ICT Accessibility Resource Guide
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASEDistribution Unlimited
June 2, 2017
Prepared for the Washington Health Benefit Exchange By Sarah Carnes, Johanna Jacobsen Kiciman, & Kathleen Sullivan
University of Washington Master of Library and Information Science candidates June 2017
Table of Contents
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Table of Contents 2
Project Overview 5
Overview of Methodology 6
Compliance: Regulations & Requirements 7
Accessible ICT Best Practices: Checklists & Tools 9Standards and Toolkits 9Accessible ICT Examples & Illustrations 11Model Websites 11Automated Accessibility Feature Checkers 12
Overall WCAG 2.0 Compliance 12Color Contrast Checkers and Color Blindness Simulators 12Screen Readers, Screen Reader Emulators & Magnification Tools 13Photosensitivity Checker 14
Accessibility Policy Creation & Planning 15Organizational Best Practices: A Summary 15Accessibility Policy & Practice Toolkits 17Step by Step: Targeted Resources for Best Practices 17
Create an accessibility policy 18Assign responsibilities 18Determine budget and resources 19Review environment 19Establish monitoring framework 19Address use of various platforms and avenues of delivery 19Require accessible practices from vendors and contractors 20Engage with stakeholders 20
U.S. and Other Insurance Exchange Policies 21
Engaging with Stakeholders 23General Resources on Working with Stakeholders 23Working with Stakeholders: Best Practices & Resources 24
Include people with disabilities throughout the development process. 24Notice the role of users. Seek out user-generated content. 24Make it easy for users to suggest ideas or flag what isn’t working. 25Gather information on user experience, conduct user testing often and well, and integrate results. 25Partner with organizations that work with people with disabilities. 26
Appendices 27Appendix A: Short-Term Steps 27Appendix C: General Reference Resources 30
MAY 31, 2017 2
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Additional Toolkits and Resource Guides 30Resources for Particular Users 31
Older Adults and Disability 31Statistics on Disability 31Guides to Assistive Technology 31Glossaries of Terms 32Resources on Accessible Etiquette and Language 32Exhibits and Collections on Disabilities 32The Future of Accessible Technology 33Corporate Accessibility Efforts 33
Appendix D: Training and Continuing Education 34Training Resources 34Resources for Staying Current about Accessibility 35
Appendix E: Highlights of Remarks by Experts 37Experts interviewed 37Remark highlights 37
Appendix F: Disability-Related Advocacy Organizations 39National Organizations 39In Washington State 39
Appendix G: Detailed Methodology 41Literature review 41Outreach to providers 41Outreach to experts and advocacy groups 42
Appendix H: Bibliography of Reviewed Literature 43
MAY 31, 2017 3
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Many thanks to the dozens of individuals and organizations that spent time helping us to
assemble this guide. We are indebted to you.
For a complete list of acknowledgments and further information about the project,
please visit our website at www.improvinginformationaccess.org
MAY 31, 2017 4
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Project Overview
In 2010 and 2016, the Department of Justice issued notices about the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA), requiring that government-entity websites meet information
communication technology (ICT) accessibility standards such as the World Wide Web
Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. The Washington
Health Benefit Exchange (WAHBE) is a quasi-government agency subject to ADA as
well as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
WAHBE does not gather information about disabilities among users, since
disability status is protected information. However, approximately 12.8 percent of
Washington State’s 7.1 million residents report having a disability, according to a
Cornell University Yang-Tan Institute analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s
2015 American Community Survey.
WAHBE plans to develop a Disability Access Plan. This Resource Guide is
intended to kickstart that process by creating a set of accessibility policies and practices
to align with ADA Title II, Section 508, WCAG 2.0 and identified best practices. This
online -- and thus adaptable -- Resource Guide pulls together regulations and
standards, tools to support accessible websites and accessibility policy development,
and tips on involving stakeholders in the process. Appendices include ideas for short-
term improvement, free training and continuing education resources and other material
to complement the primary guide.
MAY 31, 2017 5
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Overview of Methodology
This Resource Guide was created by three University of Washington Master of Library
and Information Science students as a 10-week Capstone project.
The Capstone team conducted research in three parts:
● A literature review of nearly two dozen scholarly and popular press databases,
which yielded more than 100 sources on accessibility practices.
● Outreach to other insurance exchanges, including all 13 state health
exchanges as well as Healthcare.gov, and several European health insurance
exchanges. Altogether, we retrieved information from 14 agencies about their
accessibility statements, practices and policies.
● Outreach to experts and advocacy organizations who work directly with
disabled users or themselves have a disability. These conversations helped
ground our research and recommendations in the experience of users and
practitioners.
We then synthesized material and selected final resources for the guide, based on
WAHBE’s needs and our own findings.
A more detailed description of our methods (including a list of resources, organizations and people contacted) is found in the Appendices.
MAY 31, 2017 6
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Compliance: Regulations & Requirements
WAHBE is subject to the following federal regulations and standards, which also drive
accessibility best practices in government and other organizations throughout the U.S.
● Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 lays out accessibility standards for
all ICT procured by the U.S. federal government. (As discussed in the
“Accessible Website Best Practices” section, a website in line with WCAG 2.0
standards is almost entirely in line with Section 508.)
○ This January 2017 final rule from the U.S. Access Board updates Section
508 and Section 255 of the Communications Act, in response to market
trends and innovations.
● Section 1557 of the 2010 Affordable Care Act prohibits discrimination on the
basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. WAHBE was created
by state statute under the ACA. The d isabilities-specific section of 1557 requires
ICT to be accessible, short of undue financial or administrative burden.
