What are some guidelines for making content accessible?

Sakai uses a single consistent Rich Text Editor across all areas where text can be added that is more than a few lines. This editor is based on the most recent stable version of the CKEditor.

When creating content using the Rich Text Editor, it is important that the author follows the simple guidelines below to ensure that the content can be read and understood by all. Creating well-structured and accessible content is a best practice that ensures that content is compatible with assistive devices, such as screen readers, and robust enough to be copied and pasted to other contexts or presented in unanticipated contexts. Making content accessible is also a legal requirement.

The technical measure of accessibility for a web-based resource is the WCAG 2.0 standard from the W3C. The requirements of the WCAG 2.0 are summarized in the four-letter acronym POUR:

• Perceivable - Information must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
• Operable - User interface components, navigation, and structure must be operable.
• Understandable - Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable, and structural elements should be used in a meaningful way.
• Robust - Content must be robust enough so that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of technologies, including assistive technologies.

These relatively simple considerations make a big difference if applied when content is created. The W3C provides more information in its Introduction to Understanding WCAG 2.0.