Compliance Process Guide
Introduction
All new or redesigned Cal Poly Web sites must meet Section 508 guidelines and also best practices for Web design (i.e., XHTML and CSS or Web technologies that support the separation of the content from the formatting and are accessible to people using assistive technology software).
Before new or redesigned sites can be published or linked within the Cal Poly Web environment, developers must complete the Section 508 Manual Website Evaluation Worksheet (listed below) when they submit a website for an accessible compliance review.
Creating accessible Web content requires much more than passing a set of tests. It requires an understanding of what the issues are that people with disabilities face when using a computer to access the Web. If a company or developer intends to develop a Web site for Cal Poly, then they must become educated on the issues and use design techniques that facilitate easy access to content.
The below information is intended to help developers get started with this process and to understand Cal Poly's requirements for Web sites.
If outsourcing a Web site, vendors should begin with the "Outsourcing a Web Project" page on this Web site.
Prior to building, redesigning, or enhancing a campus Web site, become familiar with the Section 508 Checkpoints for Web accessibility described at the CSU Website.
In addition, prior to developing applications or new technologies, refer to the expanded Guide to Section 508 Technical Standards - Subpart B described at the CSU Web site.
An excellent primer on Web Accessibility is available through WebAIM.
New and redesigned Cal Poly Web sites must comply with minimum best practices for XHTML 1.0 Transitional and CSS 2.0. Validators for these technologies can be found at:
- XHTML Validator - http://validator.w3.org/
- CSS Validator - http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/
Campus Web sites must comply with the Style Requirements outlined on the Web Authoring Resource Center (this web site).
Tools
Several tools should be used for checking the accessibility of a Web site. These should be used in parallel.
Automated Checks
Cal Poly uses an automated tool called AccVerify/Repair (or AccMonitor) to perform initial accessibility checks. You can obtain the same functionality using the Cynthia Says tool which uses the same validation engine as AccRepair.
Manual Checks
A thorough manual (visual) evaluation must be performed on the Web site since automated tools can not determine the full extend of the accessibility of a site. A tool/process for performing the manual evaluation has been established by the CSU:
- CSU Cal Poly Section 508 Manual Website Evaluation Guide (5/20/08) (Word)
- CSU Cal Poly Section 508 Manual Website Evaluation Worksheet (4/11/08) (Word)
Reference
Lastly a particularly helpful reference book on Web accessibility is:
Web Accessibility by Jim Thatcher (ISBN 1-59059-638-2)