This document provides an overview of web accessibility for non-profits. It discusses how accessibility is important for non-profits to better serve diverse audiences and meet their social missions. The document outlines the four principles of accessibility - perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. It provides examples of web accessibility guidelines and success criteria at different levels. The document concludes by offering some initial tips non-profits can implement, such as adding alternative text to images, checking color contrast, ensuring keyboard navigation, using descriptive link text, and including transcripts for audio and video content.

1. Accessibility: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE!
Removing barriers for a better user experience for all
To access audio for today’s webinar, please dial toll-free:
(866) 740-1260
Access Code: 1961557

2. Introducing Today’s Presenters:
2
Adam Kaye
Web Development Manager
akaye@charitydynamics.com
Brenda Miele
UX & Creative Director
bmiele@charitydynamics.com

3. What You
Need to Know

4. “Accessibility is the word used to describe whether a
product can be used by people of all abilities and
disabilities.”
- BBC, My Web My Way

5. What is Web Accessibility?
Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web.
• Perceive
• Understand
• Navigate
• Interact
• Contribute
Anyone can use the web
• Good User Experience
• Across Devices
• Seniors

6. Perspective
• 285 million people are estimated
to be visually impaired worldwide:
• 39 million are blind
• 246 have low vision
• 360 million people worldwide have
disabling hearing loss.
• This is double the population of
the United States

7. Real World Solutions Meet Digital Solutions
• Real World Solutions
• Wheelchair ramps
• Accessible transportation
• Braille in elevators
• Sign language interpreter at
concerts
• Digital Solutions
• Screen readers
• Voice recognition software
• Screen magnifiers
• Alternative input devices
7

8. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
• Abbreviated WCAG
• Internationally recognized
• Increasingly legally required
• 2.0 guidelines in effect since
2008
• Three levels of accessibility
and criteria for meeting each
one

9. Section 508 Standards
• Part of the federal government’s Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Provides standards for web accessibility
• Requires that all technology and electronic information produced by Federal
agencies be accessible to people with disabilities
• Have recently been updated to align with the WCAG standards

10. Unique Responsibility for Nonprofits
• Mission to serve a diverse audience
• Social responsibility tangential to organization’s mission such as a
commitment to human rights
• Educational mission, providing access to materials for a broad audience
• Supporting older people with age-related impairments (many of whom may
be donors)

11. Unique Risk for Nonprofits
• Unclear Legal Responsibility
• Section 504 – Requires needs of students with disabilities be met as adequately
as the needs of the non-disabled
• Section 508 – Applies to federal agency websites and services and to
contractors; not to recipients of Federal funds
• Americans with Disabilities Act – Public spaces; Title 3 implies web accessibility
requirements
• DOJ hasn’t made their position totally clear, but they did recently intervene in
another web accessibility lawsuit

12. Private & Government Court Action

13. Act Now
• ACS & AHA have released statements committing to WCAG 2.0 AA level
• Be an industry leader
• Public relations benefits of demonstrating corporate social responsibility
• Reduce risk of legal action, high legal expenses, and negative image
• Better serve your constituents
• Improved usability, including higher conversion rates
• Search engine optimization (SEO) benefits
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14. Accessibility
Principles
and Guidance

15. POUR: Understanding the Four Principles of Accessibility
• Perceivable
All users can have the same experience
THINK: Colors, font sizes, video captions, text alternatives
• Operable
All elements and controls on the web are usable
THINK: keyboard control, timed and blinking content
• Understandable
Content is clear and easy to understand
THINK: Error handling, reading level, motive
• Robust
Can access all content with a wide range of technologies
THINK: Coding standards, browser accessibility, assistive
technology
15

16. POUR: Understanding the Four Principles of Accessibility
If any of these 4 Principles are not true, users with
disabilities will not be able to use the Web.
16

17. Layer of Guidance
• Under each principle, there is a list of guidelines
• Each guideline has testable success criteria which are at
three levels: A, AA, AAA.
17
Guidelines
Principles
Criteria

18. Accessibility Levels
Level A
- Minimum.
- Most sites following
these guidelines
are mostly
accessible, but not
as convenient for
persons with
disabilities.
Level AA
- General
standard.
- Balances the
best between
ease of use and
development.
Level AAA
- Most stringent.
- Mainly followed
by those sites
that are for
persons with
disabilities.
1 2 3

19. Guideline 1.2 Time-based Media: Provide alternatives for time-
based media
Level A
• Transcripts for prerecorded audio, like podcasts
• Text or audio descriptions for prerecorded video-only content
• Captions for prerecorded video
19

20. Guideline 1.2 Time-based Media: Provide alternatives for time-
based media
Level AA
• Captions for live video that contains audio
• Audio descriptions for all video content
20

21. Guideline 1.2 Time-based Media: Provide alternatives for time-
based media
Level AAA
• Sign language videos to accompany audio
• Alternative versions of videos with pauses for audio descriptions
• Transcripts for all audio and video
21

22. Guideline 2.4 Navigable: Provide ways to help users navigate,
find content, and determine where they are
Level A
• “Skip navigation” links
• Descriptive page titles
• Logical order of elements on page
• Informative link text within context
22

23. Guideline 2.4 Navigable: Provide ways to help users navigate,
find content, and determine where they are
Level AA
• Multiple ways available to find other pages in site
• Informative page headings and form labels
• Visible evidence of keyboard focus
23

24. Guideline 2.4 Navigable: Provide ways to help users navigate,
find content, and determine where they are
Level AAA
• Indication of current page location (breadcrumbs or “Step 2 of 5”)
• Purpose of link evident from text alone
• No links with the same text that go to different locations
• Individual sections of content are designated using headings
24

25. 25

26. Getting Started

27. Websites That Can Help
• WAVE: http://wave.webaim.org
– Used to evaluate the accessibility of millions of web pages.
• Color Contrast Checker: http://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/
– Enter foreground and background color to check compliance.
• Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools List: https://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/tools/
– A list of evaluation tools that help you determine if your content meets web
accessibility guidelines.

28. But What Can I Do Right Now?
28

29. Tip #1: Alternative Text for All Images
• Graphics have alternative text and content is simple and concise
Dog
Adopt this dog who knows
how to play video games!

30. Tip #2: Color Contrast Check
• Sufficient contrast between foreground and background
A
A
AAA

31. Tip #3: Keyboard Input
• Every element is accessible only using the keyboard

32. Tip #4: Make Link Text Descriptive
• Stop using the term “Click Here”
Interested in learning more about accessibility? Click here.
Learn more about accessibility.
AAA

33. Tip #5: Transcript for video and audio content
• Audio/visual should always include captions and transcripts.

34. 34
Mission POSSIBLE: You Got

35. Any Questions?

36. Thank You!
© 2017 Charity Dynamics