ACMM Participants

The following Colleges/Districts/CCC Entities are currently participating in the ACMM

Butte-Glenn CCD - Butte College, CCC Technology Center
Clovis College
Grossmont-Cuyamaca CCD – District Office, Cuyamaca College, Grossmont College
Hartnell CCD (Hartnell College)
Kern CCD – District Office, Bakersfield College, Cerro Coso College, Porterville College
Los Angeles CCD – District Office, East LA College, LA City College, LA Harbor College, LA Mission College, LA Pierce College, LA Southwest College, LA Trade Tech, LA Valley College, West LA College
Merced CCD (Merced College)
MiraCosta CCD (MiraCosta College)
Ohlone CCD (Ohlone College)
Palomar CCD (Palomar College)
Pasadena Area CCD (Pasadena College)
Redwoods CCD (College of the Redwoods)
Santa Barbara CCD (Santa Barbara College)
Siskiyous Joint CCD (College of the Siskiyous)
Southwestern CCD (Southwestern College)
South Orange County CCD – District Office, Irvine Valley College, Saddleback College
Ventura County CCD – District Office, Moorpark College, Oxnard College, Ventura College
West Kern CCD (Taft College)

Joined Cohort 3 for 25/26 Implementation

The following Colleges/Districts/CCC Entities are signed up for Academic Year 25/26

Chaffey CCD (Chaffey College)
Marin CCD (College of Marin)
Mendocino-Lake CCD (Mendocino College)
Victor Valley CCD (Victor Valley College)
Los Rios CCD – District Office, American River College, Cosumnes River College, Folsom Lake College, Sacramento City College

Flyer Accessibility

Flyers are used to share important information about events, services, and updates. However, inaccessible designs can create barriers. Making flyers accessible allows everyone to engage with your content.

Text and Fonts

Use sans-serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Helvetica, Calibri) for better readability.
Avoid decorative fonts that are hard to read.
Use font sizes that are large enough for easy reading.
Use live (selectable) text rather than text within images.

Color and Color Contrast

Use high color contrast between text and background.
Avoid using color alone to communicate information or meaning.

Alternative Text for Images

Provide meaningful alternative text that describes the image’s purpose.
Mark images as decorative only if they do not convey essential information.

Content Layout and Structure

Organize information with clear headings and bullet points.
Keep layouts simple with sufficient whitespace for easy reading.
Provide a brief text summary with key details (who, what, when, where) and include this text directly in the post or caption.

Links

Use meaningful link text (e.g. “Register for the Workshop” instead of “Click Here”).
Include a QR code or shortened URL on print flyers for quick digital access.
Provide a link to more information about the content of your flyer (e.g. RSVP link) within your post or nearby.
- On platforms where links cannot be added to posts (e.g., Instagram), include the link in your bio and mention it in the caption.

Design Flyers for Specific Platforms

Create flyers that are designed to look clear and readable based on where they will be viewed:
- Social Media: Use dimensions that fit social media platforms to avoid cropping or pixelation. Prioritize clear text and visuals that are easy to read on mobile devices.
- Digital/Desktop: Design flyers with dimensions that display clearly on screens without excessive scrolling. Keep the layout simple and uncluttered to ensure the flyer is clear and easy to read.

Provide Flyer Content in Multiple Formats

Avoid relying solely on flyers, as they may not reach all audiences and may require remediation. Offer information in multiple formats for accessibility:

Event Calendar Entry: List key event details (title, description, date, time, location, and registration link) in a text-based format within your organization’s event calendar.
Dedicated Event Webpage: Create a webpage with all flyer content in plain text. If a flyer image is included, present all information on the page.
Plain Text Version: Provide a text version in the body of an email, event listing, or separate accessible document.

Canva and Flyer Accessibility

Canva is a popular design tool; however, it does not automatically create fully accessible PDFs. Flyers created in Canva should be reviewed for accessibility.

Best Practices for Canva Flyers:

Choose templates with strong contrast, readable fonts, and clear layouts.
Do not rely solely on Canva’s built-in accessibility features– always check accessibility with a PDF accessibility tool (e.g., Adobe Acrobat, Equidox) and manually review using assistive technology.
When exporting, avoid the “Flatten PDF” option to keep text selectable and maintain accessibility tags.

Vendor Resources:

Additional Resources

Social Media Accessibility

Given its broad reach, ensuring your social media content is accessible is crucial. If platform limitations prevent sharing accessible content, be prepared to offer the content in accessible alternatives. Follow these best practices to develop accessible content.

Text

Provide Contact Information: Contact information is crucial for your audience to contact you with questions or for support regarding your content.
Limit the use of emojis: Use emojis sparingly, as they can be disruptive for assistive technology users.
Use camelcase for hashtags: Capitalize the first letter of each word in hashtags for better readability (e.g., #SocialMediaAccessibility).
Write in plain language: Use clear and simple language to make your content easy to understand.
Define Acronyms: Define acronyms the first time they are used, as not all members of your audience may understand them.
Share the Content Across Multiple Platforms: Ensure your audience can access the same content on their preferred platform. For example, post social media content and repost it on your website or newsletter. This practice helps if certain features on social media are inaccessible, as providing the same content on different platforms increases its availability.

