Avoid Using “All Caps”

Readability is reduced with all caps (all capital letters) because all words have a uniform rectangular shape, meaning readers can't identify words by their shape. Also, use of all caps is considered yelling.

Alt Text On Images

When you upload an image to a website or social media, you must write “alternative text” or “alt text” that briefly describes the photo for people who are blind and/or using screen readers. Here are some examples of alt text on images. (ParentSquare & SmartSites require you to input alt text when uploading an image onto the mass communication tool and the website. ParentSquare does not. You can also input alt text into images on Google Slides, Microsoft Powerpoints, Word Docs, etc.)

In 2025, ParentSquare added a feature in which alt text can be created through artificial intelligence generation. When you click the "image alt text" box, a prompt will ask if you want to "generate AI suggestion" and it can automatically write alt text for you.

Color Contrast

People with limited vision cannot read the text if there is not enough contrast between the text and the background. (For example, light gray text on a light-colored background.) A fool-proof way to ensure compliance is to use black text on a white background (like a Word Doc.) Read the WCAG color contrast standards or use the Web AIM Contrast Checker.

Closed Captioning on Videos

All videos on the MCR2 website, social media, ParentSquare, or other digital communication tool will be required to have closed captioning as of the 2026-2027 SY so people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can understand the information in a video. Additionally, people who are visually impaired also rely on closed captioning to service their screen readers. Please make sure closed captioning is always included in your videos, for the entire duration of the video. Words that are displayed on the screen but not spoken aloud (i.e., someone holding a sign) are also supposed to be contained in closed captioning.

Tip: The easiest way to ensure closed captioning is to simply upload your video to a YouTube account and enable automatic closed captioning. Then, you can embed the YouTube video onto a website, ParentSquare, etc. In addition, YouTube allows for closed captioning in multiple languages.

Sometimes, formatting issues will prevent YouTube from automatically enabling closed captioning and the process will have to be done manually. Please review your video to ensure that the closed captioning is correct before sharing with others. 

Descriptive Links

When linking to a web page or an email address, the link should be descriptive so a person with a screen reader can understand the link they are clicking on. It should not say “click here” or “view more.” Instead, it should say, “Visit the City of Versailles website” or “Email Mrs. Whitfield.”

Update: In 2025-26, we have ceased listing email addresses or contact links in the website staff directory. Starting in 2026-2027, we will further update our staff directory to direct staff to contact our faculty and staff through ParentSquare due to accessibility and cybersecurity reasons. 

Headings

A document should contain headings so someone using a screen reader can navigate to different sections of the document. On the website, paste the content from your document directly onto the website and select headings (headlines) where applicable rather than posting a PDF.

• Instructions on how to include headings in a Microsoft Word document

PDF Documents

We discourage the use of PDFs on the website because most are not ADA compliant. PDFs must be formatted in a certain manner to be read with a screen reader. Please place content directly onto the website, and not a PDF, to ensure ADA compliance and language-translation compliance.

• PDF flyers will no longer permitted on the MCR2 website starting in 2026. When we receive flyers about community or school events, we will use the wording to create event calendar listings instead.

• If a PDF document, such as a letter or a report, must be posted on the website, it should be formatted properly with headings so it can be read with a screen reader. Tables containing data are often not formatted properly. (There are many documents like this that have been posted on the MCR2 website over the years, and we will be making efforts to stop this practice moving forward.)

• If a PDF flyer, handout, or document is received on or after 2026-2027 SY we will not post it as we have in the past, but attempt to format it as part of the website or post. Please keep this in mind when creating your document. For example, you may not be able to include graphics as you may have in the past as we will use the basic information required to ensure the information is shared in an accessible manner.

Organizational Charts

Typical organizational charts (or "org charts"), presented as a diagram or tree structure, or the like, are not accessible. Those charts are a purely visual representation of relationships, and do not appropriately convey information to people who need to understand the content without the use of vision. 

As a result, visual charts should only be used as a secondary means of presentation: The primary means should be accessible to all users. This can be accomplished with a simple nested list on a web page or post. It can also include headings, accordion menus, or other techniques to improve appearance and functionality.

Scanned PDF Documents Are Never ADA Compliant

A PDF that is scanned is not ADA compliant whatsoever. It is essentially a photo, and a screen reader cannot read the text at all. Remember, “a scan is not a plan!” It will not be accepted beginning 2026-2027 SY. 

Tables

A screen reader cannot read information in a table when it has nested tables, split cells, or merged cells. Generally, tables are best used for numerical data. Tables must have a header row (formatted top row), and often but not always require a header column (formatted first column on left). 

Why? A screen reader audibly reads the data from left to right. The top row (header) has to be formatted so the screen reader knows to read the information in that row first before reading the information below it.

To demonstrate an example, please view the sample table below, which shows water testing results.

If the header is formatted properly, the screen reader will read each row by first reading the title found in the header, at the top of the column, so you can tell what type of data is being described. 

If you look at the second row in the diagram above (the first row below the header), it would read the information this way:

“Date sampled” → “10/20/2023” 

Then, “Type of Fixture Sampled” → “Classroom Faucet”

Then, “Sample Location” → “Room 1A”

Then, “Lead Result” → “0.0016” and so on. 

If the header row is not formatted, then the screen reader would read the second row this way:

“10/20/2023,” “Classroom Faucet,” “Room 1A, “0.0016” and so on.

For a table with dozens of rows, it would be impossible for a person to understand all the different data being described without reading the title of the column found in the header row.

If you are creating a table on the new MCR2 website (on ParentSquare), click "header row" and if needed click "header column" as displayed in the photo below.

• Instructions On How To Create Accessible Tables in Microsoft Word