UMass Boston

Accessibility Roles for Researchers

Use these resources as a starting point to help you develop content that is both accessible and inclusive. 

General Accessibility for Researchers

Researcher Specific Accessibility

Use Transcripts to Better Describe Complex Visuals

A simple accessible document transcript that describes in detail the nature of your work that would be available for screen readers is the best way to ensure your content is fully compliant according to WCAG 2.1 standards. Two things to include are:

  1. alternative tags for your diagram or complex visual
  2. accompanying accessible pdf transcript describing the visual in more detail for your target audience that may use assistive technologies.

Following is an example of some research webpage copy, its compatible diagram, and the accompanying link to the transcript.

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Pyrimidine base hypermodification

The DNA nucleobases define the genetic code, but there are many intricate modifications that affect their access and function. Termed epigenetic modifications, we are excited to explore enzymes from bacteriophage that generate chemical modifications of pyrimidines. We are specifically looking at a modification pathway that begins with incorporation of 5-hydroxymethyldeoxyuridine (5hmdU) within the DNA fiber. This modification pathways echoes our interest in natural product biosynthetic pathways, in that it is a modular pathway in which different enzymes have roles to chemically activate, modify, and tailor pyrimidine hypermodifications, all within the intact DNA fiber.

5hmdU Pathway overview

Transcript 5hmdU hypermodification within double-stranded DNA activation and group transfer