Why accessibility is important
.gif "Accessibility")
As advocates for people who are blind or low vision, we at Envision value independence. Our online communications should support independence through equal access to information by any method. Web accessibility is an important facet of our mission to ensure personal independence, enrich quality of life, and provide career opportunities for people who are blind or low vision.
What are accessibility requirements?
There are two sources of requirements for online accessibility - Section 508 and WCAG.
Section 508 is an amendment to the Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 508 requires Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. The spirit of this law is that all people have access to information regardless of ability.
The WCAG is a set of guidelines published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium. The Consortium uses experts in various fields to develop and publish standards for many facets of the World Wide Web. The WCAG group consists of industry representatives, accessibility consultants, universities, and accessibility experts.
The first version of the WCAG was published in 1999. Version 2 was published as a recommendation in late 2008. The WCAG is not the same as Section 508 but the two are similar and often WCAG guidelines are used to check Section 508 compliance. Below are links to the checkpoints for WCAG compliance. Included are Levels A, AA, and AAA, sometimes referred to as Priorities 1, 2, and 3, and how Envision has met the requirements of each level.
How our web site is designed for accessibility
As many organizations find, making an established web site accessible is difficult and time consuming. Our devotion to blind and low vision advocacy, public education, and outreach led us to the decision to design a new web site that would set an example in online accessibility. Envision developed internal design standards that guide the development of the site, its content, and how we communicate online.
Our design standards ensure we meet or exceed accessibility guidelines. The links below lead to specific guidelines and how Envision maintains compliance.
We welcome your suggestions and observations about accessibility. To send your comments, fill out our Accessibility Feedback Form.