Accessibility - AODA

Owned by Steve Weber
Last updated: Feb 14, 2024 by Marlon Griffith

Lets start a wiki on this… The ideal is to keep this a short 5 minute read that covers the basics. Link to more advanced documents/resources. This is a living document please!!! feel free to make changes! I’ll leave spelling mistakes so your forced to make some edit :)

Requirements - WIP

“University has an obligation to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.0 Level AA for all public websites” (target 2025)

Who must comply

As of January 1, 2021, the AODA requires you to make all public websites accessible if you are either:

    a designated public sector organization or
    a business or non-profit organization with 50 or more employees

The organization that controls the website (either directly or through a contractual relationship) must meet the accessibility requirements.

These requirements only apply to websites and web content published on a website after January 1, 2012.

Internal websites

You do not have to make your internal website (intranet or extranet) meet WCAG 2.0 levels A/AA.

However, if an individual asks you to make content available to them in an alternate accessible format (such as large print or braille), you must work with the individual to meet their needs.

The Government of Ontario and Legislative Assembly of Ontario must make their internal websites meet WCAG 2.0 levels AA.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-make-websites-accessible

What about password protected staff and student sites?

Guidance

Always write HTML code with accessibility in mind!

Make your HTML code as semantic as possible.

Semantic elements are elements with a meaning; if you need a button, use the <button> element.

  • Examples of non-semantic elements: <div> and <span> - Tells nothing about its content.

  • Examples of semantic elements: <form>, <table>, and <article> - Clearly defines its content.

Use alt attribute to describe images.

Use clear language:

  • Keep sentences as short as possible

  • Avoid characters that cannot be read clearly by a screen reader

  • Avoid dashes. Instead of writing 1-3, write 1 to 3

  • Avoid abbreviations. Instead of writing Feb, write February

  • Avoid slang

A link text should explain clearly what information the reader will get by clicking on that link.

Checkers

Public sites

  • Siteimprove

Sites behind authentication

Tutorial

I am not sure how useful LinkedIn learning is for this.

Basic

These tutorials have html examples.

  • .

These videos have html examples:

Advanced

General References

  3. .

Links to extra support and other resources