When creating a new website, you should think about making your site accessible – more information can be found here on the website. But something that’s vital is an accessibility statement. Not only does this protect you from legal consequences, but it also provides guidance for anyone having issues with your website.
A website accessibility statement should clearly convey your commitment to making your website accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. To achieve this, the statement must be easy to read and free of technical jargon, especially considering visitors with language and learning disabilities. Here’s how to craft a compelling and clear accessibility statement:
Commitment to Accessibility: Start with a heartfelt declaration of your dedication to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can access and enjoy your website. Express that accessibility is a priority and that you’re actively working to improve it.
Accessibility Standards and Testing: Clearly state the standards you follow, such as WCAG 2.1, to ensure your website is accessible. Briefly explain how you’ve implemented these standards, such as through the use of screen readers and testing across different browsers. Avoid getting too technical—focus on what you’re doing to make the site easy to use for everyone.
Feedback and Support: Provide an easy way for visitors to report accessibility issues they encounter. Explain how they can contact you, what details to include in their report, and what they can expect in terms of response time and resolution. This shows you’re approachable and committed to ongoing improvement.
Known Accessibility Issues: If there are any parts of your website that aren’t fully accessible yet, be transparent about it. Offer alternative ways for users to access the same information or services, showing that you’re aware of the issues and working on solutions.
Legal and Policy References: Mention any relevant national or local laws that guide your accessibility efforts. Keep it brief and straightforward, ensuring visitors understand the legal context without overwhelming them with details.
By following this structure, your website accessibility statement will be clear, compassionate, and effective, helping all visitors feel valued and supported.
Here's an example of a good accessibility statement.
Mecklenburg County Digital Accessibility Statement
Our Policy & Commitment
Mecklenburg County mission is to provide the most enjoyable and informative experience to all our customers. This includes a commitment to accessibility, diversity and inclusion. We are working to ensure our websites and online services are accessible for all customers. We have made a commitment to conform to Level A and AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as most recently published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and comply with applicable accessibility laws and regulations including:
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 2010
- Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (or “Section 508”, 36 CFR 1194 standards)
- 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA)
Digital Accessibility Statement
As we work toward meeting the WCAG Level A and Level AA standards, we continue to develop our digital accessibility compliance program, which includes coordination with our accessibility partners, advocacy groups and vendors to design, develop and test Mecklenburg County websites and online services for conformance to the standards.
Mecklenburg County Accessibility Features
Following are examples of some of the issues that we are addressing on Mecklenburg County websites and online services:
- Structural Markup: We are working to ensure semantic elements and techniques are used – such as headings, lists, paragraphs, and WAI-ARIA markup – to help make sure that users of assistive technology can understand the content and navigate our site more easily.
- Color and Contrast: We are working to ensure that text and non-text elements have sufficient contrast to make sure that users with low vision or color vision issues can accurately see everything on our site.
- Content: We are making efforts to ensure content is properly labeled for users of voice recognition software and users with learning or cognitive impairments.
- Text Equivalents: We are working to make sure that images and media on our websites are accessible through alternative text equivalents.
- Keyboard Access: We are making efforts to help make sure that keyboard-only users can navigate and use Mecklenburg County websites and online services.
- Consistency: We are working to apply accessibility best practices consistently across all Mecklenburg County websites and online services.
Contact
If you would like further information about Mecklenburg County’s digital accessibility efforts, or have other accessibility questions or feedback, please email web-ada@MeckNC.gov.
Disclaimer: No Legal Expertise Provided
Please note that I am not a lawyer, and any advice or information I provide should not be considered legal advice. My insights are based on general knowledge and research, and they are intended for informational purposes only. For any legal matters or decisions, I strongly recommend consulting with a qualified legal professional.
Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, August, 2024, https://chatgpt.com, edited for style and content
