Embedding Accessibility into ETD Workflows: A Case Study

Are you curious about formatting documents for accessibility? Interested in making your ETDs available to people using assistive technology? Embedding Accessibility into ETD Workflows: A Case Study analyzes how one campus took a flailing accessibility formatting program and turned it into a successful, scalable, and less-stressful process. We flipped the process completely: from having the students handle the formatting to taking it in-house and having library workers do the work. We will share our pinch-points and our successes with attendees. This case study examines the evolution of the ETD/accessibility workflow from how it started to the one that is currently in use and successful over more than a decade of constant iterative process improvement. The presenter aims to give others information that could help them to advocate for embedding accessibility formatting into their own workflows. With this structure in place, we have incorporated accessibility formatting into other workflows, including faculty publications and digital archives materials. Accessibility formatting takes time, can be complex, and still requires human intervention at this time, but it is important. ETDs are official campus documents. Making them available for people using assistive technology is the equitable - and right - thing to do.