As a CIO, I was contacted by law firms and government agencies to address concerns from end users of institutional web sites, web portals, applications, and classroom technology. These are valid requests that must be resolved. As much as education has tried to be inclusive and supportive historically, little work has been invested in ensuring technology is designed with users with disabilities in mind. There have been attempts to make websites accessible, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). In 1998, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act was added to require federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible.
For federal agencies, there are accessibility standards and requirements. For all other private companies, educational, and organizational websites, the implementation and application of accessibility are not as clear, leaving a wide range of technology in varied states of preparedness to meet the needs of people with disabilities. Aside from compliance, it is important for educational institutions to ensure technology is accessible because it not only provides the right of access to people with disabilities but also improves the user experience for all users. By designing systems intelligently and logically and ensuring all controls are intuitive and accessible, technology empowers end users and promotes content, business processes, and communication.
Many institutions are hesitant to make these modifications due to significant expense and a lack of expertise, but there are easy first steps to identifying simple changes that decrease the severity of an inaccessible website and improve everyone’s user experience. There are many free online resources, and some tech companies that specialize in accessibility will offer a free or low-cost initial evaluation. Once a report is produced, an institution can start by addressing first-priority issues. Doing this will show a good faith effort and that your institution has taken steps to address accessibility and is concerned about diversity and inclusion. This month’s EdTalk includes two accessibility practitioners and experts who will share experiences and tips on how to start your path to digital accessibility.
