Web Accessibility at Pratt and Best Practices 

Develop content directly for web pages whenever possible. Only use a PDF when strictly necessary, and ensure it is explicitly formatted for accessibility. Putting the content from a PDF directly onto a web page is the recommended approach for accessibility. Web pages are generally easier for assistive technologies to navigate and read, while the PDF can still be offered on the same page as a download for anyone who would like to save it.

• Example:
  • Accessible format: “Please review the 2026 Student Handbook” as a button on the page.
  • Inaccessible format: Uploading a “Fall_Schedule.pdf” document as a downloadable link.
• PDFs often trap information in inaccessible formats unless they are rigorously tagged.

Contact website@pratt.edu to get any information flowed directly to your department’s web page.

Write descriptive “alt text” for informative images and eliminate graphic text in images (e.g., a flyer saved as a JPEG). If an image is purely decorative, mark it as decorative so it is ignored.

Screen readers read this text aloud. Describing informative images provides necessary context, while skipping decorative ones saves visually impaired users from hearing irrelevant clutter.

• All photos and videos must adhere to Pratt’s Photo/Video Consent Policy and Guidelines.
• Avoid uploading videos with rapidly flashing imagery.
• Any approved filming or photography requests on Pratt’s property must prioritize accessible distribution when posted online.

Use built-in heading styles (H1, H2, H3) and page/content titles in strict sequential order. Never skip levels, and never use a heading style just to make text look visually larger. Headings act as a strict table of contents.

People using assistive technology rely on this exact structural order to navigate and skip directly to the content they need.

• Example: Structuring a page with an H1 for the page title (“Admissions”), followed by an H2 (“How to Apply”), followed by an H3 (“Portfolio Guidelines”). You should never jump from an H2 directly to an H4.

Per the Pratt Editorial Style Guide, linked text should be brief but descriptive, must make sense without the link, and should not include punctuation at the beginning or end of the linked text.

If an image acts as a link, it must include alt text that describes the function or destination of the link. Always use inclusive language and gender-neutral phrasing whenever possible.

• Write descriptive hyperlink text (e.g., “Read the 2026 Admissions Guide”). Avoid vague phrases like “Click Here” or “Read More.”
• Users utilizing screen readers often scan a page just for links; clear descriptions tell them exactly where a link will take them without needing the surrounding text.
• Example:
  • Accessible format: “Please review the 2026 Student Handbook.”
  • Inaccessible format: “Click here to review the 2026 Student Handbook.”

Using a free online contrast checker provided by WebAIM, you can guarantee your text meets required contrast ratios.

• We recommend using dark text against a light background or light text against a dark background.
• Correct contrast ensures users with low vision or color blindness can read your content without straining.
• Example: Using dark navy text on a white background passes contrast checks. Using light gray or neon yellow text on a white background fails contrast checks and is difficult for anyone to read.

We recommend providing synchronized closed captions for videos and accessible, written transcripts for audio files. This will ensure that users who are deaf, hard of hearing, or in a sound-sensitive environment can fully engage with your multimedia.

• Example: We recommend video content to be viewed on pratt.edu be uploaded to talks.pratt.edu, which includes a toggle for closed captions (CC) directly on the video player.

Guidance on GIF Usage

For users with cognitive or attention disorders, a constantly moving image makes it incredibly hard to focus on the rest of the page. For users with vestibular disorders, forced motion can literally cause physical dizziness or nausea.

Additionally, GIFs don’t support screen-reader friendly captions or transcripts for the information they might be trying to convey.

• Example: We recommend providing short .mp4 video files in lieu of GIFs. The video player controls allow users to play, pause, or stop whenever necessary.

Extending Accessibility Beyond Pratt.edu

The digital Pratt experience, at times, extends beyond our primary domain. If your department or office manages a microsite, auxiliary site, or third-party web application, these platforms must also comply with WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards.

Microsites must also follow Pratt’s Visual Identity Guidelines and Communications and Marketing (PCOMM) Policies. A unified experience is an accessible experience. Consistent navigation, calls to action, standardized fonts, and approved color palettes can help users with cognitive and visual disabilities navigate those unfamiliar sub-domains with confidence.

• Example: When launching a temporary microsite, please contact website@pratt.edu if you have any questions about accordance with current Communications and Marketing (PCOMM) policies.

• Page Navigation: Put your mouse away and try navigating your web page using only the Tab key (to move forward) and Shift + Tab (to move backward). To pass this test, you must be able to reach every link and button, and you should see a clear, visible outline (a focus indicator) showing exactly where you are on the page.
• Zoom and Sizing Issues: Zoom your screen into 200% (using Ctrl/Cmd and the “+” key). Check if the page layout breaks, text overlaps, or important buttons disappear off the screen. This would mimic the exact experience of a low-vision user navigating your site.
• Video Caption Testing: Click through the video uploaded via talks.pratt.edu. Manually verify that they have accurate captions and transcripts.

If you want to dig a little deeper into how your page is performing, you already have a powerful auditing tool built right into your browser.

If you’re using Google Chrome, you can press the F12 key on your keyboard (or right-click your screen and select “Inspect”) to open the Developer Tools panel.

Just look for the “Lighthouse” tab at the top of the panel and click to run a page audit.

The built-in accessibility checker will scan your page and flag hidden technical issues, like missing alt text, skipped heading levels, or poor color contrast; giving you a straightforward, actionable checklist of what to fix.