● Title II of the A mericans with Disabilit ies Act (ADA) lays out standards for
accessible design. A May 2016 rule from the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services requires state-based marketplaces to meet ADA Title II.
o An April 2016 statement by the U.S. Department of Justice clarified that
ADA Title II nondiscrimination applies to web information. This built on an
earlier 2010 DOJ notice of proposed rulemaking on accessibility standards
to ICT.
o The DOJ statement specifically references web accessibility standards
under Section 508 and the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 (discussed in the next section,
“Accessible ICT Best Practices’’).
MAY 31, 2017 7
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
o The U.S. Access Board provides this helpful comparison of WCAG 2.0
and Section 508 standards.
The following are other significant regulations or guidance that drive accessibility
expectations.
● The 2010 Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act
(CVAA) includes requirements for modern communication devices such as
mobile web browsers, and requires closed captioning and other support disabled
users of video communication.
● Washington State’s Office of the Chief Information Officer also issued this
guidance on web accessibility standards in March 2017 that applies to state-
agencies.
MAY 31, 2017 8
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Accessible ICT Best Practices: Checklists & Tools
The 2008 Web Accessibility Content Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, developed by the
Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C), are considered the canonical standard for website
accessibility best practices by governments, industry and organizations. Most experts
and advocacy organizations contacted said meeting WCAG 2.0 AA standards would be
outstanding. A website that meets WCAG 2.0 AA is also meeting all but a handful of
Section 508 guidelines.
This section includes comprehensive toolkits, as well as free automated tools for
reinforcing accessible website features.
Standards and Toolkits
● The Web Accessibility Content Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 provide explanation for
each guideline, including the target audience and intended outcome; detailed
technical instructions for particular content, specifications and languages; signs
of technical success and failure; text descriptions of hypothetical examples; and
additional hyperlinked resources. W3C’s WCAG overview page provides a
gateway to guideline-by-guideline instructions for meeting WCAG 2.0, along with
additional guidelines and resources for authoring tools, user agents and mobile
tools. This is the indispensable resource for web accessibility.
● Web Accessibility In Mind (WebAIM) is an essential companion to WCAG 2.0,
routinely recommended by accessibility resource guides. WebAIM’s pages walk
through web accessibility with text, videos, detailed illustrative examples and
style tips (e.g., the best form of alt-text for images). The site also models a user-
centered approach, featuring disabled users in videos, avoiding assumptions
about website visitors (“if you are sighted…”) and organizing web accessibility
challenges by sensory, motor or cognitive difference. The nonprofit WebAIM, MAY 31, 2017 9
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
based at Utah State University, offers on-site training and consultation, but
developers can also sign up for free to WebAIM’s blog RSS, newsletter, email
discussion groups or Twitter feed.
● The IBM Accessibility Checklist pages helpfully distinguish between WCAG 2.0
and the very few non-WCAG elements of Section 508. IBM’s checklists also
identify Section 508 requirements that are slightly different or more specific than
WCAG 2.0, and discuss guidelines by web-based, mobile and other applications.
● The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) page on making
particular files accessible includes tips for products such as Microsoft Office
(Word, Excel, PowerPoint) products, Adobe PDF and HTML or multimedia files.
Each section includes a checklist of standards to meet, specific instructions on
meeting them, as well as links to videos and corporate support pages.
● The Swiss government’s statement about additional accessibility guidelines
(provided in original Swiss German, as well as translated English) explains why it
matters to provide sign language content (recommended in WCAG 2.0 only at
the AAA level) and provides some technical guidance.
● The Social Security Administration Accessibility Best Practices Library offers a
user-friendly kit for addressing some of the most urgent web accessibility
features, such as forms, navigation and images. Each page provides technical
instructions (“Build it”), as well as Basic and Advanced tests for evaluating
success. This is an excellent first-step tool.
● The European Commission’s Frequently Asked Questions about Web
Accessibility breaks standards down into 38 short, easy-to-read and informative
questions and answers. This format (which models the clear, simple-language,
short-sentence format favored by accessibility guidelines) is an excellent entry
point on accessibility. See Question 36 for especially helpful pointers on how to
handle inaccessible PDFs. (The EU’s 10 golden rules in accessible design is also
an outstanding succinct checklist.)
MAY 31, 2017 10
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Accessible ICT Examples & Illustrations
Following are select examples or illustrations of accessible ICT features. WebAIM
provides many illustrative examples in its accessibility support pages, while the Social
Security Administration’s Accessibility Best Practices Library provides detailed
instructions and code examples, such as this one on alt-text for images . (Both
resources are featured in the previous section.) WebAIM also uses a few illustrative
“bad” examples of inaccessible web features, and experts interviewed suggested
pairing occasional “positive” searches for accessible ICT examples with “negative”
searches for inaccessible ICT examples.
● WebAIM’s illustrative examples of alt-text for images .
● WebAIM’s illustrative examples on accessible tables .
● WebAIM’s example of a bad hyperlink leading to nowhere.
● WebAIM’s sample code for Skip Navigatio n . (The page itself demonstrates a
Skip Navigation feature. See the Note for instructions.)
● WebAIM’s illustrative examples on the roles of color and contrast .
● WebAIM’s examples of clear, accessible language .
● This Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure video demonstrates various accessible
features, including audio description of images combined with captioning, and
accessible language.
● Gallaudet University’s website provides informative videos that incorporate
captioning and signing, along with audio for hearing users.
Model Websites
● "A ccessible U" is a mock website created by the University of Washington to
demonstrate web accessibility features (as well as inaccessible features).
