Accessibility Guidelines
A number of national and international efforts to define accessible electronic content have emerged in recent years. ITS Web Services’ guidelines draw on two of the most recognized standards, Section 508 of the U.S. Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and Priority 1 and 2 checkpoints of the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0.
ITS Web Services’ guidelines use easy-to-understand language and examples in an effort to facilitate accessibility compliance among the University’s content developers. An accessible Website meets established guidelines, which correspond closely to the most basic requirements for legal compliance. A truly accessible Website – that is, one that is genuinely usable for students with disabilities – goes beyond the rudiments to employ good design and sound markup.
The guidelines fall into three categories, associated with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines priorities one, two and three. Section 508 guidelines are listed in the “must” category, and generally mirror WCAG priority one. The categories are as follows:
You must: To comply with the letter of the law, you must meet these requirements.
You should: To make your pages functionally accessible, you are strongly encouraged to meet these guidelines.
Consider: Good design includes these practices. Meeting these guidelines will result in a well-organized, fully accessible site.
Specific, point-by point guidelines for static and dynamic content, as well as site organization, are linked to from this page.
Questions about accessibility? Contact the IT Response Center or call 962-HELP.
