Accessibility

Web accessibility has many components. Legally, the most pertinent legislation is the following:

• The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Section 508 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
• Recent Department of Justice Rulings on the Interpretation of the ADA

A "system" was created to meet the requirements set down by these laws.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (now on version 2.0 and usually referred to as WCAG)

The University of San Diego is legally required to comply with these laws to ensure that all of our students, faculty, and staff can use our websites.

The Web Team has incorporated solutions to the majority of accessibility requirements into Cascade. However, as content contributors, there are a few things maintainers need to be aware of and with which they must comply.

The guide below demonstrates how to successfully comply with the most common accessibility issues maintainers face. 

• Descriptive Link Text – Avoid using generic, or duplicate text for hyperlinks. This is most frequently seen with the use of "click here."
• PDF Accessibility – Ensure text is accessible, and documents are not scanned images. Here is a site that covers how to convert an inaccessible PDF into an accessible PDF.
• Images – Images should have an appropriate "alt tag." Any text contained in the image must be placed in the alt (but, image-based text should generally be avoided).
• Headings – Never use heading 1. All page titles are automatically set as Heading 1 by default. Verify order and need for headings.
• Tables – Tables should have a summary and have properly labeled header cells if appropriate. See Data Tables Accessibility.