Why Email Accessibility Matters
Email is one of the most common ways SRJC faculty and staff communicate with students and colleagues. Missing alt text, "click here" links, low-contrast text, or images of text can prevent recipients with disabilities from accessing critical information.
The good news: making email accessible takes only a few seconds per message once it becomes a habit.
💡 Plain text email is always accessible. When in doubt, send as plain text — it eliminates formatting issues entirely. Not ideal for every situation, but a reliable fallback.
Step-by-Step: Sending Accessible Email in Outlook
- Step 1: Write a Descriptive Subject Line
Subject line should tell the recipient exactly what the email is about:
❌ Vague ✅ Descriptive "Reminder" "Reminder: Faculty Senate Meeting Thursday 3pm" "Update" "Update: Fall 2025 Final Exam Schedule Now Available" "Question" "Question about ENGL 1A prerequisite requirements" - Step 2: Use Heading Styles for Longer Emails
In emails with multiple sections (newsletters, announcements, long instructions), use heading styles:
Message → Format Text → Styles → Heading 1 / Heading 2
This gives screen reader users a navigable structure. For short emails (1–2 paragraphs), headings aren't necessary.- Step 3: Add Alt Text to Images
For any image in your email:
- Right-click the image → Edit Alt Text
- Write a concise description
- If decorative, mark as decorative
- Step 4: Use Descriptive Link Text
Don't paste raw URLs. Instead:
- Select the text you want to use as the link
- Insert → Link (or Ctrl+K / Cmd+K)
- Enter the URL
❌ Don't ✅ Do Click here: https://www.santarosa.edu Visit the [SRJC homepage] Read more: https://bit.ly/3xyz Read more about [ADA Title II requirements] See Links & Navigation for guidelines.
- Step 5: Check Color Contrast
Use dark text on a light background. Avoid:
- Light gray text on white
- Colored text (red, yellow, light blue) on white or light backgrounds
- Text on patterned or image backgrounds
- Step 6: Don't Use Color Alone for Emphasis
If you want to highlight something important:
❌ Color Alone ✅ Color + Text Formatting Red text: "Deadline Friday" Bold red text: "Deadline Friday" Green text: "Approved" Bold green text: "Approved ✓" - Step 7: Use Built-In Lists
Format Text → Bullets / Numbering
Don't type bullets (•) or numbers manually.- Step 8: Keep Tables Simple
If you use a table in email:
- Only use it for tabular data, not layout
- Mark the header row
- Keep it simple — don't merge cells
- Step 9: Run the Accessibility Checker
Outlook has a built-in accessibility checker:
Message → Check Accessibility (or Options → Check Accessibility)
Review and fix all issues before sending.
Email Signatures
Your email signature should be accessible too:
| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't |
|---|---|
| Use text for your name, title, department, phone | Use an image-only signature (screen readers can't read images) |
| Keep it simple and text-based | Include complex HTML layouts or tables |
| Use standard text formatting | Use very light or very small text |
If your department uses a standard signature image, ask that a text-based alternative be provided or that alt text is added to the image.
Checking Your Work: Quick Checklist
[ ] Descriptive subject line
[ ] Heading styles used (for longer emails)
[ ] All images have alt text
[ ] Link text is descriptive (no "click here" or raw URLs)
[ ] Dark text on light background (4.5:1 contrast)
[ ] Color not used alone for emphasis
[ ] Lists use built-in Bullets/Numbering
[ ] Signature is text-based
[ ] Accessibility Checker run — all issues fixed