Why is accessibility important for school websites?
You already know that your school buildings need to be accessible to all visitors, whether they use a wheelchair or another assistive device or they don’t. However, you should also be taking steps to make sure your school website is accessible to all site visitors, no matter what types of assistive technology they may use to access it.
If your school website isn’t accessible to all visitors, then a portion of your community misses out on important announcements, calendar updates, and opportunities to engage with your school.
Digital Equity is the Goal
No matter who visits your website, making sure it’s accessible for everyone should be a top priority for your school, because an accessible website lets all users interact with the site in the way that works best for them.
What are the key features of an accessible website?
What is WCAG? ADA?
The two acronyms you’ll often hear when it comes to website accessibility are WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Meeting the ADA guidelines may be a requirement, but it’s also a gateway to connection with every family you serve.
The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act all contain multiple laws on the subject of accessibility, but essentially they should be addressed with the same goal in mind: to make your school website accessible to all visitors
How do I know if my school's website is compliant with ADA website accessibility guidelines?
Your school website provider should be able to evaluate the accessibility of your website. If they don’t offer that service, you can also run a self-check using the Wave Accessibility Evaluation Tool. If you have multiple pages on your website, you will need to check each one individually.
