Social Media & Sign Accessibility

Social Media Accessibility Guidelines

Follow the Social Media Accessibility Guidelines to ensure that your social media content is accessible, enhancing inclusivity and compliance with accessibility standards.

Accessibility Best Practices and Guidelines for University Signage 

These guidelines will assist Michigan Tech faculty, staff, and students who create and/or order signs to ensure consistency, inclusivity and comply with accessibility standards and requirements.

Interior Signage are signs that identify permanent rooms and spaces and are required to be visual and tactile. This includes room and floor numbers or letters; room names; cafeterias, libraries, conference rooms, mechanical rooms, and other permanent rooms or spaces.  

• For Room/Office signs and MTU Directory signs, Facilities Management recommends using Vista 200, which is an aluminum body with a removable cover that has ADA-required room number in raised letters and braille.
• Physical signs can be purchased through Industrial Graphics, Koski Signs, or Cook Signs.
• Paper inserts can be ordered through Michigan Tech Print Services.
• See below for information on restroom signs. 
• Custom ADA-compliant signs that include the University logo or name MUST be ordered through a licensed vendor such as Industrial Graphics, Koski Signs, or Cook Signs as listed above. 
• Signs may be designed independently, by the sign company, or by UMC
• All designs must be forwarded to UMC by the vendor for review and approval prior to production.
• Other vendors may be considered, but they must obtain approval as a licensed vendor prior to production.
• Contact UMC for assistance at umc@mtu.edu.
• Custom ADA-compliant signs that do not include the University logo or name may be ordered from any online vendor that produces ADA-compliant signage, such as Green Dot Sign or Erie Custom Signs. 
• Different types of signs may have different requirements. Ask the sign provider to ensure the signs you are ordering are ADA-compliant. 
• Signs that provide direction to or information about interior spaces and facilities must meet visual requirements but are not required to be tactile. Examples of informational signs include instructions, rules of conduct, hours of operation, and similar content. Directional signs include all signs that provide directions to spaces and facilities. These requirements apply only where such signs are provided.  
• Temporary signage may be created and used until ADA-compliant signage is obtained. Temporary signage does not have ADA requirements. 
• Mounting Height should be between 48 and 60 inches from the floor. 
• For single doors, signs should be mounted to the wall closest to the latch of the door. If for any reason there is not an acceptable location to mount the sign on a designated wall, the sign can then be mounted on the nearest adjacent wall. For double doors opening outward, signs can be mounted next to either door on the latch side.
• For inward swinging doors, the sign can be mounted on the door if three of the following criteria are met: (1)The door automatically closes. (2) The sign is mounted on the push side of the door. (3) The door does not come equipped with a “hold-open” device. For outward swinging doors, the sign should be mounted to the wall outside of the door swing (18 inches away from the door and wall)

Interior Signage for Restrooms: 

• All restroom displays should be tactile signs. This means they should have both raised text and braille explaining who can use the space. 
• Pictograms are also required with the text and designed with 6” international symbols for gender (i.e., men, women, all gender) and accessibility, if applicable. 
• Gender-inclusive restrooms should have signage indicating it as an "All Gender Restroom" rather than a "Gender Neutral Restroom.”
• The sign should have a non-glare finish. Symbols and characters should have a stark contrast with the background (i.e. light characters on a dark background or vice versa). 
• Mounting of restroom signs: 
• The specific location for mounting should be 60 inches above the finish floor to the center of the sign and placed on the wall that’s adjacent to the latch side of the door. When wall space is limited, a sign should be mounted on the nearest adjacent wall.
• For double doors with a single active leaf, the sign should be placed on the inactive leaf. For double doors with two active leaves, the sign should be placed to the right of the right-hand door. 
• Additionally, the sign should be mounted in a location with at least 18 inches by 18 inches of clear floor space beyond the arc of the door swing. 

If you have questions about ADA signage contact one of the sign vendors listed above or Michigan Tech’s ADA Coordinator at adacoordinator@mtu.edu or 906-487-3310.