Web accessibility update

Presented to Web Advisory

March 20, 2013

Jonathan Woodcock

Introduction

• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) as it applies to the web.

• Existing resources • Identified gaps and recommendations

arising from the Web Accessibility Working Group Report

AODA Compliance

• AODA Part II, Section 14(4) states all our web content must conform with WCAG 2.0 Level A as of January 2014, and Level AA by 2021

• AODA Part II, Section 14(5) states that the requirements apply to websites, web content and web applications the organization controls, and to all web content published after January 2012

Source: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/source/regs/english/2011/elaws_src_regs_r11191_e.htm#BK15

WCAG 2.0 Guidelines

• 12 guidelines in 4 main categories:1. Perceivable

2. Operable

3. Understandable

4. Robust

• Each guideline in WCAG 2.0 has a number of success criteria associated with it

• Each criterion has an associated level of compliance (Levels: A, AA, AAA)

• There are 41 success criteria in total, we are primarily concerned with the content related items

Written content• There are 16 success criteria that apply to content writers

on websites.• These criteria range from Level A to AAA

• 5 level A – Immediately required• 4 level AA – Required by 2021• 7 level AAA – Highly recommended

• Meeting all listed criteria immediately is recommended.• SEW 110: Writing Accessible Web Content covers these

items in detail• Checklist: 16 points for web writers (link to SEW

sharepoint)

Graphic content• There are 8 success criteria that apply to graphic content• Criteria range from Level A to AA again and apply to:

Functional Graphics (Buttons)

Animations

Illustrations

Decorative Images

• Meeting all listed criteria immediately is recommended.• SEW 108: Creating Accessible Web Graphics covers

these items in detail• Checklist: WCAG 2.0 Guidelines for Designers (link to

SEW sharepoint)

Info graphics

Image maps

Logos

Photographs

Documents• Documents posted to your website fall under ‘web

content’ and therefore must follow the guidelines.• PDF, Word, Powerpoint, Excel are all ‘web content’ if they

are posted to a website• Easiest route to compliance is to create an HTML

equivalent wherever possible• SEW 106: Accessibile Word and PDF files –

course notes (link to SEW sharepoint)• Other courses and templates are coming

Summary of current resources

• Web Content Management System and associated training

• SEW 026: Introduction to Web Accessibility• SEW 106: Accessible Word and PDF files* • SEW 108: Creating Accessible Web Graphics* • SEW 110: Writing Accessible Web Content*• SEW 112: Creating Accessible Tables*

* = offered in current SEW session, spaces still available

All reference documents online on SEW sharepoint

Recommendations from the working group

1. Policy for governance and compliance

2. Training and support plan for 2000+ web maintainers

3. Develop and hire expertise in web-accessibility to support the plan

4. Procure services in web-accessibility where required

5. Draft and implement a University wide communications plan on requirements and related support

6. Specify and implement procurement requirements for external web-service providers

7. Define and implement a website accessibility audit process

8. Draft recommendations for archival content (predating Jan 1, 2012)

9. Contact peer institutions regarding their planning

Next steps

• CPA to hire a contract position to co-ordinate the implementation of the recommendations, working jointly with IST and Secretariat.

• Primary consulting groups identified as Web Advisory, Social Media and Communications council.

Questions?