● The Canadian Museum for Human Rights puts accessibility at the center of all its
practices, including its website.
MAY 31, 2017 11
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● The travel website Expedia strives to provide an accessible website to
customers, in line with WCAG 2.0 standards.
● Social media site Facebook also takes these steps to make its services
accessible.
Automated Accessibility Feature Checkers
A number of automated tools help catch inaccessible code, absent alternative text and
other inaccessible website features. Experts interviewed emphasized that these are a
support -- not a substitute -- for accessibility best practices.
Overall WCAG 2.0 Compliance
● WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool). Widely used by various organizations
and recommended in resource guides, WebAIM’s WAVE is a free tool that
identifies WCAG 2.0 A and AA accessibility problems. For any given URL, WAVE
shows a marked-up version indicating issues and offering comments on HTML5
and ARIA.
● FAE (Functional Accessibility Evaluator). This free tool, created by the University
of Illinois, checks websites against WCAG 2.0 A and AA, and generates a
summary of issues. Reports can also be emailed and shared with others.
Color Contrast Checkers and Color Blindness Simulators
Appropriate use of color (which should never be the exclusive source of information)
and adequate color contrast are hallmarks of accessible websites, especially for users
with low vision or color blindness. Web developers should also verify contrast on
different monitors, as color can vary significantly.
● WebAIM Contrast Checker : This user-friendly tool allows a user to type in a
foreground or background color using HTML color codes, to see if the
MAY 31, 2017 12
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
combination will pass WCAG 2.0 AA/AAA. Clickable “lighten” or “darken” links
can help adjust until the color combination reaches compliance. This tool would
also be challenging to use this tool with only a keyboard. An alternative used by
the California Health Benefit Exchange is ColorSafe.
● Color Oracle: This color blindness simulator tool from the European
Commission’s Accessibility Kit “takes the guesswork out of designing for color
blindness by showing you in real time what people with common color vision
impairments will see.”
Screen Readers, Screen Reader Emulators & Magnification Tools
Many web accessibility best practices are aimed at supporting users who use screen
readers. (See WebAIM’s “Designing for Screen Reader Compatibility.) Using these tools
(or emulators) can assist developers in optimizing sites for this technology.
● NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) : Listed in many accessibility toolkits and
resource guides, NVDA is a free, open-source screen reader that many
developers use to ensure that web content can be understood and navigated
easily by a screen-reader user.
● Orca , created by Sun Microsystems, is another free, open source, web-based,
extensible screen reader that works in UNIX-like environments, is continually
updated and provides extensive documentation.
Readability Tools
Simple, clear language eases access to information for multiple audiences, including
users listening to screen readers, those whose first language is not English (including
some users who sign as a first language), and people with cognitive differences.
Readability graders evaluate text according to scales such as the Flesch Reading Ease
Score, Gunning Fog Index (GFI), Dale-Chall Score and others.
MAY 31, 2017 13
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● Jellymetrics is a user-friendly and graphically appealing checker that rates text
according to the Flesch-Kincaid readability scale.
● Online-utility-org includes recommendations for sentences that need to be
rewritten for readability. (Distracting ads on the site are a drawback.)
Photosensitivity Checker
● Photosensitive Epilepsy Analysis Tool (PEAT) helps identify flashing website
content that can trigger seizures. WCAG 2.0 guidelines and Section 508
standards both discourage such seizure-triggering visual stimuli.
MAY 31, 2017 14
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Accessibility Policy Creation & PlanningAccessibility is not a one-and-done process. Bringing websites, mobile applications and
other ICT tools into line with standards -- and keeping them that way -- often involves
substantial adjustment to everyday practices, not only among designers and
developers, but throughout an organization. However difficult at first, these changes
also yield multiple benefits, starting with improved usability for all users (not just those
with disabilities), better aligned practices across the organization and often greater
satisfaction among staff.
Accessibility standards and assistive technology change quickly. Training, continuing
education, and partnerships with users help organizations to stay current.
We have compiled best practices found in our research, including select toolkits for
creating comprehensive accessibility policies and a step-by-step breakdown of
resources that support specific best practices.
Organizational Best Practices: A Summary
The following summarizes best practices enshrined in reviewed literature, expert
interviews and the essential W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) toolkit, which is
discussed in more detail in the next sections. The list mainly follows the WAI framework,
with a few additions, for planning for and establishing a comprehensive accessibility
program.
● Create an accessibility policy that makes the case to customers and the public,
as well as to organization employees. Public-facing statements of policy should
be easy to find, clearly identify standards and a timeline for meeting them, and
provide multiple channels for seeking support services or filing complaints. (Even MAY 31, 2017 15
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
better: accessibility statements signed by senior leadership.) Internal policy
should work in harmony with other key organizational policies, such as those on
hiring or customer service.
● Assign responsibilities and designate champions. Accessible culture needs
to be built top down and bottom up. Leadership (the more senior, the better) sets
priorities that create accountability, and must provide adequate resources to
support training, testing and quality assurance. Designers and developers need
the support of a comprehensive accessibility team with champions designated
throughout the organization, especially legal, procurement, marketing, quality
assurance, hiring and any department maintaining common tools such as code
libraries.
● Determine budget and resources. Training, continuing education, user testing
and improvement are planks of accessible culture. Leadership must prioritize
time and adequate funding for these activities.
● Review the environment. Bringing ICT into line with accessibility standards
requires baseline and iterative assessments, which not only identify
shortcomings but also identify resources, processes and tools to support
accessibility. Accessibility must be built in from the start of any design and
development to avoid costly and frustrating retrofits -- or having to scrap a design
entirely.
