Communications Resources
& Guidelines
The Center for Disabilities Studies (CDS) Communications & Advocacy team is here to assist the communication needs of CDS staff, faculty, programs and units. This page provides a summary of procedures, services and templates for the center’s most frequently requested communication materials.
Accessibility Resources
Use these guidelines and resources to ensure your content and events comply with accessibility standards. Each item provides clear direction for creating inclusive materials across formats and platforms.
Content Accessibility
It’s important that all of our content—including documents, slide decks, videos and event materials—meets accessibility standards so everyone can access and understand the information we share. Below are resources to help you create accessible materials.
Resources
Accessibility Guidance & Checklist
The guide explains how to create accessible content. It covers the basics of accessible writing, design, media and form building. The checklist and step-by-step guidance helps you apply these practices.
Accessibility Support Session
Accessibility Support Sessions are for help using the Accessibility Guidance & Checklist. During your session, we can walk through how to apply the guidance to your materials, understand the requirements and troubleshoot questions about formatting, structure or best practices.
These sessions do not include making your materials accessible for you. Instead, we focus on showing you the steps so you can confidently apply them in your own work.
Event Accessibility
At CDS, we strive to provide accessibility and inclusivity at all of our events. Guided by our mission to enhance the lives of people with disabilities and their families, we recognize our responsibility to remove barriers to participation by incorporating accessibility features, accessible materials, physical access considerations and flexible participation options whenever possible.
Our commitment to accessibility reflects our core values and our deep respect for the lived experiences of the communities we serve.
CDS sponsored events with a formal program or formal program elements must use a registration process.
- In addition to providing information to be used in planning the event, much of the information gathered from a registration form is the same information required in NIRS reporting.
- Registration process will utilize, at a minimum, the template provided by the Communications & Advocacy unit which includes questions about requested accommodations.
- Any accommodations requested before the registration deadline must be provided.
- Event organizers can always choose to provide a full complement of accommodations (i.e. ASL, CART captioning, etc.) regardless of requests.
- Consider including the estimated cost in budgeting for event.
CDS sponsored events without a formal program or formal program elements (i.e. tabling events, drop-in events) are not required to offer accommodations.
- As representatives of CDS, any attempts to make full participation easier as noted above are appreciated.
Resources
Event Registration Form Template
This form lists the questions you should include on your event registration forms. If you copy this form to create your own, delete any placeholder text and remove the questions that do not apply to your event type. After duplicating, please remember to change the title of your survey to: “[Event Name] Registration Form.” To rename a survey in Qualtrics, go to the Projects page, click the three dots (…) next to the survey, and select Rename project.
Communications Resources
Find the resources and request forms needed to manage professional identity materials such as headshots, bios, business cards and presentation submissions. Each item helps ensure accuracy and consistency across our center’s communications.
Order Business Cards
CDS business cards are two-sided, with the reverse side in large print. The Communications team will send you a digital proof to review. After you approve the proof, the Communications team will send your business cards to University Printing and will coordinate a pickup day/time when they’re ready.
Update Staff/Faculty Bio on Website
The employee biography should be approximately 150-250 words and accompanies your headshot on the CDS Team page. For an example, visit our website.
Schedule a Headshot
The headshot session will take place at the CDS office in Newark, and your photo will be featured on the CDS Team page.
Use the Email Signature Generator
To create your University branded email signature, please use the official form generated by the Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM). For assistance in adding the generated signature to your email client, please refer to the documentation.
Download UD Alternative Font Files
While official UD brand fonts should only be downloaded and used by those doing creative assets and/or collateral materials (such as college communications teams and unit designers), alternative fonts can be used in digital applications, i.e. cross-platform use, Google slides or PowerPoint presentations. These alternative fonts can be downloaded from Google Fonts.
Headings & Headlings
Oswald | Download Oswald font file
Sub-headlines, Body Copy & Web
Open Sans | Download Open Sans font file
Submit FY2026 Presentations & Publications
Please review the Publications section of our website (Peer-Reviewed Research, Book and Chapter Citations, and Posters and Presentations pages) and submit any recent, unlisted entries using the form below.
University Brand Guidelines
The University of Delaware Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM) maintains style guidelines to help all those affiliated with UD to be the best stewards of its image, reputation and story. Please refer to the following links often, as changes are made frequently.
*Please note: with the UD/CDS slide deck template, you can:
- Duplicate the presentation in Google Slides (File > Make a copy > Entire presentation)
- Download the presentation as a Microsoft PowerPoint file (File > Download > Microsoft PowerPoint)
Photo & Video Guidelines
Model Release Forms
Model releases are required for any identifiable subjects captured in photos or on video. There are two types of model releases: adult releases for subjects over the age of 18 and minor releases for subjects younger than 18. Minor releases require the signature of a subject’s parent or legal guardian to be valid.
Project Request Form
Use this form to request a project (i.e. social media post, graphic design, event communications, etc.) from the Communications & Advocacy unit.
Contact CDS Comms
If you have questions or need additional support, please email us.
Carl Kanefsky
Communications Manager
carlk@udel.edu
Jordyn Clifton
Digital Content Specialist
jhgum@udel.edu