Links should open in the same browser window.
  • Adding lists makes the text easier to read.
  • The colour contrast should be sufficient. You may use  Contrast Checker online service for testing contrasts. The minimum requirement is level AA.
  • There should be enough colour contrast between the text and the background. The content must be accessible to people with colour blindness or poor eyesight, who have difficulty seeing colours.
  • If the website contains information or functionalities based on colour, an alternative that does not require distinguishing between colours must be provided.
  • Images on websites must include an alternative text (alt text) that describes the information contained in the image to persons who cannot see the image. For example, screen reader software used by visually impaired persons reads alt texts aloud. Mark images as decorative if they add no information to the content, their content is already described in the text, or the visible caption is identical to the alt text. Check the software or online service on how to mark images as decorative.
  • Videos and podcasts stored in online services must be include captions from 23 September 2020 onwards. Saved videos must be made accessible within 14 days of publication. The requirements do not apply to live streamed videos.
  • Infographics must be easily readable, and their content must also be described in text format.

Creating accessible content​ -Sway presentation (sign with UEF-account)

Creating accessible Word-Sway presentation (sign with UEF-account)

Creating accessible PowerPoint files -Sway presentation (sign with UEF-account)

Accessible documents and templates in Heimo (sign in with UEF-account)

Accessible images and infographics in Heimo (sign in with UEF-account)

Research communication

If you are doing research for the university and the research project has webpages, they also have to be accessible and contain an accessibility statement.

The contents of the university’s website and, for example, UEF Connect must also be accessible.

See more about accessibility in reserch on Heimo (sign with UEF account).

Student support

Students get support on accessibility from Oppari (oppari@uef.fi), the instructions for using the themes of doctoral dissertations are given by the editors of the publication series (in Heimo and requires to log in with an UEF account)

Students can also use Eduhouse video instructions. Read more about Eduhouse on Heimo (sign in with UEF account).

More information