School Website Accessibility Guide

Introduction

Information on websites must be accessible for people with disabilities of all kinds, but unfortunately, some schools fall short in eliminating website barriers. This guide is intended to help you understand website accessibility and break down the barriers to communication for everyone in your school community.

Think of how dependent we've all become on the internet — the phones, tablets, desktops and other devices we rely on to plug into the web 24/7. Now imagine having a disability that prevents you from accessing web content. Maybe you cannot maneuver a mouse or have a vision, auditory or learning issue. A disability should not – and cannot by law – prevent a person with a disability from having the same website experience as someone without a disability.

Besides the legal requirements outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), there is a moral mandate to assure your website is accessible. Planning and designing an ADA-compliant site is the right thing to do for the 61 million Americans with disabilities.

If you are involved in managing or planning a school website, you should understand how to assess website accessibility, plan for ADA-compliance, design a compliant website, and keep it compliant so that it stays fully accessible for everyone.