Connect25 Accessibility Tips

CollegeNET is committed to making Connect25 usable by all students, regardless of ability. We continually strive to improve accessibility through testing and ongoing improvements. The following tips may help improve your experience with Connect25, your student engagement platform for participating in, planning, funding, promoting, managing, and measuring student activities.

Note About External Links

Many sections in this topic contain external links to websites not affiliated with CollegeNET. CollegeNET cannot guarantee the information provided by external websites.

Improving Your Experience With Visual Limitations

If you have trouble seeing elements of Connect25, please try some of the following adjustments.

Enlarge Text

Most modern browsers allow you to enlarge text size. Please note that these changes may be lost when you open a new browser tab/window or re-open your browser.

  • To Enlarge Text in Most Desktop Web Browsers
    • Most browsers will have options in the menu bar
    • Or, press "Ctrl +" on your PC keyboard
    • Or, press "Command +" on an Apple MacOS keyboard
  • To Enlarge Text on Android Devices (Samsung, Google, etc.)
    • Tap the Settings icon
    • Tap the Display option and go to Advanced
    • In the Font section, tap the Font size option
    • In the new window, adjust the slider to your desired text size
  • To Enlarge Text on iOS Devices (iPhones, iPads)
    • Open the Settings app
    • Search for Accessibility or go to General > Accessibility
    • Tap to open the Larger Text menu item
    • Use the slider at the bottom to choose the desired text size, or turn on Larger Accessibility Sizes for even larger options.

Listen to Text Content

There are built-in options as well as screen reader applications that can read text content aloud from Connect25.

Check Color Contrast

Color contrast checking tools can help verify that the colors displayed have sufficient contrast for people with visual limitations. You can use the following tool to check contrast:

https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/

Improving Your Experience With Online Forms

Connect25 uses online forms throughout the platform—for event registration, organization membership requests, RSVPs, post-event surveys, budget plan submissions, volunteer service hour entries, and workflow approval routing. The following tips can help ensure a smooth and accessible experience when completing these forms.

Keyboard Navigation in Forms

You can navigate and complete all Connect25 forms using your keyboard.

  • Tab: Move forward between form fields
  • Shift + Tab: Move backward between form fields
  • Enter or Spacebar: Activate buttons, checkboxes, and links
  • Arrow keys: Navigate radio buttons, dropdown menus, and date pickers
  • Escape: Close modal dialogs and dropdowns

Screen Reader Compatibility

CollegeNET designs Connect25 forms to work with popular screen readers. Each form field includes a visible label that is also accessible to screen readers. An announcement will appear when a field has an error or requires attention.

Tip: Navigating Form Errors

If you submit a form with missing or invalid fields, focus will be moved to the first field with an error. Your screen reader will announce the error message associated with that field so you can correct it before resubmitting.

Date Pickers and Dropdowns

Some Connect25 forms, such as event forms, budget line item entries, and date-filtered searches, include date pickers and dropdowns. If you find these difficult to use, try the following:

  • Type a date directly into the date field using your keyboard instead of using the calendar picker, where supported.
  • Use the arrow keys to navigate the month and day options within the date picker pop-ups.
  • If a dropdown is not responding as expected, try using the native browser select controls by adjusting your browser's accessibility settings.

Form Timeout and Session Management

If you require additional time to complete forms, be aware of the following:

  • Connect25 sessions may time out after a period of inactivity. You will be warned before this occurs.
  • If your session expires while completing a longer form (such as an organization application, budget plan, or service hour log), your progress may not be saved. Consider drafting your responses in a separate document before entering them.
  • Contact your institution's Connect25 administrator if you require a session time extension or other accommodations.

QR Code Check-In and Self Check-In

Connect25 supports event check-in via QR code and card swipe. If QR code scanning is not accessible for you, the following alternatives are available:

  • Use the self-check-in link provided by your organization, which can be accessed directly in a browser without scanning a QR code.
  • Ask an event organizer or administrator to manually check you in using the attendee search in the Check In dashboard.
  • Card swipe check-in is available as an additional alternative, where supported by your institution.
Note: Required Fields

All required form fields are marked with an asterisk (*) and are also announced by screen readers. Optional fields are left unmarked.

Improving Your Mouse, Tracking, and/or Touch Experience

Many mobile devices and desktop operating systems provide accessibility features to improve the experience for those with physical and motor-skill limitations.

Common Keyboard Command Suggestions for PC Users

Improving Your Experience with Auditory Limitations

Connect25 does not natively involve sound features, but some events may have linked videos or media associated with them. Connect25 also includes group chat channels and direct messaging, both of which are text-based and fully navigable with a keyboard and a screen reader. First, look for accessibility options on any linked video website. Additional information is below.

Additional Desktop Browser Accessibility Information

Tips for Improving Video Experiences

Student organizations in Connect25 may post videos for event recaps, announcements, or promotional content. Organizations can also publish news articles and public posts using the HTML-rich-text editor, which populates members' home dashboards. If you are posting video or rich-text content, please keep the following in mind to ensure all students can access it.

1) Transcripts are automated. Edit your transcript.

  • Default video transcripts in Connect25 are automatically generated.
  • Users submitting videos should actively edit their transcripts for accuracy.
  • Be aware that your fellow students may not have reviewed theirs. Our developers continually work to improve the accuracy of the transcript generators in use.

2) Avoid any flashes of light that may cause seizures

Avoid anything that flashes more than three times in any one second.

3) Make sure the speaker's face is visible

When you make sure your speaker's face is visible, it can help students who use lip reading follow along with what is being said, in addition to the transcript.

4) Avoid visual elements that don't have a nonvisual equivalent

Avoid including visual elements in your video that don't have a corresponding nonvisual element. For example, if you display a flyer or graphic in your video, please describe its key details aloud.

For more information about these and other web accessibility guidelines, visit the links below:

Tip: If Using YouTube Videos

See Google's page on using YouTube with a screen reader for more information on accessible video playback.

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