Implementation Plan for Web Accessibility

introduction - responsibilities - assessment - policy - software - training - development - promotion - monitoring - [outline]

Introduction

After an organization makes a commitment to make its Web site accessible, it is important to plan the process for implementing accessibility. This page lists detailed considerations for the planning process. Actual implementation plans will vary from organization to organization, and optimal order of the steps below will also vary.

To return to the outline version of this page, select "outline" here or above.

Establish Responsibilities

Establish coordination team with communication plan.
- Identify representatives from key departments, such as marketing, Web development, technical support, usability, etc.
- In decentralized organizations, include representatives from each jurisdiction.
- Designate a team member to track new techniques for accessibility.
Identify high-level champion/spokesperson for Web accessibility.
- Champions can reinforce organizational commitment as implementation progresses.
- Accessibility champions are most effective if at the level of upper administration.

Conduct Initial Assessment

Find out whether organization is subject to external requirements regarding Web accessibility.
- Check requirements early in the process, particularly for government and commercial sites.
Conduct initial assessment of organization's Web site, using Preliminary Review method.
- A quick review of the Web site can provide information about the potential extent of the problems.
Assess current awareness of need for Web accessibility by survey or interviews within organization.
- In large organizations, survey individuals in departments with different roles relating to the Web site.
Assess expertise of organization's Web developers on accessible Web design.
- Self-reporting can be adequate for initial assessment.
Assess suitability of current software to support development of accessible Web sites.
- Organizations with decentralized software procurement practices will need to review more products.
Estimate resources required to address needs identified in initial assessment.
- Include software replacement, staff training, retrofitting of site, monitoring of site, etc., as needed.
Key resources:
Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility
Preliminary Review

Develop Organizational Policy

Find out whether organization has existing policy on Web site design and technologies.
- In large organizations, note whether some department is already developing a general policy for Web site management, and if so what their timeline is.
Establish organizational policy on Web accessibility.
- Address issues such as conformance level, scope of site, use of proprietary formats, milestones, etc.
- Organizational policy should reflect at least the minimum accessibility requirements mandated by the government or industry association, but preferably the internationally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines from the World Wide Web Consortium.
- For organizations that have a general Web site policy, integrate an accessibility section into the existing policy.
- A concise high-level statement of commitment, plus a comprehensive implementation-oriented statement, may both be useful, particularly in large organizations.
Develop initial and ongoing promotion plans to increase awareness of organization's policy, internally and externally.
- Plan for ongoing internal promotion as staff and responsibilities change over time.
Announce new organizational policy.
- Distribute materials about the new policy, including briefings, press releases, and in-house papers.
- Organize promotional events around the new accessibility policy, such as an accessibility promotion day.
- Large organizations may need to provide executive briefings.
Key resources:
Developing Organizational Policies on Web Accessibility
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Policies Relating to Web Accessibility
Executive Briefing on Web Accessibility

Select Software

Select authoring software most conformant to Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG).
- If you are not in a position to make a choice about software then provide guidance and explain requirements to the agency that is in charge of procurement.
- If current authoring software does not support production of accessible sites, ask vendors when it will.
- Until ATAG-compliant software is available, at minimum, select authoring software that does not impede your ability to design accessible sites (for example, software that does not overwrite accessible markup introduced by the author).
Install with recommendations for configurations supporting production of accessible content.
Select software for evaluating and repairing Web accessibility.
- A centralized evaluation resource page may be useful, particularly for decentralized organizations.
Develop management process to counter any shortcomings of selected software.
Key resources:
Selecting Authoring Tools for Accessible Web Sites
Frequently Asked Questions on Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines
Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0

Provide Training

Plan range of training options to meet needs of people with different roles in organization.
- Conduct training sessions for Web masters and Web content developers.
- Develop a Web site with accessibility information and resources for both in-house and external needs.
- If in-house training is not feasible, look for outside training resources.
- For Web design businesses, training should include business case talking points for clients as well as technical training.
Offer repeated training options as staff and responsibilities change.
Key resources:
Planning Web Accessibility Training

Develop Accessible Web Site

Make accessibility a priority throughout development process.
- For new or redesigned sites, build accessibility in starting from the first draft.
- For existing sites, implement necessary modifications and revisions.
- Verify accessibility at key stages.
Provide development team with tools to ensure accessibility.
- Develop accessibility checklists applicable to each development area, such as a checklist for Web design, usability, content-development, programming, etc.
- Develop and distribute accessible templates usable with authoring software.
- Provide access to a selection of verification tools.
Key resources:
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
Techniques for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility

Promote Organizational Awareness

Incorporate Web accessibility policy and explanation into key documents where appropriate.
Regularly reinforce organizational policy on Web accessibility.
- Establish forums for exchange among Web developers, such as regular meetings and mailing lists.
- Organize accessibility events featuring internal and invited accessibility experts.
- Provide updates and briefings for all personnel on the organization's progress toward Web accessibility.

Monitor Web Site Accessibility

Specify Web site evaluation process to be used, and ensure quality of process.
Conduct ongoing monitoring of organization's Web site.
- If using accessibility logos, monitoring should include verification of logo use.
- Decentralized organizations may need some kind of centralized accountability or enforcement.
Invite and respond to user feedback on organization's Web site.
- Provide feedback mechanisms for users both within and external to the organization.
- Feedback pertaining to accessibility must be made available to responsible team member.
Periodically review all aspects of implementation plan for effectiveness.
- Escalate to champion and/or reinforcing organizational policy as needed.
Key resources:
Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility
Conformance Evaluation to WCAG 1.0

Last revised: $Date: 2002/10/10 18:39:43 $

Editors Judy Brewer, Sarah Horton, and Participants of the Education and Outreach Working Group. Comments welcome at wai-eo-editors w3.org.

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