The Institute for Digital Intermedia Arts (IDIA Lab) in Ball State University's College of Architecture and Planning is seeking faculty, administration, and staff volunteers to participate in a closed beta trial of a new Social Media Accessibility Checker designed to support accessible and inclusive digital communication.
Developed by IDIA Lab, the web-based application helps users review social media post drafts and accompanying media for accessibility considerations and alignment with Ball State University communication practices before publication. The tool supports content intended for Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), providing an efficient workflow for identifying potential accessibility issues early in the content creation process.
The Social Media Accessibility Checker evaluates post copy and attached media against WCAG-aligned accessibility guidelines and University documentation. Users can review content through an interactive checklist that addresses topics such as emoji usage, CamelCase hashtags, link clarity, alternative text, image text considerations, color contrast, captions, thumbnails, and other platform-specific accessibility requirements. The application also includes AI-assisted suggestions for improving post copy and alternative text descriptions while maintaining user control over all final decisions. Where human review is required, the system highlights items that require manual verification.
As part of this beta phase, participants are invited to test the application using their own draft content and provide feedback on usability, functionality, and overall performance. Feedback collected during the trial will help guide refinements before the University's broader rollout planned for 2027.
Video Overview
A brief overview of the Social Media Accessibility Checker is available here:
https://vimeo.com/1202280679/c6dc7b65bb
How to Participate
Faculty and staff interested in participating in the beta trial should contact IDIA Lab at idialab@bsu.edu and provide the following information:
- Name
- Department
- College or Unit
- Ball State Email Address
Eligible participants will receive access instructions through their Ball State email account.
Thank you for helping improve accessibility resources that support effective and inclusive communication across the University.