Starting April 2026, JMU must be compliant with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under Title II, information and communications technologies including web content, mobile apps, social media and other online materials must be accessible to provide people with disabilities with equal opportunities to consume information.  

Alternative text (alt-text)

Alternative text, also known as alt-text, ensures access to images by screen reader software and can also be added to improve the site’s search engine optimization (SEO). Platforms and social media sites have made it easier to add alt-text to make pages and images more accessible towards people who have limited or capped internet functionality. 

Alt-text requires a good image description and then an application of that description to the image it is describing on the site. All of this is done behind the scenes on the platform or social media by the uploader. All images should have alt-text. 

Best practices: 

• Alt-text should be concise and straightforward, ideally 125 characters or less.  

• Aim for a length of 1–2 short sentences that convey the image's context and purpose without repeating information already in the caption. 

• Don’t repeat information that is already in the surrounding text.  

• Don’t say “Image of...”. Screen readers already announce that it is an image, so stating this in your alt-text would be redundant. 

• Using descriptions or identifying language such as stating gender, race, ethnicity, etc. is not necessary unless it is essential to understanding the image.   

• Use a period at the end of alt-text.  

Example: 

Alt-text: Two students socializing and looking at a computer screen together.  

For more information on alt-text, check out this resource from JMU's Office of Disability Services. 

Color contrast

The difference between two colors, either in the foreground or background (or even in the body text, logos and essential diagrams), is color contrast. Checking for color contrast helps the readability of your content but also ensures accessibility for people who may be color blind, have low vision, blindness or other related conditions. 

Ways to check color contrast:  

• Using an online contrast checker 

• Using JMU trusted color combinations from the style guide 

There are other ways to make color visuals more accessible. You can communicate results of things like graphs and charts in text and in color, or you can even create hyperlinks with different text colors. It is important to make your creative materials accessible to broaden your audience and to reach as many people as possible. 

For more information on color contrast and for a step-by-step guide on using a contrast checker, check out this resource from JMU's Office of Disability Services. 

Captions

Captions are a text version of speech and non-speech auditory information in audiovisual media. They are synchronized to the audio of the media. Open captions are captions that are embedded into the video and cannot be turned off. Closed captions are captions that can be turned on and off. Some programs or social media platforms can auto-generate captions, but it is highly recommended to review the captions for spelling, grammar and accuracy before finalizing and publishing the video.

Hashtags 

Hashtags can be used in social media captions to categorize content, support search visibility on the social media platform and build a community around a certain shared interest or topic. However, it is important that when you hashtag a word, or multiple words, within one hashtag, all beginning letters of that word are capitalized. This ensures that screen readers will be able to pick up the word or individual words so the screen reader does not read it as one full word (if you are using multiple words in the hashtag). 

This is more accessible for people who are blind, visually impaired, or have a cognitive disability or dyslexia. It helps viewers to differentiate the words in the hashtag. Capitalizing the letters of the first words in the hashtag allows viewers to find patterns and acts as a cue that a word is separate from other words. 

Correct Examples:  

#James #Madison #University or #JamesMadisonUniversity 

Incorrect Examples:

#Jamesmadisonuniversity or #jamesmadisonuniversity 

Emojis 

Emojis are fun to use but don't always provide the most universal experience. For example, if you write a great caption and add 10 smiley faces with star eyes at the end, a screen reader will read that as, "smiley face with star eyes" and will proceed to say that aloud nine more times. Not only does this make the experience of using a screen reader more difficult for people who need it, but it may even make your audience smaller, thus minimizing your message’s capacity to reach as many people as possible. Keep the emoji use to a limited amount, such as one or two per post. 

Custom fonts 

It is important when writing captions or anything online that you use the JMU Typography guide as a reference to find out what fonts work best. Fonts that may be custom and not used frequently have the tendency to be read on screen readers incorrectly. Sans serif and serif fonts are the most recommended styles. 

What makes these fonts better and more accessible? These fonts have a certain height, width, thickness and readability on screen readers. Fonts that are more legible appeal to a wider audience and thus allow the maximum amount of people possible to hear and read your message. 

JMU uses the following reference guides to constitute Madison Style, which is the official editorial style for all non-academic JMU print and digital communications: 

• Associated Press Stylebook (AP Style) — the most current version of the AP Stylebook  

• A to Z Guide — Our house style guide shows where Madison Style differs from AP Style, offers solutions to commonly queried and misused style points, and addresses style issues unique to James Madison University marketing and branding. 

Always use correct spelling in your online written content or captions in your post to maintain brand trust and credibility. Double-check all spelling and grammar before posting.  

Common AP Style writing guidelines

Dates and times  

Times — write times using numeric figures, except spell out “noon” and “midnight”. Omit the “:00” if it is an exact hour with no minutes.   

• Use periods between a.m. and p.m. 

• Do not capitalize “a.m.” and “p.m.” 

• Use an en dash ( – ), press option+hyphen on a keyboard on Apple devices, when writing out time ranges.  

Correct examples: 6:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; 5–6 p.m.; noon–2 p.m. 

Dates — Abbreviate the following months: Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec. when used with a numerical date. Always spell out March, April, May and June. 

• Do not use a “-th,” “-nd,” “-st” or “-rd” at the end of the numerical date. 

Correct examples:  

• Jan. 14, 2007  

• March 12, 2010 

• The sporting event was in February.  

Incorrect examples:  

• The party was in Nov.  

• The concert is on December 10 at 6 p.m.  

Oxford comma — AP Style does not use the Oxford comma, which is the comma that you typically use when writing out a list. Do not include the comma before the final “and” in a series. You may include the comma when the word “and” occurs in one of the items in the series.  

