This Knowledge Base (KB) article provides guidance on making inclusive font choices to enhance accessibility in digital and print materials. Selecting a font that prioritises readability and inclusivity improves the experience of all readers.

Importance of inclusive font choices

The font you use can have a big impact on readers with a visual impairment or dyslexia. An inclusive font helps to make your content more accessible for all. The following sections provides general guidance and tips to making inclusive font choices.

General guidance

When choosing fonts for your documents, keep the following considerations in mind:

1. Readability: Prioritise fonts that are legible at various sizes and suitable for extended reading.
2. Contrast: Ensure sufficient contrast between the text and the background to enhance readability. We recommend that smaller text should have a contrast ratio of at least 7:1 and large text 4.5:1.
3. Typeface Variations: Consider using font families that provide different weight variations (for example: light, regular, bold).
4. Language Support: Choose fonts that support a wide range of languages and characters.

Quick tips for choosing inclusive fonts

Follow these tips to make inclusive font choices:

1. Fonts: Sans serif fonts, such as Tahoma, are often more accessible than serif fonts for on-screen reading due to their simplicity and clean lines.
2. Imposter letters: Avoid using fonts with characters that mirror or look like each other. “Imposter letters” are those letters whose characters look similar to another character in a font. For example, 'I' may look like an 'L,' a '1,' or an exclamation mark! Similarly, mirroring is when a 'd' or 'b' look the same when mirrored.
3. Size and spacing: Select fonts that allow for comfortable reading. Fonts with generous letter spacing and ample line height can enhance readability and reduce visual strain.
4. Test: Before finalising your font choice, test it across different devices, and screen sizes to ensure optimal legibility. Seek feedback from diverse individuals to gather insights on readability and accessibility.

Related content

For further information on making inclusive font choices and promoting accessibility, consider exploring the following resources:

• A Guide to Understanding What Makes a Typeface Accessible, and How to Make Informed Decisions
• Introduction to Digital Accessibility Course (Internal only) on Blackboard provides guidance on creating accessible digital content, including font choices.
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) outline best practices for web accessibility, including font recommendations.
• Digital Learning blog post on Fonts – An introduction to Typography