Accessibility

The Web team in the Office of Marketing and Communications takes the accessibility of our website very seriously. The SJU.edu website has been tested against the WCAG Guidelines and we strive to be able to check all the boxes. Making a site accessible is not a one-time thing; we re-test any time there is a major redesign, and keep the guidelines in mind for even small tweaks.

Accessibility Highlights

  • Website is tested on a variety of devices, at a variety of screen sizes.
  • Website has been tested to ensure that text can be zoomed-in for those with low vision.
  • Website has been tested to ensure that important information is accessible in the text (images are decorative rather than informative)
  • We strive to develop the site with an eye for progressive enhancement; if Javascript or CSS are turned off, the site should still function (although it may not look as nice)

Accessibility Room For Improvement

  • Continued attention to content development; ensuring that all images have alternative text that will be shown for screen readers.
  • Continued attention to content delivery; ensuring that content can be found through searching on the website as well as through navigating the menus
  • While most of our website is delivered with attention to providing enough contrast, some small improvements can be made to some elements to provide better contrast for those with low vision.

Accessibility for Content Creators

Accessibility doesn’t begin and end with the design of the web page.  On the web, content is king, and there are concrete steps that our content creators can do to improve the accessibility of their content.

  1. Ensure that all images have alternative text.  This is often a field that you will fill out when including an image on your page.  Don’t leave it blank! Include descriptive text that will help users understand what the image is representing.
  2. Use descriptive link text! When you create a link to another page, avoid using “Click here” or similarly vague language.
  3. Keep content clear and concise. Write in short, clear sentences and paragraphs, and make use of lists when appropriate.

You can learn more about strategies for writing accessible content with the following resources.

Tips on Writing for Web Accessibility (W3C Web Accessibility Initiative)

The Writer’s Guide to Making Accessible Web Content (Zapier)

Final Note and Resources

The university website is more than just the homepage, and our university web presence is wide. The technology platforms that make up our web presence are varied and are managed by a variety of different departments on campus. Attention to accessibility should be a shared commitment, and as a web team we will continue to include accessibility as a piece of each of our projects.