Accessibility

Why should you care as a person developing online educational content for a private university?

• Because it is the right thing to do. Education should be accessible to anyone who wants it.
• Because many other private universities are making their Web sites accessible to people with disabilities by following WCAG and Section 508 guidelines. It's progressive and competitive.
• Because if you receive federal funds, it may be argued that you must comply with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504.

Resources for making Web content accessible:

1. The W3C's (World Wide Web Consortium) WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)
2. WebAim Section 508 Checklist
3. Ohio State University's Web accessibility site - full of all sorts of information
   1. OSU's minimum Web-accessibility guidelines
4. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Best Practices pages
5. University of Washington - Explanation of Section 508 and 504 - Faculty Responsibilities
6. University of Washington - Do It - Teaching tips and techniques for accessibility
7. Side-by-side comparison of WCAG and Section 508 guidelines
8. Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards (Section 508 of Americans with Disability Act)