● Establish a monitoring framework. Establish how to measure success in
meeting goals (including well-designed and properly timed user testing), as well
as evaluate the goals themselves. On the technical side, continuous integration
can help developers maintain accessible sites once they’re established.
● Address multiple platforms. Content created for a website may also be used
on a tablet, phone or other communication device. Accessibility means creating
robust content that works with multiple platforms.
● Require accessible practices from vendors and contractors. Third-party
content and purchases should be assessed for accessibility. Contractors also
need to demonstrate a track record of meeting accessibility standards.
MAY 31, 2017 16
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● Engage with stakeholders. At a minimum, organizations must set aside time
and budget for regular user testing and improvement based on user feedback.
Ideally, people with disabilities are involved throughout the development process,
as partners -- or as employees. (See the Engaging with Stakeholders section.)
Accessibility Policy & Practice Toolkits
The following toolkits support creation of organizational accessibility best practices and
address both public statements to users and behind-the-scenes practices within the
organization.
● The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) provides guidance about establishing
a comprehensive web accessibility program, including not only steps to
understanding ICT standards but also a sequenced framework for planning web
accessibility improvements and policies. WAI addresses evaluation methods and
engaging with stakeholders (discussed more fully in the last section of this
guide), and provides technical guidance along with links to further support tools.
This is an essential and encyclopedic resource for policy creation.
● The Irish National Disability Authority Accessibility Toolkit includes examples of
policies, as well as a customer charter. The user-friendly, easily navigated pages
provide succinct guidelines for organizational accessibility practices.
● The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) Framework for Designing
and Implementing Accessible ICT Strategic Plans is especially useful for the
development of workplace accessibility programs that support employees and
applicants. Action Step 5 is also applicable to accessibility practices that
support customers, such as policies and accessible websites.
Step by Step: Targeted Resources for Best Practices
The following provides examples and targeted resources for specific best practices
identified by the W3C WAI framework. The WAI toolkit addresses virtually all of these MAY 31, 2017 17
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
practices, but we note specific WAI pages as appropriate, as well as targeted advice
from other sources.
Create an accessibility policy
A policy announces the organization’s commitment to a culture of inclusivity and can
influence not only accessibility, but also other areas such as process improvement. The
following links specifically address policy creation and statements to the public.
● WAI’s Developing Organizational Policies on Web Accessibility and Policy
template.
● The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) explanation of its
Section 508 compliance policies is particularly robust and well organized.
● The Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT) provides
guidance on communicating with different audiences, from the general public to
job seekers and existing employees.
● The Irish National Disability Authority provides specific guidance on committing to
providing accessible services, along with these more detailed suggestions:
○ Irish NDA Guidelines Customer Charter (what customers can expect)
○ Accessibility Statement template from Irish NDA
○ Example from the Irish NDA website
Assign responsibilities
● PEAT’s toolkit provides these helpful pages on how to identify accessibility
leaders and create an accessibility initiative team, as well as ensure that
champions have appropriate training.
● Newly designated accessibility champions need training, sources for continuing
education and interaction with people with disabilities. See the final section,
Engaging with Stakeholders, and Appendix D: Training and Continuing Education
Resources for links to multiple resources.
MAY 31, 2017 18
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Determine budget and resources
● WAI provides a useful list of budget considerations such as tooling and external
support, as well as links to further information about costs.
Review environment
● In addition to other advice, WAI provides specific recommendations on assessing
authoring tools.
● PEAT’s TechCheck provides a quick accessibility assessment tool .
Establish monitoring framework
● PEAT provides straightforward guidance on monitoring and reporting progress.
● WAI provides multiple recommendations on evaluation tools and procedures.
Address use of various platforms and avenues of delivery
These resources aid accessible design in non-website ICT, such as mobile applications.
● The UK Accessibility Code of Practice’s statement on the importance of
designing for multiple platforms.
● W3C’s Mobile Web best practices .
Require accessible practices from vendors and contractors
● The U.S. Digital Services Playbook provides this guidance on working with
contractors and recommends the TechFAR Handbook to make purchasing and
contracts support organizational goals.
● The U.S. General Services Administration provides this toolkit on accessible
procurement.
MAY 31, 2017 19
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● The Irish NDA toolkit includes guidelines for evaluating expenditures to ensure
they support accessibility.
Engage with stakeholders
People with disabilities must be at the heart of any successful accessibility policy -- as
customers, users, partners and design team members. This element is discussed more
fully in the last section, Engaging with Stakeholders.
U.S. and Other Insurance Exchange Policies
WAHBE is a state-based marketplace (SBM). There are 12 SBMs across the country.
SBMs are distinguished from other Marketplace types, because they perform all
marketplace functions. In non-SBM states, the marketplace is state-run but relies on the
federal IT platform, is run jointly by the state and the federal government, or is run
exclusively through the federal government through healthcare.gov (more information
on Marketplace types available here).
MAY 31, 2017 20
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
We reached out to 11 SBMs, two non-SBMs, the federal marketplace (Healthcare.gov)
and to authorities in Switzerland, Ireland and the European Union, to learn more about
their accessibility policies and practices. The following entities provided internal
information about their accessibility policies and practice with the understanding that it
would only be shared with WAHBE. This information has been shared with our
sponsors to inform that ongoing accessibility work. Links to the gateway websites for
most U.S.-based insurance exchanges and two European organizations are below.
