Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is a chance to experience digital content from a different perspective. At the University of Missouri System, accessibility supports students, faculty, staff and the public — and it starts with awareness.
For GAAD on May 21, spend up to one hour doing one activity below using a website, document or course you already use. Don’t worry, no special tools or prior experience are required.
Digital accessibility shapes how people learn, work and participate across the UM System. Many people rely on assistive technology to access websites, documents, videos and online systems. Spending a little time experiencing content differently can reveal hidden barriers, improve usability for everyone, and support our shared responsibility under federal accessibility requirements.
Get started by choosing one activity
Option 1: Keyboard-only navigation
Try navigating a webpage without a mouse. Open a page you manage or use often, then use Tab to move forward and Shift + Tab to move backward through links and controls; press Enter to activate a link or button. Notice whether you can reach every link, button and form control.
Option 2: Try a screen reader
Listen to how a webpage is announced with assistive technology. Visit a familiar site and listen for headings, links and form fields.
- Windows: Press the Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter to start or stop Narrator
- Mac: Turn on or off VoiceOver using Command + F5 or Siri
- iOS (iPhone or iPad): Turn on VoiceOver in Settings > Accessibility, or ask Siri to “turn on VoiceOver”
- Android: Turn on TalkBack in Settings > Accessibility, or use your device’s accessibility shortcut if enabled
Option 3: Color perception check
Turn on a color filter (or use a simulator) and view a page, chart or graphic you use, then check whether the meaning is clear without relying on color alone.
- PC: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Color filters and toggle filters on to preview common types such as red-green (green-weak/deuteranopia), red-green (red-weak/protanopia), and blue-yellow (tritanopia).
- Mac: Go to System Settings > Accessibility > Display > Color Filters, turn filters on, and compare what information is lost when color changes.
Option 4: Screen magnification (zoom)
Zoom in to 200 to 400% and try typical tasks such as navigating menus, reading content and completing a form. Notice horizontal scrolling, clipped text, overlapping content or controls that become hard to reach.
Option 5: Check a document
Run an accessibility check on a file you own.
- In Microsoft Word, open the document, go to Review > Check Accessibility, then use the Accessibility pane to review errors, warnings, and recommended actions.
- For a PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro, open the file, go to Tools (or All tools) > Accessibility, run Full Check (Accessibility Check), and review the report to address any issues you can quickly fix.
Option 6: Draft an email with voice dictation
Use voice dictation in Microsoft 365 (Outlook or Word) to draft a short email, then review for clarity, punctuation and any misheard words.
Open Outlook, start a new message, place your cursor in the message body, then on the Message tab select the Dictate (microphone) button and begin speaking when you see the app is listening; say “stop dictation” or select the microphone again to turn it off. If you do not see the Dictate button, you can also start dictation at the cursor using your device shortcut (often Windows key + H on PC or pressing Fn twice on Mac).
If your microphone is not working, check microphone permissions and speech/dictation settings, or contact the Division of IT. For dictation commands, see Microsoft’s Voice Access command list.
Want to go a step further?
Explore the A11y Book Club annual reading lists and the Digital Accessibility Basics course on Percipio.
If these activities raise questions or you spot barriers you want to address, the UM Division of IT Accessibility Center team is here to help.