Web Accessibility Assessments
A web accessibility assessment ensures your new website or redesign meets accessibility requirements. Like anything else, accessibility is a process, not a one time project. It shows your commitment to creating an inclusive campus community at Carolina.
What to Expect
When you request a web accessibility assessment, a number of steps can happen to move you along your accessibility path. You’ll work with one or more Digital Accessibility Office teams members on your web accessibility assessment.
Potential Steps for an Assessment
Follow these steps to work through a web accessibility assessment of your website:
- To get started, submit an online help request for a web accessibility assessment
- Watch your email asking for information about your project, or scheduling a meeting
- The Digital Accessibility Consultant (DAC) assigned to your request will:
- Review your site or a selection of pages using manual testing methods (e.g. screen reader, keyboard only, screen magnification)
- Share a report of accessibility issues found on your site through manual testing
- Provide recommendations and resources for addressing the accessibility issues on your site
- Note: Your assigned DAC can only provide guidance and recommendations. You know your website best, so how you approach fixing it is up to you.
- (Optional) Add your site to Siteimprove for automatic testing and give you an onboarding to introduce you to the tool
- You can meet with your assigned DAC to discuss their findings, determine priority of issues, and ask questions about the report
- You will fix the accessibility issues on your site from the report provided by your DAC
- You can request a follow-up consultation if needed by submitting another online help request
If you have questions about these steps, email us at digital_accessibility@unc.edu.
When to Request
You should request a web accessibility assessment as early as possible. The Digital Accessibility Office can assist throughout the design and development process. Our goal is to ensure your web project includes accessibility from the beginning.
We also recommend attending our Digital Accessibility Awareness and Web Accessibility Basics trainings. These trainings will give you an idea of digital accessibility best practices and guidelines.
How to Request
Start by submitting an online help request for a web accessibility assessment.
If you have questions about the process, please email us at digital_accessibility@unc.edu.