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VTechWorks Policies

VTechWorks Policies document the practices that provide the infrastructure to the repository. These and other policies apply to content directly deposited into VTechWorks, to content ingested into VTechWorks in other systems, and to content automatically

Content and Contact

Content: https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu          Contact: vtechworks@vt.edu

Accessibility to VTechWorks

We strive to have VTechWorks accessible to all and in accordance with university policy 4075, Policy 4075: Accommodations of Employees and Applicants with Disabilities (PDF).  Text readers should work and we provide captions for videos.

If assistance is needed, please contact us at vtechworks@vt.edu or 540-231-3028.

Below are guidelines for creating accessible works. We provide these guidelines so that depositors can create and submit works are are accessible in VTechWorks.

Guidelines for Creating Accessible Works

VTechWorks is a largely public repository and we want everyone to be able to access the materials in it.

To help you produce materials that everyone can access, below are some best practices:

  • Generally
    • Make all text actual text (not an image of text)
    • Give images descriptive text
  • MS Word documents
    • Use "styles" to indicate headings (instead of bold characters or larger font), paragraphs, etc.
    • Use built-in column, list, table creators
    • Create Alt Text and add Captions to images, figures, tables and graphs
    • Use "Check Accessibility" under the Review tab
    • Preserve accessibility features by "save as PDF" rather than "print PDF"
  • PDF files
    • Add title, subject, author, key words in the "Properties" label under File in the menu bar
    • Convert images of text to text with "Text Recognition" under Tools tab in Adobe Acrobat
    • Select "Action Wizard" under Tools tab in Adobe Acrobat, then "Make Accessible"
  • Spreadsheets (e.g., Excel, Calc, etc.)
    • Name each sheet
    • Avoid using merged and blank cells
    • Don't create tables (under Insert tab)
    • Use "Check Accessibility" under the Review tab
  • Presentations (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote, etc.)
    • Use subtle sounds to indicate slide changes
    • Use transitions sparingly
    • Avoid using tables
    • Don't use Text Box; use only predefined placeholders
    • Make sure video and audio files are captioned
    • Use "Check Accessibility" under the Review tab

 

      

Other Institution's Policies

DigitalCommons@ILR: Accessibility Statement (Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations)