Web content tips and support

There are many tools and resources available to help you create accessible content. This page lists those that we find useful and regularly use. Watch this page because we will update it as and when necessary.

Tools, assets and resources

Tools

Hemingway Editor Tool - a free online tool to edit your content and improve its readability.
Colour contrast checker – a free online tool to check the contrast of differing text colours against background colours.
How to make PDFs accessible – video (1 hour 10 minutes) – a free webinar packed with useful tips for converting your raw PDF into an accessible document.

Experience and understanding

Silktide Disability simulator – this Chrome extension contains tools that will show you what your page looks like to users with dyslexia, impaired vision and colour blindness, and with glare on the screen. It also simulates what a screen reader sounds like and what the user will hear.
Why we should use headings to structure content on a web page - GOV.UK YouTube video (2 minutes 11 seconds).
Watch how screen readers use headings to make table content accessible – GOV.UK YouTube video (3 minutes 5 seconds).
Understand more about different types of images – webpages.
Web Accessibility Perspectives Videos - explore the impact and benefits of an accessible website for everyone.
LJMU website’s Accessibility statement – this statement is necessary for the LJMU website to comply with UK legislation and it describes the website’s level of accessibility.

Templates

LJMU PowerPoint standard templates (PDF, 104KB) - download the LJMU branded template.

Microsoft resources

Create accessible PowerPoint presentations videos.
Make your Word documents accessible.
Make your Excel documents accessible.
Make your PowerPoint documents accessible.
Microsoft Forms help and learning pages.
Adding alt text to images in Microsoft documents.

Editor’s publishing checklist

To help us deliver consistently accessible content, the Web Content team uses a quality control checklist based on WCAG standards and regulations.

If you create and edit content on Sitecore, please use our Publishing Checklist to make sure your pages are compliant. Not everything on the list will be relevant for every page, but it provides a comprehensive list for meeting the necessary standards.

Important
You must keep up to date and regularly return to the checklist.

Web Content Community Hub

We are a growing community and we have created a Team group for all staff who contribute to the LJMU website. It is available to you whether you write and ask someone else to publish for you, or you publish on Sitecore, or do both.

If you want to contribute to LJMU’s website, please contact the Web Content Team via a HelpMe helpdesk ticket and we will add you to our mailing list and to the Web Content Community Hub.

Web Content Community messages

Emails that we send to the Web Content Community are found in the Web Content Community Hub’s message archive.

Drop-in session presentation slides

Download a copy of the presentation slides from our drop-in sessions:

Overview session - Making web content more accessible (PDF 1.38MB)

Supporting session notes

The following list of pages are notes from bite-size demonstrations. They summarise some of the popular topics in the Web content style guide and intend to complement the full guidance. For the full guidance, please see the Web content style guide.

Session notes suitable for all contributors, authors and editors

Top tips for accessible links.
Using accessible images.
Correct use for the CSS ‘Large’ font style.
Correct use for the CSS style ‘Important’.

Session notes suitable for Sitecore editors and authors only

Using non-breaking spaces.

Please contact the Web Content Team via a HelpMe helpdesk ticket if you have a specific subject request for a session.

Sitecore training guide for Sitecore editors

If you have been trained by IT Services, you will have login permissions for using Sitecore. Follow the LJMU editor Sitecore training guide for full guidance on how to perform actions and tasks in Sitecore 10.1.

If you have any queries about this guide, please send a ticket to IT Services through the HelpMe helpdesk.

Website improvement progress

We are continually working with ITS and our colleagues to improve the user experience of the LJMU website. The Website progress updates page gives an overview of the more significant projects.