Empowering Every Bearcat
At Binghamton University, we believe that inclusion is a shared responsibility. Digital accessibility isn’t just for faculty and staff; it’s a vital part of how students communicate. Whether you are leading a campus club or collaborating on a group project, your commitment to accessible content ensures that every student—including those with visual, auditory, or cognitive disabilities—can fully participate in the Binghamton experience.
Student Clubs and Organizations
Student organizations are extensions of the Binghamton community. To ensure all students can engage with your mission, your digital presence must be accessible.
Webpages
State and federal laws require Binghamton-affiliated webpages to meet accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2, level AA). If your club maintains a website (via B-Engaged, WordPress, or external hosts), ensure that you are meeting accessibility best practices like heading structure, alternative text for images, color contrast minimums, and descriptive link text. These are some resources you can use:
- the Accessibility Basics Checklist
- Free webpage checkers: WAVE, axe DevTools
- Color Contrast and How to Check It
- Writing Useful Alternative Text
- B-Engaged Training Hub
Social Media
Social media is the heartbeat of campus life. Make your posts accessible to everyone by including: alternative text for images, CamelCase hashtags, captions for videos.
Please see these resources for more information:
- Accessibility Basics for Social Media
- Accessible Social Media
- Captioning Videos and Livestreams
- Writing Useful Alternative Text
Accessibility in the Classroom (Peer-to-Peer)
When you post on discussion boards, work on group projects, or even share notes, your habits affect your classmates. Small changes can make your work accessible.
Electronic Documents
Always use the accessibility checker before sharing documents with a group, whether you share on Brightspace, on a website, via social media, or even as an email attachment.
In Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) - go to the Review tab on the menu, and then select "Check for Accessibility" on the ribbon. More about the MicroSoft accessibility checker.
For Google Docs, Slides and Sheets - Binghamton University pays for an accessibility checker extension, called Grackle. Under "Extensions" find Grackle and launch it. Learn more about Grackle.
Here are some additional guides and resources:
- Top Tips: Creating Accessible Documents
- Creating Accessible Designs in Canva
- Document Accessibility: MS Word and Google Docs
Discussion Boards (Brightspace)
When posting to a Brightspace discussion, look for the Check Accessibility icon (a small person in a circle) in the text editor. It will flag issues before you hit "Post."
Meaningful Links: If you are sharing a resource, link the title of the article rather than pasting a long, messy URL.
Digital Accessibility skills are valued in the workplace!
Employers across industries—from tech and marketing to healthcare and government—are increasingly seeking professionals who understand how to create inclusive content and meet legal compliance standards. By mastering these practices now, you demonstrate not only valuable technical expertise but also a sophisticated understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion. You will graduate ready to design better products, communicate more effectively with diverse audiences, and lead in a modern workforce that prioritizes accessibility for everyone.