Accessibility FAST
Accessibility FAST
There are three frameworks to use to remember the key points of digital accessibility: SCULPT[1], THRIVES[2], and FAST.
SCULPT reminds authors to check:
Structure
Colour and Contrast
Use of images
Links
Plain English
Tables
THRIVES reminds authors to focus on:
Tables
Hyperlinks
Recordings
Inclusive font
Visuals
Examine
Structure
The above frameworks are useful methods to remember key accessibility concerns. To focus on the important areas of digital accessibility this guide uses the FAST approach to organize major accessibility fundamentals.
FAST emphasizes:
Function
Appearance
Structure
Text equivalents
Function
Function means material:
- Conveys information effectively in plain language appropriate to audience.
- Is responsive and customizable (Word documents, EPUB, and HTML are much more accessible than PDF).
- Can be accessed by mouse, keyboard, on a phone, etc.
- Can be read aloud, zoomed in, viewed in dark/night mode.
- Has no media that automatically plays.
- No content flashes more than 3 times per second.
Appearance
Appearance means content:
- Has readable fonts.
- Has sufficient colour contrast.
- Does not rely on visual style, such as colour, alone to distinguish or emphasize.
Structure
Text Equivalents
Including text equivalents is essential for accessibility. Ensure:
- Images have alternative text or are marked as decorative where applicable
- Links are presented as descriptive, visually distinct, linked text not bare URLs.
- Charts have linked or adjacent table data.
- Videos have closed captions
- Audio has transcripts
In addition, use available accessibility tools and resources, including:
- Templates
- Accessibility checkers and
- This Pressbook
- This resource is organized along the FAST framework. The details of FAST are not meant to be memorized, nor is the material in this book. Bookmark this Pressbook to use as a guide when creating content.
- Worcester County Council SCULPT by Helen Wilson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Based on work at Worcestershire County Council. ↵
- Centre for Educational Development (CED) THRIVES is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. ↵
A framework for assessing the accessibility of content, by focusing on key criteria, including:
Function
Appearance
Structure
Text Equivalents
Language that is easily understood by the intended audience. Write for the audience using clear, simple language with focus on important information. Organize and group content.
Responsive content automatically adapts to the size of the user's display (phone, laptop, tablet, etc.)
Most common ebook file format. A very customizable and accessible format.
Portable Document Format. One of the more difficult format to make accessible. Lacks customization options for readers (font customization, reflow, colour options, etc.)
Colour contrast is the difference in saturation, brightness, and pigment of different elements relative to one another. A contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 between text and background is required by common accessibility standards.
The use of code (HTML attributes, PDF tags, XML, etc.) to distinguish content by meaning, not appearance. For example, a <h1> heading tag creates both a visual and coded navigation waypoint whereas increasing the font size and bolding simply makes regular text appear larger.
Headings are text used to organize a document. Headings are section and subsection titles used to logically separate content, build and show relationships between ideas, and explain the development of concepts. Headings must be hierarchical, not skip a level, and be semantically programmed, not merely cosmetic.
Information presented in a grid format of rows and columns, generally to show a relationship between sets of set
Alternative text is a text equivalent of graphics in a document or webpage. Alternative text is coded to be hidden visually, but read to a screen reader user.
Linked text to another document or part of document that the user can follow by selecting. Effective hyperlink text should make sense independent of the content around it.
A text equivalent of audio content in a video, displayed synchronously. Closed captions are toggled on or off by viewers, as opposed to open captions that are burned into the video and always displayed.
Transcription is the process of converting audio into written text. A transcript is a written record of all audio in media. Captions are synced to the content.
Preset document or file format, used for consistency without having to recreate each time
Automated tools built-in to many platforms that check for common accessibility issues. Are not to be considered a guarantee of accessibility.
