Creating Accessible Emails
Email is one of the most common and important forms of communication to many of us in the TCU community. It is efficient, convenient, and instantly creates a record of the communication. While email is a great way to reach your targeted audience, it is important to ensure that the emails sent out are accessible to all people. Some individuals are using assistive technology to read emails and because of this, it is important to format your email properly.
Tips & Best Practices
Here are a few tips and best practices for creating accessible emails using Microsoft Outlook:
SUBJECT LINE: Create a descriptive subject line for the reader
FORMAT: Within Outlook, it is recommended to turn off the “Rich Text” format and choose either “Plain Text” or “HTML” from the toolbar. For emails that are primarily composed of visual elements, create a plain-text version of the email. This version will contain only the text from the email.
COLORS and FONT: Select an appropriate font style and size and avoid using script base or elaborate fonts as these may be difficult to read. Just as with Word documents, “sans serif” fonts such as Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, Times New Roman, or Veranda work best. Additionally, use sufficiently large font sizes – generally a minimum of 11 points is recommended. Provide a high color contrast to the text in your document. It is suggested to keep the background white and use black text; however if background color is included, ensure that that the contrast with the accompanied text is appropriate. Add bold font to convey meaning in place of merely using color to create an emphasis.
INSERTING A HYPERLINK: Avoid using vague or generic text (e.g., “Click Here”). When creating and including links in an email, describe the content in the link text, making it clear what the destination of the link is. Select the text that requires the hyperlink, then click the Hyperlink button > The selected text will appear in the Text to Display box and this will become the hyperlinked text (if necessary, change the hyperlink text) > Type the destination URL in the Address box (A Screen Tip can also be added here to display desired text when the cursor rests over the hyperlink).
HEADINGS and LISTS: With longer emails, use headings to break up the content and help the reader navigate the email.
IMAGES and GRAPHICS: For emails containing images, pictures, or graphics, use alternative text (Alt Text) to provide the user with an accurate description of the image or graphic. Alternative Text allows assistive technology, (e.g., screen reader) to provide the user with a description of what is being displayed in the email. Images with embedded text are not accessible, even with a screen reader.
Once the image is added to the email, right-click over it and select Format Picture > Select the Layout and Properties option > Select Alt Text > Enter a Title and Description of the image. It is recommended to keep Alt Text to 125 characters or fewer, as most screen readers break up text into blocks of 125 characters.