Accessibility & Inclusivity
Making social media accessible should be built into the production of content from the start. The UofG is an inclusive university and this should also be reflected in our social media approach - everyone has the right to access our data and information, regardless of their circumstances. When creating content, always think about the person behind the screen and how it might affect them.
Image Descriptions
Alt-text is the written copy that describes the image for those using a screen reader. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram now allow for images posted on their site to include alt-text. Alt-text should be used on every image posted on social media.
Alt-text should be a rich, contextual description of the image being posted. An example might be “A student sitting with a friend in a cafe”. You do not need to include the phrase “a photo of” as a screen reader will already announce that it is in an image.
Video Captions
Video captions will allow anyone who has difficulty hearing the audio access to what is happening in the video through sound. The main social media channels including Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube allow you to add video captions through their app. If they are automatically generated, you will need to check that they are accurate. Alternatively, there are some free third-party apps which allow you to add captions to your video. On Instagram, you may want to consider adding the video transcript into the caption.
Camel Case for Hashtags
Camel Case is the practice of writing hashtags or phrases such that each word or abbreviation in the middle of the phrase begins with a capital letter, with no intervening spaces or punctuation. The first word is upper case and any subsequent words or abbreviations are capitalised. It assists those using a screen reader to identify different words in a hashtag or handle. For example, instead of #highereducation you would use #HigherEducation.
Use of Emojis
Screen readers and assistive technology read each emoji and its descriptor out loud. For instance, if you wrote the caption below it would be read out on a screen reader as “red heart red heart why we love U of G red heart red heart”. This can be disruptive for people using assistive technology.
Place emojis at the end of your text. This will prevent any emoji descriptions interfering with the meaning of your text. Avoid using emojis as bullet points and try to use them sparingly.
Disability Representation Matters
It is important to share a true representation of the University’s community. Our community includes people with both visible and non-visible disabilities and they should be included in media used on social media. Avoiding ableist language is about respecting people and communities with disabilities — both visible and invisible. Common examples of ableist language might be:
- “You’d be crazy not to”
- “They had normal X”
Consider how the language you’re using might affect someone who cannot stand up, who might have a mental health condition or who might not be considered what some people might call “normal”, for example.
Also always use people-first language. People-first language emphasises the person, not the disability. For example, instead of “an epileptic person”, rephrase it to “a person who has epilepsy.”
Accessibility Best Practice and Tips
- Put hashtags and handles at the end of Tweets
- Avoid using acronyms in posts
- If overlaying text on images, ensure there is good contrast between the background and the text.
- Ensure all text in graphics is included in the caption, as screenreaders can’t read images.
Keep up to date with how social media channels are making themselves more accessible. Facebook and Twitter have their own accessibility accounts which post their latest accessibility improvements and news. You can search each platform’s help centre to find more guidance on accessibility
Other Accessibility Guides
Alexa Heinrich Accessible Social