The 5-Minute Accessibility Audit: A Pre-Flight Checklist for Your Syllabus

The syllabus is the most important document in any course. It's the roadmap for student success. However, it's also often the most structurally complex document a professor creates. Before hitting "Export" or "Print," performing a quick 5-minute accessibility audit can ensure that every student starts the semester on equal footing.

Minute 1: Check the Heading Hierarchy

Screen reader users rely on headings to jump between sections like "Grading Policy" or "Course Schedule."

• The Rule: Never skip a level. Don't jump from Heading 1 to Heading 3 just because you like the font size.
• The Audit: Use the Document Outline in Google Docs to see if your structure makes logical sense.

Minute 2: Verify Descriptive Links

Assistive technology often extracts links from a page. A list of "Click Here" or "Link" provides no context.

• The Rule: Link text should describe the destination.
• The Audit: Scan your document for naked URLs or generic link text. Change "Click here for the reading list" to "View the [Course Reading List]."

Minute 3: Audit Your Alt-Text

If your syllabus includes a course logo, a photo of a textbook, or an instructional diagram, it needs alternative text.

• The Rule: Every image must have a description or be marked as decorative.
• The Audit: Right-click images to ensure they have descriptive text that conveys the same information as the visual.

Minute 4: Look at Color Contrast

Using color to highlight important deadlines (like red text for "Final Exam") can be problematic for students with low vision or color blindness.

• The Rule: Don't use color as the *only* way to convey meaning.
• The Audit: Ensure that if text is highlighted in red, it also uses bold or a label like "IMPORTANT:" to signify its status.

Minute 5: Use an Automated Assistant

Even the best manual audit can miss hidden technical errors like document language or table header tags.