HEALTHCARE.GOV/ CMS.GOV
CALIFORNIA
COLORADO
CONNECTICUT
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
IDAHO
MARYLAND
MASSACHUSETTS
MINNESOTA
NEW MEXICO
NEW YORK
RHODE ISLAND
VERMONT
EUROPEAN UNION
IRELAND
MAY 31, 2017 21
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Engaging with Stakeholders
People with disabilities -- the key stakeholders in any accessibility effort -- must be at
the heart of an organization’s design and development process. At a minimum, such
users should be engaged through well designed and properly timed user testing, with
sufficient time and resources for integrating user feedback into improved ICT tools.
However, experts and literature urged even greater involvement with people who are
blind, deaf, motor-impaired or have other disabilities. People with disabilities can be
consultants, co-designers and employees. Such partnership leads to better outcomes
and products not only for disabled users, but all users, as well as greater satisfaction for
the organization’s development team.
Following are general toolkits for working with users with disabilities, as well as key best
practices and supporting resources.
General Resources on Working with Stakeholders
● The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative’s "Involving Users in Web Projects’’
explains why it’s important to work with users early and often, and provides
support pages on user testing, user evaluation and other best practices.
● The Irish National Disability Authority’s “Consult customers with disabilities’’
pages cover essential elements for effectively consulting people with disabilities.
● The U.S. Digital Services Playbook’s “Understand What People Need” , although
not specifically focused on users with disabilities, provides a checklist of broad
user-centered best practices and benefits of user-centered approaches.
MAY 31, 2017 22
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Working with Stakeholders: Best Practices & Resources
Include people with disabilities throughout the development process.
Working directly with disabled users not only leads to more effective (and efficient)
solutions for them, but tends to boost usability and good practices across the board.
Interacting with users also motivates designers and other staff, as they connect
accessibility best practices with real people.
● Design for User Empowerment (2015). This brief, plain-language paper by
University of Washington Computer Science Professor Emeritus Richard Ladner
makes the case for involving users throughout the design and development
process, and provides a quick history of accessibility approaches, including
universal design, ability-based design and human-centered design. Ladner is a
nationally recognized leader in empowering people with disabilities and
encouraging them to pursue careers in information technology. This is a succinct
and essential starting point.
● W3C Web Accessibility Initiative’s “Involving Users’’ overview lays out
fundamental ethics and benefits of the user-centered accessibility approach.
Notice the role of users. Seek out user-generated content.
Are people with disabilities present in the resources or organizations you consult, or in
oversight or advisory groups? Does the experience of disabled users inform
recommendations about design of services? Do people with disabilities speak for
themselves, or is someone speaking for them?
● Web Accessibility in Mind (WebAIM) models a user-centered and inclusive focus ,
featuring disabled users in videos, avoiding assumptions about website visitors
(“if you are sighted…”) and organizing web accessibility challenges by sensory,
motor or cognitive difference.
MAY 31, 2017 23
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Designers and other accessibility champions should Include user-generated content
among sources they consult regularly, such as the following:
● The National Federation of the Blind’s Voice of the Nation’s Blind blog.
● The Hearing Loss Association of America’s forums
● Storytellers from the American Association of People with Disabilities
Make it easy for users to suggest ideas or flag what isn’t working.
Establishing clear channels for feedback, and designating staff to respond to such
feedback, are among best practices of accessible organizations.
● See the “Organizational Best Practices’’ subsection of Accessibility Policy
Creation & Planning section of this guide.
Gather information on user experience, conduct user testing often and well,
and integrate results.
This means consulting a range of users, using a mix of effective quantitative and
qualitative methods, timing testing properly and integrating user testing results with
accessibility standards. Printed resource are starred (*).
● W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative support pages include advice on recruiting a
diverse range of users, timing for different types of user input, and combining
user input with accessibility standards compliance. Additional sections of W3C’s
WAI address user evaluation.
● Martin, B., & Hanington, B. (2012). Universal Methods of Design. (*) Beverly, MA:
Rockport Publishers. This guide succinctly describes 100 user-centered research
methods, and filters them by qualitative/quantitative nature, stage of development
process (e.g., planning, prototyping) and other key qualities.
Partner with organizations that work with people with disabilities.
Support organizations -- especially those led by people with disabilities themselves --
can offer providers feedback and advice that is grounded in the experience of real
MAY 31, 2017 24
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
users. As partners, they can also be an invaluable source of practical assistance to
disabled customers or patrons.
● See Appendix F for a list of national and Washington State advocacy groups for
people with various disabilities, a good starting point for finding advisors and
partners.
● Appendix A (“Short-Term Steps”) includes recommendations to form
partnerships with community-based advocacy groups and public libraries, who
provide assistive technology and support to patrons with disabilities.
MAY 31, 2017 25
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
AppendicesThe following appendices expand on and complement the resource guide’s primary
topics. The more detailed Methodology and Bibliography appendices also provide
documentation of resources already reviewed or consulted, both to illustrate our
process and avoid redundancy in future efforts.
Appendix A: Short-Term StepsBringing websites and mobile applications into line with WCAG 2.0 AA guidelines takes
time, as does forming a comprehensive set of organizational policies and procedures.
Following are ideas for immediate steps that cost little to nothing, and may be done
more quickly.
● Quick fixes: Many of the most urgent website accessibility features can be done
relatively quickly in-house. These include ensuring that page titles and hyperlink
texts are clear and informative; images, forms and other elements are labeled
with alt-text; underlying semantic structure distinguishes between headings and
text, and web pages work with keyboard-only.
○ W3C’s Web First Aid includes tips for getting started, easy checks to
perform on a website, and advice about identifying high-impact corrections
and low-hanging fruit (“Consider the Scope”).
