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How to Use Automated Solutions to Improve Accessibility of College and University Websites and SharePoint Workspaces Web Conference at Penn State Jeff Singleton, HiSoftware. Your Speaker Today. Jeff Singleton Sr . Accessibility Consultant HiSoftware Inc. Agenda. Introduction
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How to Use Automated Solutions to Improve Accessibility of College and University Websites and SharePoint WorkspacesWeb Conference at Penn State Jeff Singleton, HiSoftware
Your Speaker Today • Jeff Singleton Sr. Accessibility ConsultantHiSoftware Inc.
Agenda • Introduction • Changes to Web accessibility summarized • What it all means to you • Automating Compliance • Purdue University Calumet Case Study • About HiSoftware • Q&A
Setting the Scene “College Web pages are ‘widely inaccessible’ to people with disabilities, according to a recent National Science Foundation-backed study that looked at 127 institutions in the Northwest over five years. A recent study of 183 colleges, nationwide, found similar problems.” - Source The Chronicle of Higher Education Dec 2010
Web Accessibility Summarized IT and Web Content
Examples of Lawsuits • DOJ settled a complaint by NFB against the University of Arizona under Title II of the ADA – suite was known as “Kindle” • The NFB complaint against Penn State regarding Web and other IT used on campuses
Changing Legislation and Policies • Updating Section 508 standards • WCAG 2.0 level AA • DOJ issued four ANPRMs; two of relevance: • Web accessibility • Applicable Web standard
What These Changes Mean to You • Consider ALL of the IT used by your college or university • Web content should conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA • Do it Now!
3 Proactive Web Accessibility Steps • Benchmark Your Web PropertiesAudit current sites to benchmark compliance and assess where improvements can be made. • Consider an Automated SolutionScan content to identify and remediate issues with both online content and documents like Word and PDF to achieve compliance and maintain it moving forward. • Consider OutsourcingIf you just don’t have the staff resources to address accessibility consider having a third party help you get up and running.
Multiple content contributors within an organization Content changes on day to day basis: Documents uploaded / edited Email communications sent Social collaboration through blogs / wikis External and Internal website content is added / edited Who’s Contributing to Your Content? How can all content contributors be aware of regulations like Section 508 & 504, ADA and WCAG 2?
Why Automate? Among adult computer users in the United States: 57% of computer users are likely or very likely to benefit from the use of accessible technology. * 44% of computer users use some form of accessible technology. * According to the Pew Internet Project, survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, Jan. 2011, 54% of adults living with a disability go online. Manual check = 20 min per page Human error No tracking of manual checks Automating Accessibility Compliance * http://www.microsoft.com/enable/research/
Scan digital properties for inaccessible content • Public websites, intranets, applications • Files attached to web pages (PDF, XLS, DOC…) • File shares • SharePoint sites • Provides ongoing auditing & reporting • Sends automatic issue notifications via email • Pinpoints the location of issues for remediation • Measure progress over time
ALT text needed for images to provide information for blind users ALT is “breakdown of gas prices” What should it be? Accessibility: Image ALT text
Vision impairments are very common. The Web content accessibility guidelines include clear rules for color contrast settings The Compliance Sheriff check scan lets the document creator know if the content will be difficult to see for users with vision impairments Accessibility: Color Contrast
Accessibility Contrast All information conveyed with color is also available without color
Ability to skip navigation Using online forms Links to plug-ins Auditory and visual alternatives Flicker, blink, marquee Relative vs. absolute fonts Documents attached to Web pages (PDF, Office) Address Other Accessibility Concerns
Automating Compliance in SharePoint Workspaces Integrated SharePoint Solutions to automatically: • SCAN & AUDIT content at rest or in motion to detect non-compliant data and violations: Section 508/WCAG 2.0, plus privacy issue including PII, PHI, COPPA, GLBA... • REPORTon the compliance status of the site(s) and incidences, measure progress, and pinpoint issues for remediation with detailed reports and dashboards. • PREVENT users from publishing, distributing, or emailing confidential and sensitive documents. Stop users from adding non-compliant content. • CONTROLcontent using workflows to alert users to fix issues, get manager approvals and quarantine documents. • Address SharePoint Framework Accessibility with AFM
About Purdue University Calumet • Founded in 1946 • Purdue University satellite campus (one of four) • Enrollment approx 10,000 • Semi-autonomous with regard to academics & some policies
About Purdue University Calumet • Centralized Web Administration • University Relations responsible for • Design, Look & Feel • Navigational philosophy • Functionality of the site • Oversight of content
About Purdue University Calumet • Web Accessibility Policy • Formally adopted March 2010 • Based on Section 508 • Set guidelines, goals, responsibilities and a timeline • 100% compliance by March 15, 2014 • Applies to: • Websites • Multimedia • Learning management systems • Documents delivered online • Software & applications
Purdue’s Web Accessibility Challenge • Over 200 WordPress sites to monitor • 300 content editors to educate • Thousands of Web pages to remediate • Need for documentation • Manual evaluation taking too long • Need for an automated solution
Requirements • Need for a comprehensive solution • Easy to understand interface • Not intimidating • Not overly technical • Minimal learning curve • Explains the issues and how to remediate • Can compare site progress to other sites
Methodology for Finding a Solution • Researched automated tools • Effectiveness • Ease of use • Cost • HiSoftware selected on • Capabilities of tool • Pricing model • Outstanding support
Roll Out of Compliance Sheriff • Installed March 2012 • Content editors granted limited access • Used default settings initially • HiSoftware’s support helped customize server settings and scans • One-on-one training/group training
Overall Benefits of HiSoftware • Automated Web accessibility compliance across: • websites, multi-media, learning management systems, and online documents and applications • Benchmarked compliance against policy guidelines • Prioritized remediation efforts • Documentary evidence of remediation efforts available
End-User Benefits of HiSoftware • Content editors: • Better understand accessibility issues • Able to remediate problems, immediately • Competitive spirit to improve • Software takes sting out of critique
Outcome Purdue University Calumet now has a proactive Web accessibility solution that has become part of the institutional culture of IT accessibility helping to promote openness.
About HiSoftware • Award-winning solutions for content-aware compliance & information security • Founded in 1998 • More than 750 public sector and corporate customers globally • Global Presence • Boston (Nashua, NH) / Melbourne, AUS/Redmond, WA / Washington, DC / Sofia, Bulgaria
Want More Information? • White Paper: The Changing Legal Landscape of Web Accessibility in Higher Education
Thank You • Jeff Singleton Sr. Accessibility Consultant HiSoftware Inc.j.singleton@hisoftware.com • For more information go to: www.hisoftware.com