Whenever we talk about accessibility and brands, we get a remarkably consistent reaction. We call it the ADA face – the deer-in-the-headlights “uh-oh” stare of a brand manager or marketing pro who sees the ADA compliance train coming, but doesn’t know where to move first.
To be fair, a full accessibility makeover can be a bit overwhelming (the most recent online ADA standards list 50 success criteria).
Thankfully, you can create some quick wins right now. You can improve access to print materials without reprogramming a website or reworking an entire brand. And you can do it in just a few minutes.
Here are 9 quick ways to make everyday print materials more readable – not just for readers with disabilities, but for everyone.
- Use left alignment for text. It’s more natural and easier to read.
- Avoid italics and underlining for emphasis. Stick to bold and don’t confuse things.
- Use sentence case in headlines and subheads (like the title of this article). ALL CAPS can be difficult for readers with visual disabilities.
- Keep your reading level at around grade 7-9 or lower. Shorter words, shorter sentences and shorter paragraphs are a reader’s friend.
- Have a consistent hierarchy. Move logically from title to subhead to section to list; don’t mix and match or skip levels.
- Choose 1-2 clear, reader-friendly typefaces. We suggest avoiding narrow or overly decorative type.
- Speaking of type, body copy should be 10 pt or higher, headlines and subheads at least 14 pt – all depending on your audience’s needs.
- Remember to add white space. Visual breathing room created by shorter line length and negative space helps with information retention.
- Avoid large blocks of reverse text. It can work if done with enough contrast and a larger text size, but it might be more trouble than it’s worth.
For ADA-compliant electronic documents
- Add alt text for images in Word, just like web pages.
- Use the program’s built-in formatting styles for headers, captions, etc.
- Convert your document to PDF format for easier assistive reading.