Images

Write Descriptive Alternative Text for Images: Describe the purpose, intent, and other important details of the image for users who cannot view the image.
Provide Detailed Descriptions for Complex Images: For complex images (e.g., infographics, flyers) that cannot be fully described within the alternative text due to character limits, include detailed descriptions in the caption to provide additional context and information.
Avoid Flashing Images: Do not use images or graphics that flash or flicker.
Ensure Sufficient Color Contrast: Create images and graphics with sufficient contrast to be easily readable.

Video/Audio

Review Captions and Transcripts for Accuracy: Review and edit captions and transcripts for accuracy and error free.
- Caption or transcribe key audio information, including music and sound effects.
- Pro-tip: Use auto-generated captions as a starting point, but always edit them for accuracy and accessibility.
Add Voice-Over for Visual Content: For videos with no audio that convey information visually (e.g., video clips or images), include narration or a voice-over to describe the visual content.
- Include descriptions of key visual elements in the video, such as on-screen text or essential visuals needed for understanding the content.
Use Text-to-Speech: This feature converts on-screen text into audio, allowing users with visual impairments or those unable to view the screen to understand the content.
Ensure Sufficient Color Contrast for Text and Visuals: Text and visual elements edited onto a video should have sufficient contrast between the foreground and background to increase readability.

Training Resources

Platform Specific Guidance:

Facebook

Instagram

Instagram Accessibility

Twitter/X

TikTok

Email Accessibility

Ensuring the accessibility of your email is essential for providing equal access to information, regardless of the access method used. Follow these best practices to make your email accessible.

Best Practices:

Write Descriptive Alternative Text for Images: Describe the purpose, intent, and other important details of the image for users who are unable to view the image.
Avoid Image-Only Flyers: Do not attach image-only flyers to your email, as they are inaccessible to assistive technologies. Instead, provide an accessible PDF or Word file.
Offer Plain-Text Descriptions for Attachments and Embedded Content: Provide a plain-text description or summary for embedded images and attachments to offer additional context for users. This is helpful for people who use assistive technology and those who cannot load images (e.g., users with low phone data).
Write Descriptive Hyperlinks: A hyperlink title should describe the link, its purpose, or where it leads. Ideally, use the webpage's or document's title as the hyperlink title.
Provide Structure with Headings: Use headings to provide structure and improve readability for messages longer than a few paragraphs.
Use Proper Lists: Use proper bulleted or numbered lists when presenting lists of information.
Ensure Readability of Fonts: Avoid handwritten-style fonts, small font sizes, and ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colors to maintain readability.
Make Your Email Mobile-Friendly: Design emails that can be navigated and read easily on mobile devices.
Provide Accessible Attachments: Ensure all email attachments are accessible and follow document accessibility guidelines.
Use Accessible Email Templates: Ensure the email templates you create or adopt are accessible.
Avoid Using Tables for Layout: Do not use tables to create your email layout, as this can cause navigation issues for assistive technology.
Conduct an Accessibility Check: Before sending an email, conduct an accessibility check to identify potential accessibility issues.

Email Accessibility Resources:

Email Marketing Platforms

Steps for Colleges to Get Ahead

Colleges and Districts can begin working with the Accessibility Capability Maturity Model (ACMM) framework, even if the organization isn’t yet participating in the ACMM. Below are some areas that can help your College or District build a solid accessibility foundation.

Establish a Work Group/Committee/Task Force: Establish a committee of stakeholders from across the organization to begin accessibility planning efforts, discuss areas of greatest need, and strategize ACMM goals and milestones.
Promote Accessible Document Training: The foundations of accessible digital content are consistent across all platforms. Encourage or require faculty and staff to register for WebAIM Accessible Document training. This training is paid for by the Accessibility Center and is available at no cost to the CCC.
Create a Web Inventory: Gather a list of all websites and web applications under the organization's purview, including the main website, departmental pages, and other affiliated websites like Athletics, the Library and Auxiliaries. The Pope Tech Website Scanning tool can help create this inventory and identify accessibility barriers. This tool is paid for by the Accessibility Center and is available at no cost to the CCC.
Collect ACRs/VPATs for Technology Purchases: Encourage or require purchase requestors to include an Accessibility Conformance Report (also known as an ACR or VPAT) with other pre-purchase documentation. This is an important first step in evaluating the accessibility of acquired technology products and services.
Replicate Effective Processes in Other Areas: Identify successful accessibility efforts and extend them to other areas. For instance, if you have processes or procedures that are working well for online classes (such as implementing Universal Design for Learning, including accessibility statements, or selecting captioned videos), extend these processes to in-person classes. If there is one department that has robust processes for checking marketing materials for accessibility, replicate these in other departments, etc.
Address Accessibility Issues In Canvas: Instructors and support staff can quickly identify and remediate accessibility issues across one or several Canvas courses by using Pope Tech Dashboards for Canvas. Colleges and districts can install this tool in their Canvas instance and promote its use. This tool is paid for by the Accessibility Center and is available at no cost to the CCC.
Have Regular Conversations About Accessibility: Emphasize the crucial role of accessibility in larger conversations surrounding strategic planning, communications, technology acquisition and implementation, DEIA efforts, events, teaching best practices, and other relevant areas.