Correct examples: 

• The boy picked up the blue, green, red and purple markers.  

• Purdue University’s English Department offers doctoral majors in Literature, Second Language Studies, English Language and Linguistics, and Rhetoric and Composition. 

Em Dash and En Dash

An em dash (Option+Shift+Hyphen on Apple devices) can be used in place of a colon or parentheses, or to indicate an abrupt change in thought. Add a space on both sides of the em dash.  

Correct examples: 

• I thought we could just watch a lighthearted movie, but — oh, what a surprise — it was a horror film. 

• We expect a big crowd — if the weather is nice — for Homecoming. 

En dashes (Option+Hyphen on Apple devices) may be used in ad copy to denote a duration of time. For consistency with Associated Press style, do not use en dashes in news body copy. 

Correct examples: 

• May 2–June 3 
  The 2019–20 academic year.  

When a date or year is preceded by the word "from," do not use a hyphen, use "to." 

Correct examples:  

• He was busy from May 2 to June 3. 

For a comprehensive list, check out JMU's A–Z Editoral Style Guide. If what you are looking for is not listed, then follow AP Style guidelines.

Captioning

Engagement — Ask questions in your captions to encourage conversations in your comments. Try to avoid asking “yes/no” questions and use open-ended questions instead. 

When appropriate, include a “call to action” statement such as, “Register to join our event.” 

Authenticity — Being authentic and approachable is crucial for a successful social media presence. Show your (or your brand’s) personality in posts. Keep the tone more casual and conversational, when appropriate, to appear more welcoming. 

Limit emoji use in captions — Emojis do not always provide the most universal experience for viewers. Keep emoji use to a limited amount, such as one or two emojis per post/caption. 

Steer clear of custom fonts — Fonts that may be custom and not used frequently have the tendency to be read on screen readers incorrectly. Sans serif and serif fonts are the most recommended styles. 

Images vs. graphics

Use images and photos instead of graphics. Images (especially non-stock photos) perform much better on social media than graphic posts.  

Graphic posts are visuals with text on top of the image or photo. Graphic posts should be avoided because they are inaccessible and violate Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Screen readers are unable to read the text on top of an image. Instead of putting text on top of an image, write it out in the caption of the post. 

Videos and Reels

Videos and Reels perform the best on social media when it comes to views, likes, engagement and impressions.  

If you create a video or Reel to post, add screen captions to ensure the video is accessible for hearing-impaired users. Review and edit the captions to ensure they are accurate and use correct grammar and spelling.  

Stories

Instagram and Facebook do not currently provide a way to add alt-text to a Story. To ensure Stories are as accessible as possible, make sure the text is large enough and readable. We recommend a similar size as 18 pt. font. If someone is speaking to the camera, add captions to the video by using the “Captions” sticker in Instagram. The Captions sticker automatically generates text from the audio. Then, edit the captions for accuracy and correct grammar and spelling. 

Sharing posts and/or Stories

Instagram and Facebook do not currently provide a way to add alt-text to a Story. To ensure Stories are as accessible as possible, make sure the text is large enough and readable. We recommend a similar size as 18 pt. font. If someone is speaking to the camera, add captions to the video by using the “Captions” sticker in Instagram. The Captions sticker automatically generates text from the audio. Then, edit the captions for accuracy and correct grammar and spelling.

Instagram

Days and times to post 

Optimal days and times to post vary between audiences and current trends and data. A good rule to follow is to post any day between Monday and Friday.  

Links and captioning 

Instagram does not allow you to link URLs in the caption. To avoid posting an unlinkable link, put them in your account or page’s bio and add, “click the link in our bio” to your captions (when applicable). If you have more than one link, then LinkTree would be a great resource to use. You can organize your links and customize your account for free. 

Variety 

Use a variety of different types of posts on Instagram: single photo posts, Reels, Stories and Carousel posts to keep your audience engaged. Reels and videos perform the best and tend to receive a higher number of likes, comments and shares as opposed to single image posts. Stories are a great way to encourage your followers to engage in your content by utilizing Story Stickers and other interactive tools (polls, quizzes, etc.).  

How to apply alt-text 

For a step-by-step guide on applying alt- text on Instagram, please check out this guide from JMU's Office of Disability Service. 

Facebook

Days and times to post  

Optimal days and times to post vary between audiences and current trends and data. A good rule to follow is to post any day between Monday and Friday. It’s important to note that early in the morning (before 10 a.m.) and the afternoon (from 1 to 3 p.m.) are good options for posting, because that is when people are on their phones the most. 

Maintain consistency 

Post regularly to keep your audience engaged. Posting on a consistent schedule will also signal to the algorithm that your page is active and frequently updated, and the algorithm will show your posts to a larger audience. The number of times you post may vary based on the size of your team or bandwidth, but we recommend posting 3–4 times a week to keep the algorithm active. 

How to apply alt-text 

For a step-by-step guide on applying alt text on Facebook, please check out this guide from JMU's Office of Disability Service. 

How to Add Alt Text to Facebook page

How do I Edit the Alt Text on Facebook?

How does Automatic Alt Text Work on Facebook?

How to Add Alt-Text to Instagram Posts

How do I Edit the Alt Text on Instagram

JMU Alt-Text in Instagram

Making Designs Accessible: Fonts, Color Contrast, and Alt Text

JMU Keep Choosing Accessible Learning Materials (C.A.L.M.)

JMU Accessibility: Student Resources

JMU Universal Design and Accessible Media

JMU Accessible Media and Technology

JMU Accessibility: Know Your Rights