○ The Social Security Administration’s Accessibility Best Practices Library
also provides excellent, brief explanation and technical support for the
most urgent accessibility issues.
● Add an Accessibility link to the footer material on each web page. The link
should at least lead to the website’s notice of nondiscrimination, and provide
information about support services and a contact point for grievances.
MAY 31, 2017 26
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● Add American Sign Language to language-access pages, where ASL users
may search for interpretive services.
● Start building accessibility culture. Create in-house meet-ups of staff
interested in accessibility. Designate accessibility champions in each department.
Point all designers and other champions to this resource guide, and especially to
free training, newsletters and continuing education resources (included in
resources in Appendices C & D).
● Partner with libraries and community organizations. Public libraries with
assistive-technology and accessibility programs, and community-based
organizations that support people with disabilities, can help engage people with
disabilities. For example, if these institutions host outreach and enrollment
events, people with disabilities could receive practical assistance, as well as
moral support and connection to community. If such institutions host usability
testing events, people with disabilities could help directly inform system design.
● Tap existing accessibility expertise among current contractors and vendors. The request also affords these third parties an opportunity to
demonstrate a commitment to accessibility that is fast becoming an expectation.
MAY 31, 2017 27
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Appendix B: Calls to Action and Statements of Rights The following are examples of non-binding but influential calls to action or statements of
rights that frame accessibility as a social justice issue. Printed resource are starred (*).
● The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons : The Guiding
Principles of the Convention provide a brief list of the principles underpinning the
convention and each article. The principles frame the right to equitable
accessibility in terms of respect, dignity, non-discrimination, inclusion, and
equality.
● European Union Statement on Web Accessibility : This page summarizes the EU
directive on making the websites and mobile apps of public sector bodies more
accessible and explains that it is not merely about meeting technical standards
but is also a matter of “political will and of moral obligation” to provide access on
an equal basis for everyone.
● Ellcessor, E. (2010). Bridging disability divides. Information, Communication & Society, 13(3), 289-308 (*): An exploration of the history of accessibility
standards that is grounded in trends of increasing acknowledgement of the rights
of people with disabilities. The author also explains how initial accessibility
standards, including Section 508, are difficult to fulfill.
● Elliott, D. (2015, Jul 27). The challenges of surfing while blind. Wall Street
Journal, A-11 (*): The author describes how a lack of accessibility affects her
ability to live a life equal to people who do not have disabilities like her visual
impairment.
● Swiss Federal Office for Equality of Persons with Disabilities: Accessibility
Checklist for Adobe Experience Manager (AEM): Section 1.1-1.4 offers a
succinct explanation of the social justice and equity aspects of accessibility for
people with a variety of disabilities.
MAY 31, 2017 28
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Appendix C: General Reference Resources
The following resources are mostly available online. Printed resource are starred (*).
Additional Toolkits and Resource Guides
Various other organizations, such as universities and government agencies, maintain
excellent accessibility toolkits and resource guides, which are regularly updated and can
serve as continuing resources for accessibility champions. We recommend the
following.
● Accessible Technology Tools & Resources from the University of Washington , a
leader in providing accessible technology and developing assistive technologies.
These pages pull together technical tools and instructions for every kind of
media, along with training resources and informative blogs.
● The related University of Washington DO-IT Resources on the Internet maintains
a current, accessibility-friendly website of resources on various disabilities and
accessibility issues. DO-IT’s other pages provide copious resources for training
and education, as well as tip sheets on accessible design.
● The U.S. General Service Administration’s Section508.gov toolkit not only covers
essential content about Section 508 compliance, but includes tools to ease
finding accessible-compliant vendors and contractors, lists of major advocacy
organizations or academic disability centers, as well as a regularly updated news
feed on accessibility.
● Penn State’s Website Accessibility resources bring together tools and technical
support for making various media accessible, in a clean, simple format.
● Accessible Technology at the University of Colorado at Boulder brings together
technical support, tools and advice, along with information about Universal
Design and other academic accessibility-support centers.
● The National Center on Disability and Journalism’s Resources pages includes
expert lists, guidance on appropriate language and etiquette tips.
MAY 31, 2017 29
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● Harper, S., & Yesilada, Y. (2008). Web accessibility: A foundation for research.
London Springer. (*) Available for loan at e.g., Evergreen State College and at
the University of Washington. This edited volume offers comprehensive coverage
of web accessibility through an examination of evaluation, methodology,
appraisals of disabilities, web accessibility guidelines, assistive technologies, as
well as client-side applications.
Resources for Particular Users
Older Adults and Disability
● Web Accessibility Initiative’s Web Accessibility and Older People specifically
addresses the needs of older people with age-related impairments.
Statistics on Disability
● Disability Statistics provides sortable data on disability by various demographics
(age, gender, etc.) and regions, based on American Community Survey results
that have been analyzed by the K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on
Employment and Disability at Cornell University.
● Compiled by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
(NIDRR), the Annual Disability Statistics Compendium report (available as a pdf)
may offer an alternative format on disability statistics for people who prefer the
information in one downloadable document. Calculations here are based on the
U.S. Census Bureau, the American Community Survey, as well as public use
microdata sample.
Guides to Assistive Technology
● Gallaudet University’s Technology Access Program Resource List : Gallaudet
University, “the world’s only university designed to be barrier-free for deaf and
hard of hearing students,” pulls together links about assistive technology for
deaf/hard of hearing people in one place. Last updated in 2013.
MAY 31, 2017 30
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● National Federation of the Blind’s Technology Resource List pulls together the
latest products and services that are accessible and usable by the blind. Most
recently updated in 2017.
