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SearchImplementation Plan for Web Accessibility
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Note: WCAG 2.0 was published in December 2008, and is recommended over WCAG 1.0. See Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview.
We will soon update this page to reflect this change.
Introduction
After an organization makes a commitment to make its Web site accessible, it is important to plan for implementation of accessibility. This page lists detailed considerations for the planning process, followed by resource pages with more information. Actual implementation plans, as well as the optimal order of the steps, will vary from organization to organization.
Establish Responsibilities
- Establish a coordination team with a communication plan.
- Identify representatives from key departments such as marketing, Web development, technical support, usability, etc.
- In decentralized organizations, include representatives from different regions or jurisdictions.
- Designate a team member to track new techniques for accessibility.
- Identify a high-level champion or spokesperson for Web accessibility.
- Champions can reinforce an organization's commitment while implementation progresses.
- Accessibility champions are most effective if they are within upper administration.
Conduct Initial Assessment
- Find out whether the organization is subject to external requirements
regarding Web accessibility.
- Check requirements early in the process, particularly for government and commercial sites.
- Conduct an initial assessment of the organization's Web site, using the
Preliminary Review method.
- A quick review of the Web site can provide information about the potential extent of the problems.
- Assess current awareness of the need for Web accessibility by survey or
interviews within the organization.
- In large organizations, survey individuals in departments with different roles relating to the Web site.
- Assess expertise of the organization's Web developers with regard to
accessible Web design.
- Self-reporting can be adequate for initial assessment.
- Assess suitability of current software to support development of
accessible Web sites.
- Organizations with decentralized software procurement practices will need to review more products.
- Estimate resources required to address the needs identified in the
initial assessment.
- Include software replacement, staff training, retrofitting of site, monitoring of site, etc., as needed.
Key resources:
Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility
Preliminary Review
Develop Organizational Policy
- Find out whether the organization has an existing policy on Web site
design and technologies.
- In large organizations, note whether some department is already developing a general policy for Web site management, and if so what their timeline is.
- Establish an organizational policy on Web accessibility.
- Address issues such as conformance level, scope of site, use of proprietary formats, milestones, etc.
- The organizational policy should reflect at least the minimum accessibility requirements mandated by relevant government policies or industry associations, but preferably the internationally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines from the World Wide Web Consortium.
- For organizations that have a general Web site policy, integrate an accessibility section into the existing policy.
- Both a concise high-level statement of commitment, plus a comprehensive implementation-oriented statement, may be useful, particularly in large organizations.
- Develop initial and ongoing promotion plans to increase awareness of
the organization's policy, internally and externally.
- Plan for ongoing internal promotion of Web accessibility as staff and responsibilities change over time.
- Announce the new organizational policy.
- Distribute materials about the new policy, including briefings, press releases, and in-house papers.
- Organize promotional events around the new accessibility policy, such as an accessibility promotion day.
- Large organizations may need to provide executive briefings.
Key resources:
Developing Organizational Policies on Web Accessibility
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Policies Relating to Web Accessibility
Executive Briefing on Web Accessibility
Select Software
- Select authoring software most conformant to Authoring Tool
Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG).
- Until fully ATAG-compliant software is available, at minimum, select authoring software that does not impede your ability to design accessible sites (for example, software that does not overwrite accessible markup introduced by the author).
- If current authoring software does not support production of accessible sites, ask vendors when it will.
- If you are not in a position to make a choice about software, then provide guidance and explain requirements to the agency that is in charge of procurement.
- Install using recommended configurations which support production of accessible content.
- Select software for evaluating and repairing Web accessibility.
- A centralized Web page with evaluation resources may be useful, particularly within decentralized organizations.
- Develop a Web publishing process to counter any shortcomings of
selected software.
Key resources:
Selecting Authoring Tools for Accessible Web Sites
Frequently Asked Questions on Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines
Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
Provide Training
- Plan a range of training options to meet the needs of people with
different roles in the organization.
- Conduct training sessions for Web masters and Web content developers.
- Develop a Web site with accessibility information and resources for both in-house and external needs.
- If in-house training is not feasible, arrange outside training resources.
- For Web design businesses, staff training should include how to present a business case on Web accessibility to clients as well as technical training.
- Offer repeated training opportunities as staff and responsibilities
change.
Key resources:
Planning Web Accessibility Training
Develop Accessible Web Site
- Make accessibility a priority throughout the development process.
- For new or redesigned sites, build accessibility in starting with the first draft.
- For existing sites, implement necessary modifications and revisions.
- Verify accessibility at key stages.
- Provide the development team with tools to ensure accessibility.
- Develop accessibility checklists applicable to each development area, such as a checklist for Web design, usability, content development, programming, etc.
- Develop and distribute accessible templates usable with the organization's authoring software.
- Provide access to a selection of evaluation and validation tools.
Key resources:
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
Techniques for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility
Promote Organizational Awareness
- Incorporate the organization's Web accessibility policy into key documents where appropriate.
- Regularly reinforce the organization's policy on Web accessibility.
- Establish forums for exchange among Web developers, such as regular meetings and mailing lists.
- Organize accessibility events featuring internal and invited accessibility experts.
- Provide updates and briefings for all personnel on the organization's progress toward Web accessibility.
Monitor Web Site Accessibility
- Specify the evaluation process to be used for Web site accessibility, and ensure quality of the process.
- Conduct ongoing monitoring of organization's Web site.
- If using accessibility logos, monitoring should include verification of logo use.
- Decentralized organizations may need some kind of centralized accountability or enforcement.
- Invite and respond to user feedback on organization's Web site.
- Provide feedback mechanisms for users both within and external to the organization.
- Feedback pertaining to accessibility must be made available to responsible team member.
- Periodically review all aspects of implementation plan for
effectiveness.
- Escalate to champion and/or reinforcing organizational policy as needed.
Key resources:
Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility
Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility