Emails

Issue/Question

Title II ADA Compliance: Emails

Why is it Important?

• Ensures messages are readable and understandable by all recipients.
• Reduces barriers to communication and collaboration.

Environment

• Use accessibility best practices in emails to ensure accessible communication.

Cause

Title II ADA Compliance

Resolution

How To Use It

Use clear subject lines, structured content and accessible formatting.

Example

An email with a bulleted agenda and descriptive links is easier to navigate than one with dense paragraphs and vague instructions.

Best Practices

Body Text

Designing for readability is key to writing good digital content, including emails. Consider the same best practice elements for creating accessible documents (e.g., Microsoft Word):

• Use a legible sans serif font, such as Aptos, Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Tahoma or similar.
• Keep text at a reasonable size, typically 12 point.
• Use Heading Styles. Highlight the text. Right click on the text and select Styles.
• Align text to the left instead of centered or justified.
• Break up text into short paragraphs.
• Use plain language.
• Write descriptive link text: "Upcoming Events" instead of "Click here."
• Use a color contrast checker. Don't forget to check the colors of your in-text links.

How to add alternative text in email:

Outlook: Right-click on the image and select Edit Alt Text.

Background Theme

• Using a background theme in an email is not recommended for accessibility, primarily because it can significantly harm readability and legibility for many users. The potential issues vary from insufficient color contrast to unreliable rendering across different email clients.

Emojis

• Emojis can be a fun and easy way to communicate, but be mindful of not overusing them or relying on them as the only method of conveying meaning. Add emojis to the end of a message instead of in between words, and don't use an emoji to replace words.
• Subject lines do not have alternative text as part of the code since emojis are not images but Unicode characters. The subject line should still make sense if the emoji is removed or not used.
• Emotions, unlike emojis, are made up of punctuation and keyboard characters. They lose their meaning when read with assistive technology, so it's best to avoid using emoticons.

Attachments

• Before you attach a document to an email, ask yourself if this is the best way to communicate the information or if it could be added to the body of the email.
• If it's necessary to attach a file to an email, make sure the document is accessible. Follow accessibility best practices such as tagging your document with headings, writing helpful alternative text and being mindful of color.

Event Posters

• If adding an event poster to an email, make sure any text in the image is repeated either in the email body text or in the alt text. Important information like event details (date, time, location, etc.) should be included in the body text of the email.

Video and Audio

• When you embed a video or audio player in an email, add accurate captions to all videos and transcripts for audio content. Ensure media player controls, such as play and stop, can be activated with a keyboard.
• Visit the videos and audio articles for more information on video and audio accessibility.

Animation

• Avoid autoplaying or distracting animations and videos.

Signatures

• When using an email signature, ensure the signature’s font size and style follow the same best practices as your message. 

Tips for Checking Accessibility

Use Outlook’s Accessibility Checker (Message > Check Accessibility) before sending emails.

For additional information visit the links below:

Email Accessibility Best Practices

Accessible Email Messages

Make your Outlook email accessible