As campus efforts continue to meet Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, the digital accessibility team is providing weekly articles on how to create accessible content.
This week’s featured article covers social media accessibility.
Accessible social media posts
Whether you are posting for a department, a student club or your professional network, follow these best practices to ensure your content reaches every member of the Laker community.
Social media is a powerful tool for engagement, but it can present significant barriers for users with visual or cognitive disabilities. By making a few small changes to your posting routine, you can ensure your message is perceived, understood, and navigated by everyone.
1. Master the "CamelCase" hashtag
Screen readers often struggle to distinguish individual words in a hashtag if they are all lowercase.
- The fix: Capitalize the first letter of every word in your hashtag (also known as CamelCase).
- Instead of: #oswegolakers
- Try: #OswegoLakers
- Placement: Keep your hashtags at the end of your post to avoid cluttering the main message for screen reader users.
2. Use emojis sparingly
Did you know that a screen reader announces the literal name of every emoji? If you use ten "fire" emojis in a row, a user will hear "fire fire fire fire..." ten times.
- Best practice: Place emojis at the end of your sentences or the end of the post, rather than in the middle of a thought.
- Avoid substitution: Never use an emoji to replace a word.
3. Provide text equivalents (alt text)
If you post a photo of a campus event or a graphic with registration details, users who are blind or have low vision need a text alternative.
- Alt text: Most platforms (X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn) allow you to add "Alt Text" in the advanced settings before you post. Describe the "what" and "why" of the image.
- Avoid pictures of text: If your image is a flyer with dates and times, that information must also be written out in the body of the post. Screen readers cannot "read" text that is flattened into an image.
4. Clear and plain language
Accessibility isn't just about screen readers; it’s about clarity for everyone, including those with cognitive disabilities or those reading on the go.
- Be direct: Put the most important information first.
- Acronyms: Spell out acronyms the first time you use them. If you must use an acronym, placing periods between letters (e.g., C.T.S.) helps some screen readers read them letter-by-letter rather than as a garbled word.
5. Caption your video content
Video and audio content must include text alternatives.
- Most platforms now offer auto-captioning tools, but they often fail on names like "Oswego."
- Always take 30 seconds to "Edit Captions" before you hit share to ensure the text matches your speech.
The ideal post structure
To make your posts as accessible as possible, follow this order:
- Main text content (the "hook" and details)
- Links (use descriptive text, not just a raw web address)
- Hashtags and @ mentions
- Emojis (use sparingly!)
Professional development and support
To further assist the campus community, the following list includes various professional development :
The Digital Accessibility team is available to visit departments, offices, or student groups for training or discussion.
Additional learning opportunities include:
- Accessibility tutorials on creating and checking accessible documents
- The asynchronous “Access: A Quest Toward Inclusion” course
- SUNY Access for All webinar series
- 2026 Winter breakout workshop recordings through CELT
- Digital Accessibility website resources
Staying informed
Additional updates on campus accessibility efforts and Title II implementation will continue to be shared through Oswego Today and occasional campus emails.
Creating an inclusive digital environment is a shared responsibility. Thank you for your attention to this important initiative and for helping ensure that SUNY Oswego remains a welcoming, accessible community for all.
–- Submitted by members of the Digital Accessibility Steering Committee and the Workgroup on Accessibility Practices who can be reached at accessibilitypractices@oswego.edu