(Highlights from RGD Ontario's ACCESS-ABILITY: Design Accessibility Conference)
10 simple rules to consider in your design
- Contrast
• Use high contrast colours for text and background.
• Good examples are black or dark blue text on a white or yellow background, or white/yellow text on a black/dark blue background. - Type Colour
• Printed material is most readable in black and white.
• If using coloured text, restrict it to things like titles, headlines or highlighted material. - Point Size
• Bigger is better. Keep your text large, preferably between 12 and 18 points, depending on the font (point size varies between fonts).
• Consider your audience when choosing point size. - Leading
• Leading is the space between lines of text and should be at least 25 to 30 per cent of the point size.
• The is lets readers move more easily to the next line of text.
• Heavier typefaces will require slightly more leading. - Font Family & Font Style
• Avoid complicated or decorative fonts.
• Choose standard fonts with easily-recognizable upper and lower-case characters.
• Arial and Verdana are good choices. - Font Heaviness
• Opt for fonts with medium heaviness and avoid light type with thin strokes.
• When emphasizing a word or passage, use a bold or heavy font. Italics or upper-case letters are not recommended. - Letter Spacing
• Don't crowd your text: keep a wide space between letters. Choose a monospaced font rather than one that is proportionally spaced. - Margins & Columns
• Separate text into columns to make it easier to read, as it requires less eye movement and less peripheral vision.
• Use wide binding margins or spiral bindings if possible.
• Flat pages work best for vision aids such as magnifiers. - Paper Finish
• Use a matte or non-glossy finish to cut down on glare.
• Reduce distractions by not using watermarks or complicated background designs. - Clean Design & Simplicity
• Use distinctive colours, sizes and shapes on the covers of materials to make them easier to tell apart.