Typography involves arranging letters and text in a way that is legible and readable.
- Legible: how easily individual characters and words are distinguished to the reader’s eye.
- Readable: how easy it is to read the text overall.
Typefaces and fonts
When choosing a font keep in mind that some font styles are inaccessible. Decorative fonts, fonts with overlapping characters or letters, and fonts where numbers resemble letters are generally inaccessible.
- Always choose a font with simple and clear features so that letters and characters can be distinguished from one another.
- Sans serif fonts are considered a more accessible option for digital content. For readers with low vision serifs significantly degrade legibility. Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, and Verdana are examples of sans serif fonts.
- Standard 11 or 12 pt or 15 to 16 pt font can be used for websites and documents. Footnotes less than 9 pts are problematic. People with low vision use magnification features to access digital text content. Using smaller than typical font creates a barrier. It requires users to “zoom in” more, breaking the reading flow. Very large fonts should also be avoided. To access these the reader must “zoom out” and reorient to their place on the page.
Additional resource
Understanding Accessible Fonts and Typography for Section 508 Compliance, Section 508.gov