Find the most suitable accessibility solution

To do the right thing, you need the right people! Here are a few quick tips:

First let them talk! Find out what accessibility solution providers will do for your site. Take note if they emphasize the end users experience and principals of accessibility or if they just emphasize fulfilling checkpoints. Remember; checkpoints help test whether principals of accessibility have been achieved. One can fulfill any number of checkpoints and still end up with a partially accessible site

Then test their knowledge of accessibility by asking some basic questions. Here are some guidelines:

What are their credentials?

Remember, anyone can post their name as an accessibility consultant at Cast (bobby) just like anyone can join groups like WCAG or the WAI. But, there are only about 15 members of the WAI or WCAG in good standing.

What has been their participation at WCAG? Have they attended any meetings or made any presentations at WAI events?

Are their references able to accurately judge the success from the perspective of the disabled end-users? Do they have referrals from disabilities groups they have worked with?

How do they measure success?

A good measure of success is based on end-user testing. Impaired end users representing different user scenarios should test the site. They should be asked to complete site-testing tasks representing the sites’ aims including: site navigation; fact-finding tasks e.g. directions, prices, and reviews; or comment through the ‘contact us’ page.

Accessibility tools such as Bobby are only a success measurement. Be careful of accessibility specialists priding themselves in passing Bobby! Bobby is only a tool for good accessibility specialists to check their work. It does not guarantee your site is even minimally accessible. Currently there are no commercially available tools that guarantee an accessible result. Total reliance on any tool is a warning sign.

How do they view the process of becoming accessible?

A truly accessible site cannot be achieved at the end of the design process unless it is through a real-time alternative rendering. style="mso-spacerun: yes">  True accessibility in one rendering will involve your whole design processes.

Which WCAG AAA, priority 3 accessibility checkpoints would work well with my site. Which should not be implemented and why?

WCAG A conformance represents minimal accessibility only. At least some Priority 2 (conformance level AA) should be included and Priority 3 (conformance level AAA) checkpoint to make sure that the site is understandable and usable for different end users.

style="mso-spacerun: yes"> At times it will be expensive to implement lower priority checkpoints. Therefore, always ask what the cost will be to the disabled end user, by not implementing a checkpoint.

What steps are recommended for helping persons with cognitive disabilities?

People with cognitive disabilities are often ignored when sites become accessible. This is a form of discrimination. The text available should be literal in a simple step by step form i.e. without insinuations, sarcasm or implied content. Illustrations also help exceedingly.

A good consultant should have tests and criteria to confirm that the language is appropriately simple.

Are they pleasant organized and professional?

Accessibility providers should be pleasant to deal with, organized and professional. They should take away from and not add to the already existing burdens of the IT department.

For any further information or to have an accessibility strategist review your site, contact us at info@ubaccess.com