How do I make my Digital Sign content accessible?

The content of digital signs for use in any public program, service or activity must be as accessible as the constraints of the device allow, and should strive to follow the guidelines of the most recently published Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards. If you would like a more hands-on guide for developing accessible digital content, consider taking the Digital Accessibility Made Simple training course provided by MSU Denver's Center for Teaching, Learning and Design.

Make your content available through other means

Don't deliver any content exclusively on a digital sign. Digital signs are a great way to share information, but they have some innate limitations and should not be used as the exclusive reference point for events, programs, schedules, or activities. To ensure your content is accessible as possible to a diverse audience, you should make it available on a more accessible, interactive platform. Examples of alternatives can include:

• Your department's official webpage (WordPress)
• A SharePoint site managed by you or your department
• The MSU Denver Trumba calendar, for information about specific events or activities
• Printed or printable media (make sure that media has also been designed for accessibility!)

Make your content easy to read

• Text and graphics should contrast with the background color for readability.
• Avoid high-contrast combinations (e.g., black on white) to reduce eye strain.
• The sign itself should contrast with its surroundings to be noticeable.
• Use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) instead of Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) for better recognition.
• Align text to the left and maintain a consistent layout.
• Simple typefaces enhance readability; avoid highly decorative, bold, condensed, or italicized fonts.
• Avoid ALL CAPS for body text – use sentence case for improved readability.
• Fonts with distinct letters and numbers, long ascenders and descenders, and large counters (e.g., inside spaces of letters like 'a,' 'e,' 'p') improve legibility.
• Don't restrict your content to the official MSU Denver colors and fonts; they may not be functional for readability.
• Follow the WCAG guidelines for text readability and color contrast.
  • Reference guide: Color Contrast Guidelines by MSU Denver's Center for Teaching, Learning, and Design
  • Reference guide: Typefaces and Fonts by WebAIM
  • Reference guide: WCAG Quick Reference guide by W3

Make your text a readable size

• To ensure text is readable from various distances, use the minimum font sizes listed below.
• Note that font sizes vary between typefaces, so test sizes based on viewing distance.

Add captions to any content that has an audio component

• Content that has been uploaded to MSU Denver's YuJa environment is automatically captioned within 24 hours of being uploaded. The content owner can then download the caption files to make any needed adjustments.
• If you have issues generating captions or needed assistance adding captions to your videos, please submit a YuJa Assistance Request.

Verify smooth animations

• For any visually-dynamic content, follow WCAG standards to keep animations from flickering.

Make your message clear

• Use more than just color to convey meaning – text and symbols enhance information clarity for individuals with color perception deficiencies.
• Icons with text labels are more easily recognizable and should be incorporated for accessibility.
• Ensure information is structured clearly and concisely to improve comprehension.
• Avoid excessive technical jargon or overly complex phrasing.
• Keep content simple and clear.
• Break large blocks of text into smaller sections, limiting paragraphs to 80 words or less.
• Use meaningful, clear headings for better readability.
• List names and messages alphabetically or group them logically, e.g., by floor level.
• Maintain consistent language and navigation.
• Keep videos brief for easier comprehension.