Accessibility Standards

Who is focused on Accessibility?

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) — the organization that sets standards for the web — and the governments of Canada and the United States, among others, have begun programs to ensure that public websites, like public buildings, are available to individuals with disabilities.

These programs are know as:

World Wide Web Consortium - W3C Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
Government of Canada - Common Look and Feel (CLF)
United States - Section 508
Government of Ontario - Accessibility Directorate of Ontario

What do the programs require?

The Government of Canada's Common Look and Feel (CLF) requirements combine a standard page layout with a strict HTML coding syntax. The result is easy-to-use websites that can be accessed by all users, regardless of browser or assistive technologies. The goal is web pages that users can access regardless of the age/version of their browser and operating system, and the use of an assistive technology like a screen reader.

While compliance with the layout guidelines can be seen on screen, compliance with the code is much more difficult to verify. EffectiveSite are experts in the W3C Priority 1 and Priority 2 Accessibility Requirements. Proper CLF code must comply with all of these requirements, which requires both knowledge of these requirements and expertise in how to use them.

Into the future

With an aging population and an increasing awareness of the barriers that those with disabilities face on the web, it is only a matter of time before these standards will apply to corporate and commercial sites. By focusing on accessibility now, EffectiveSite can help your site meet these standards...before legally-imposed deadlines loom.