● National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Reference
Materials may be a useful springboard to learn about topics including accessible
mobile reading apps, assistive technology products for information access, audio
description, and Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD).
Glossaries of Terms
● Glossary of ADA Terms focuses on technology, disability, and the law, covering
the legal side of disability terminology.
● University of Washington DO-IT Glossary of Disability Related Terms provides
definitions for a range of accessibility-related terms, including assistive
technology.
Resources on Accessible Etiquette and Language
● The National Center on Disability and Journalism (NCDJ) provides these
etiquette tips for interviewing or interacting with people with disabilities.
● NCDJ’s additional Resources on disability about include this disability language
style guide.
Exhibits and Collections on Disabilities
● The Disability History Museum is a virtual collection of images and artifacts about
people with disabilities, their families and their communities over time.
● Everybody: An Artifact History of Disability in America is a collection of the
Smithsonian.
MAY 31, 2017 31
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
The Future of Accessible Technology
● University of Washington Information School Associate Professor Jacob
Wobbrock’s Videos page showcases cutting-edge user-centered assistive
technology that he and UW doctoral students are developing. Wobbrock’s ability-
based design approach aims to generate assistive technology that adapts to
individual users’ abilities, rather than providing standardized responses to
disabilities.
● Global Public Infrastructure (GPII) would provide consistent, adaptive access
features anywhere, over any device. GPII is one of the major projects of the
Trace Research and Development Center (previously at the University of
Wisconsin and now at the University of Maryland), a pioneering research
institution on disability and technology, and a frequently referenced resource in
accessibility guides.
Corporate Accessibility Efforts
Many businesses lead government in championing best practices. Following are
companies recommended by experts interviewed:
○ Apple
○ Microsoft
○ Expedia
MAY 31, 2017 32
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Appendix D: Training and Continuing Education
Training Resources
Professional and regular training is a plank of accessibility best practices, but staff can
also take advantage of many free training materials.
Professional organizations and certification
● The International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) provides
ongoing education, as well as possible certification for accessibility-trained
employees.
● The California State University Northridge (CSUN) Assistive Technology
Applications Certificate Program (ATACP) focuses on teaching a practical
approach to evaluating and employing assistive technologies. The fall and
summer sessions are delivered online.
Free training and continuing education ● National Federation of the Blind tips on creating accessible documents cover
HTML, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as design considerations, tables
and document structure.
● Accessibility consultant SSB BART Group offers free webinars on web
accessibility topics. About half of the client services staff at SSB BART Group,
have disabilities, and many staff have worked as contractors for Section 508
compliance teams in federal government agencies. Webinar topics include law,
policy, and digital accessibility trends.
● The United States Access Board Webinar and Audio Conference Series offers
free webinars and audio conferences on web accessibility as well as accessible
facilities, and include an open-Q&A-format webinar.
MAY 31, 2017 33
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● Userite’s free text-based tutorials on various accessible-ICT feature s cover
accessible text, page semantics, style, fonts and spacing, tables and frames,
images and image maps, multimedia, forms, navigation, and site testing. London-
based Userite’s technical department is led by a W3C web-accessibility-
evaluation task force member.
● The Irish National Disability Authority’s suggested curriculum for disability
equality training aims to help staff interact more confidently and effectively with
customers with disabilities.
● The Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology provides advice and
resources for training staff on basic and more advanced accessibility issues.
Resources for Staying Current about Accessibility
Accessibility and assistive technology are constantly evolving. (See “The Future of
Accessible Technology under Appendix C.) Once designers and accessibility
champions have received initial accessibility training, they need to stay abreast of the
latest developments. The following are resources to support continuing education.
● ABILITY Magazine focuses on health, disabilities, civil rights and issues of
accessibility from stakeholders’ perspectives.
● The Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) Transactions on Accessible
Computing (TACCESS), a quarterly journal, publishes research about computing
and information technologies related to accessibility.
● The ASSETS conference brings together scholarly researchers in design,
evaluation, and use of computing and technology to provide accessibility. The
conference is sponsored by the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)
Special Interest Group on Accessible Computing (SIGACCESS).
● The California State University Center (CSUN) Assistive Technology Conference
focuses primarily on assistive technology. CSUN also publishes the Journal on
Technology & Persons with Disabilities.MAY 31, 2017 34
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● The Web For All (W4A) Conference focuses on digital accessibility and universal
access in ICT, assistive technology, and accessible workplace environments.
● The Partnership on Employment and Assistive Technology lists further resources
for professional development training and professional assistance, along with
opportunities for newsletters and alert subscriptions.
These blogs, recommended by experts and other resource guides, are good starting
sources to keep accessibility champions up-to-date. Accessibility champions can add to
these by exploring RSS feed, newsletter subscriptions and other alert features from
accessibility-related organizations, institutions and groups. (Champions should also
include user-generated content among their regular sources. See the Engaging with
Stakeholders section.)
● WebAIM’s blog
● Nonprofit accessible technology consultant Knowbility’s blog
● Microsoft’s accessibility blog
● EasterSeals’ accessibility and assistive technology podcasts
MAY 31, 2017 35
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Appendix E: Highlights of Remarks by Experts
Experts interviewed
● Sina Bahram , founder, Prime Access Consulting. Bahram is an accessibility
consultant, computer scientist and former scholarly researcher, who is also blind.
● Cleo Brooks & C.J. Glenn, staff of Seattle Public Library’s Library Equal Access
Program (LEAP). LEAP supports patrons with any kind of disability, including
sensory, motor, emotional and cognitive. LEAP provides assistive technology,
personal support and programs to patrons, as well as accessibility support to
fellow staff and other public agencies.
