Writing for accessibility

Review the IBM Style manual and other resources such as Writing for Web Accessibility, in addition to the Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

The Disability Language Style Guide addresses the way writers and console designers should discuss and guide teams to write or design for everyone.

Highlights

• Do not use directional language, such as “upper/lower, right-hand area of the screen.”
• Do not use bold tags for emphasis, see the manuals. Use bold for clickable items.
• Do not refer to colors.
• Do not refer to shapes.
• Avoid idioms, which to some users can take quite literally. (This is also for translation.)
• Avoid references like “content below” or “enter this under…”. Rewrite: The following content… Rewrite: Enter in the user name field…
• Remember the style guide recommends quotation marks are only for citations, which are rarely used in tech doc. Only use them if they are part of the command so not to confuse anyone not able to read the text without a screen reader.

Make writing for accessibility natural in your everyday work.