With summer winding down and cooler weather on the horizon, fall is a great time to refine our accessibility skills and continue to work together in making our campus accessible for everyone.

Accessibility Quick Tip: When Blank Creates Uncertainty 

Imagine navigating a document without being able to glance ahead or see the whole page. You move through the content one element at a time.

 

Then you hear:

 

“Blank.”

 

Is the space intentional? Is information missing? Did something fail to load? Did you miss something?

 

Now imagine encountering that uncertainty repeatedly throughout a document, table, course, or website.

 

A sighted reader can glance at the surrounding page and understand almost instantly why something is empty. A person using a screen reader may have to stop, investigate, and decide whether the blank space is intentional or whether something has gone wrong. Over time, those small interruptions can add unnecessary effort and make the content feel less predictable and dependable.

 

The good news is that a few simple changes in the way we create content can remove that uncertainty.

• Give blank table cells meaning. If information does not apply, enter “N/A” or “None” instead of leaving the cell empty. This tells the reader that the cell was considered and intentionally contains no applicable value.

• Create space with formatting, not empty lines. Use paragraph spacing instead of pressing Enter repeatedly. Built-in heading styles also create appropriate spacing without adding empty paragraphs that a screen reader may announce as “blank.”

• Use layout tools instead of repeated spaces or tabs. Alignment, indents, tab stops, and properly structured tables preserve the visual layout while also preserving meaning for assistive technology.

• Explain when there is nothing to display. Search results, dashboards, inboxes, and other online spaces should clearly communicate messages such as “No results found” rather than simply appearing empty. That message should also be available to assistive technology.

 

A simple accessibility habit to remember:

If a blank has meaning, communicate that meaning.

 

A few seconds of thoughtful formatting on our part can save someone else from having to stop, investigate, and wonder whether they missed something. When we remove that guesswork, we make our content easier to understand, easier to trust, and easier for everyone to use.

Enhanced Teaching & Learning Center (ETLC) Accessibility Support 

Just as we do not expect students to do UAH alone, we do not expect faculty or staff to figure out accessibility alone. The ETLC has built three ways for you to get hands-on support this semester.

 

(1) Mission Accessible Show and Do Series

This is a series of 30 live sessions, three a week covering a specific accessibility topic with a brief explanation and demonstration, followed by supported hands-on work. You will bring your course materials or digital documents and work alongside ETLC staff to apply what you learn right away. Topics include scanned PDFs, equations, accessible documents, Panorama, inherited Canvas courses, accessible course templates, multimedia, and using a screen reader to check accessibility. Full descriptions, dates, and registration are on the ETLC Mission Accessible webpage (opens in a new tab).

 

Ready to dive in? Reserve your spot for a Show and Do session (opens in a new tab).

 

(2) Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Hours

Need help making your course materials accessible? Bring your laptop to a one-on-one session with an instructional designer for hands-on help with PDFs, document tagging, captioning, and more. Laptops can be borrowed if needed. Register for a BYOD session (opens in a new tab).

 

(3) One on One Time with ETLC’s Accessibility Specialist

Faculty and staff who want individualized guidance or cannot make the other opportunities can book time directly with the ETLC Accessibility Specialist (opens in a new tab).

 

For full details on all three options, including the Show and Do topic list, dates, and additional resources such as checklists and a PDF decision tree, go to the ETLC Mission Accessible webpage (opens in a new tab).

 

For accessibility testing information, guides, and information on best practices, check out the Digital Accessibility Toolkit (opens in a new tab).

Accessibility Badge and QR Code   

Creating a truly accessible environment requires continuous awareness, supportive tools, and easy access to resources. We are excited to introduce a new badge designed to highlight the range of needs across our campus.

What the Badge Represents   

Connecting the areas of accessibility reflects our shared commitment for a supportive campus community:

• Vision Support – Providing screen reader compatibility, accessible digital documents, and tactile or enlarged materials.
• Mobility Support – Confirming barrier-free navigation, accessible parking, and fully reachable campus facilities.
• Hearing Support – Ensuring captioning, visual alert systems, audio accessibility, and coordinating sign language interpreting.
• Cognitive & Neurodiversity Support – Designing flexible learning strategies, tailored academic support, and sensory-friendly spaces.
• Speech & Communication Support – Facilitating accessibility across communication channels, document formats, and assistive technologies.
• Universal Design – Applying design principles to optimize physical environments, digital experiences, and services to be accessible for everyone.
  

Quick Access

Scan the QR code at the center of the badge with your smartphone camera to connect directly to the Accessibility webpage.

 

On this page, you can:

• Report a physical or digital accessibility barrier.
• Submit an accessibility question.
• Read the Digital Accessibility Policy (06.09.07).
• Explore guides for creating accessible course materials and digital content.
• View upcoming training opportunities.
• Discover tools and reference materials.

Spot the Badge Around Campus

Look for this badge arriving soon on building bulletin boards and digital signs!

Reminder: Training for Social Media Accountholders  

As we start a new semester, please help your department remain compliant with UAH social media accessibility requirements. 

• Have you completed your social media training? If you have access to a UAH-affiliated social media account, please complete the UAH Mission Accessible Social Media training in Canvas (opens a new tab) as soon as possible. 
• Do you have new accountholders? Verify any new employees, student workers or other team members with access to UAH-affiliated social media accounts complete the training before managing UAH-affiliated channels. Email social@uah.edu to get them added to the Canvas course.

Questions? Contact social@uah.edu 

Did you know?

The first Paralympic Games were held in Rome in 1960, featuring eight sports: wheelchair basketball, swimming, table tennis, archery, dartchery, snooker, athletics, and wheelchair fencing. Today, it is a major international event. Read the full history of the 1960 Rome Paralympic Games (opens in a new tab).

 

Have questions?

Please email the UAH Accessibility Mailbox (opens in a new tab) or visit the Accessibility at UAH Website (opens in a new tab) to learn more.