Social Media Accessibility Checklist - ADA Title II Compliance

SUNY New Paltz: Social Media Accessibility Checklist 

Essential Standards for ADA Title II Compliance 

In accordance with the updated ADA Title II regulations, all digital content produced by SUNY New Paltz must be fully accessible by April 24, 2026. This checklist is designed to help faculty, staff, and students update daily posting routines to ensure our "Digital Front Door" remains open to all students, regardless of how they interact with technology. By integrating these standards, we ensure that accessibility is not just a best practice, but a core component of our commitment to inclusion and equity. 

1: Alt-Text and Information Redundancy 

  • Provide Descriptive Text: Every image must include alternative text via the platform's "Advanced Settings" to assist screen reader users. 

  • Capture the Atmosphere: Describe the specific location, action, and environment rather than just the subject (e.g., "Three students on a blanket on the sunny Parker Quad with the Shawangunk Ridge in the background"). 

2: Captions and Audio Descriptions 

  • Human-Verified Accuracy: Utilize a "Human-in-the-Loop" model to manually edit auto-captions, ensuring campus-specific terms like "New Paltz" are spelled correctly. 

  • Include Audio Cues: Captions should include descriptions of significant sound elements, such as [Upbeat hip-hop music plays], to provide a complete experience. 

3: Color Contrast (The 'Readability' Test) 

  • Maintain 4.5:1 Contrast: Ensure all text-on-background graphics meet the sharp 4.5:1 contrast ratio for maximum readability. 

  • Optimize Legibility: Avoid thin white text on light backgrounds; instead, use dark navy or black text on the New Paltz Orange or a solid navy background box behind light text. 

  • Use Verification Tools: Utilize the WebAIM Contrast Checker as the university standard for compliance. 

4: CamelCase Hashtags (The 'Screen Reader' Logic) 

  • Capitalize Each Word: Capitalize the first letter of every word in a hashtag (e.g., #CollegeTour, #NewPaltzHonors,) to help screen readers distinguish the words. 

  • Prevent Auditory Confusion: Avoid all-lowercase hashtags, which screen readers often misread as single, nonsensical words. 

5: Emoji Hygiene (The 'Clutter' Filter) 

  • Limit Usage: Avoid excessive emojis; a single, well-placed emoji is more effective than a long string. 

  • Strategic Placement: Always place emojis at the end of a sentence or posts so the core message is read first without interruption. 

6: Information Redundancy (The 'No-Flyer' Rule) 

  • Duplicate Critical Info: Since screen readers cannot "see" text flattened into an image, all vital data—dates, times, locations, and links—must be typed directly into the caption. 

  • Actionable Descriptions: Instead of a stand-alone QR code, provide clear text instructions and action-oriented links. 

 
 

The Final Review Audit 

  • Sight: If the image didn’t load, would the Alt-Text and Caption still tell the whole story? (Is the "Flyer Info" typed out?) 

  • Sound: Are the captions accurate (checked for "New Paltz" typos) and inclusive of sound cues like [Music] or [Laughter]? 

  • Structure: Are hashtags in #CamelCase and emojis limited to the end of the text? 

  • Access: Are your Bio Links descriptive? (e.g., "Join the GroupMe" instead of a raw URL). 

 

For Social Media Accessibility Help: Contact John Oles in The Office of Communication & Marketing at olesj@newpaltz.edu. 

For Technical Accessibility Questions: Reach out to the Digital Accessibility Committee at digitalaccessibility@newpaltz.edu or contact Kathryn Bohan, the EIT Accessibility Officer. 

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