● Dan Comden , manager of the University of Washington Access Technology
Center, who has worked in accessible IT at UW for 25 years.
● Richard Ladner , UW computer science and engineering professor emeritus, a
leader in empowering people with disabilities and encouraging them to pursue
careers in information technology. Ladner has worked primarily with people who
are deaf, blind and deaf-blind, as well as those with other disabilities.
● Martez Mott , UW Information School PhD student, who develops adaptive
assistive technology for (and with) motor-impaired users.
● Annuska Perkins , UW Information School PhD student, who worked in
accessibility for 13 of her 15 years at Microsoft Corp. She was also part of a
working group that contributed to WCAG 2.0.
Remark highlights
Experts reinforced themes found in the literature review, as summarized below.
● Involving users in the design/development process is essential to any meaningful accessibility effort. Users can be testers, co-designers or
MAY 31, 2017 36
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
employees. User participation leads to better services more quickly, and builds
commitment to accessibility among the development team.
● Accessibility leads to better overall usability in products and broad organizational benefits, such as healthier coding and other practices.
● Accessible culture and commitment helps organizations avoid falling behind, since assistive technology is constantly evolving.
● Leadership must establish that accessibility is a priority, a core value, and a
measure of accountability.
● But accessible culture must also be built ground-up and across departments, not only throughout the design team, but harmonized across
departments: legal, hiring, marketing, and especially purchasing and any
department that influences common tools such as coding libraries.
● Accessibility must be the starting point in the design process, not a later
checklist item. It is much less costly and less frustrating to build in accessibility
from the start than to retrofit or start over later.
● Accessibility must apply to vendors and contractors, which becomes
complicated when third-party content is offered free of charge. Contractors need
to demonstrate a proven record of accessibility, not just say they’re committed.
● Web accessibility has substantial room for improvement. Keyboard-only
functionality, good semantic structure (headings, etc.), clear labeling and
alternative text, and consistent captioning and audio description are essential
accessible features -- which are nevertheless often missing from websites.
Forms and navigation can be particularly frustrating.
● WCAG 2.0 AA is the clear standard to meet. However, even these excellent
standards don’t generate perfect accessibility for everyone. Both standards and
assistive technology continue to evolve.
MAY 31, 2017 37
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Appendix F: Disability-Related Advocacy Organizations
The following disability-related advocacy organizations may be good points of contact to
support partnerships with stakeholders.
National Organizations● Blind/low vision
○ National Federation of the Blind
○ American Foundation for the Blind
● Deaf/hard of hearing
○ National Association of the Deaf
○ Hearing Loss Association of America
● Mobility
○ United Cerebral Palsy
● Developmental & Cognitive Disabilities
○ Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities
● Disabled persons overall
○ American Association of People with Disabilities
○ EasterSeals
● The U.S. Access Board also maintains this list of public and private accessibility-
related organizations.
In Washington State
● Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council
● Self Advocates in Leadership (SAIL)
● Disability Rights Washington
● The Lighthouse for the Blind
● National Federation of the Blind - Washington
● The Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center (Locations in Seattle, Tacoma &
Bellingham)
● Hearing Loss Association of Washington
● The Deaf-Blind Service Center (Seattle)
MAY 31, 2017 38
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● Provail (Seattle)
● Spinal Cord Injury Association of Washington
● Washington State Independent Living Centers
● National Alliance on Mental Illness - Washington
● The Seattle Public Library’s Library Equal Access Program (See next section for
specific contact information.)
● City of Seattle Commission for People with DisAbilities
● People First of Washington
● The University of Washington’s DO-IT Center also maintains this list of regional
advocacy organizations for various disabilities .
MAY 31, 2017 39
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Appendix G: Detailed Methodology
Following is more detailed information about our research process, to avoid redundancy
in future efforts. We also include suggestions for next steps.
Literature review
● We searched the following scholarly databases: Academic Search Complete,
Web of Science, Education Source Complete, ERIC, Health Technology
Assessment, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Campbell Collaboration Library, CDC
WONDER, DoPHER, Library and Information Science Source, PubMed, Scopus,
Social Explorer, Social Science Research Network, SOcial Services Abstracts,
WHOLIS. We also searched the popular press databases GeneralOne File,
National Newspapers Online, and ProQuest.
● We conducted additional web searches using Google.
● We searched until we reached saturation (repetition of concepts), a sign that we
had sufficient depth of coverage.
Outreach to providers
● Policies (US): We reached out to 11 state-based marketplaces (SBMs), two non-
SBMs, the federal marketplace (Healthcare.gov), using e-mail. We solicited for
information at the provided email addresses (twice, if no response), or by calling
posted telephone numbers (usually customer service). In some instances, we
contacted the Marketplace via their Facebook “contact us” chat interface; this
proved more effective than calling or emailing. Overall, cold emailing was more
effective than cold calling. Overall, we were able to retrieve information from 10 state exchanges, plus Healthcare.gov, either via direct communication or
website.
MAY 31, 2017 40
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● Policies (Other): We identified several European countries that had successful
online insurance portals and robust online presences (Van Ginneken, Swartz, &
Van Der Wees, 2013; Van de Ven., Van Kleef, & Van Vliet, 2015). We contacted
numerous governmental organizations such as health ministries, insurance
exchanges, and disability authorities in seven different countries as well as the
European Union via email and phone.
Outreach to experts and advocacy groups
● We reached out to experts suggested by user-centered design students and
faculty at the University of Washington, a leader in accessibility research,
programming and support. We interviewed experts by telephone or in person,
recording interviews for accuracy. See Appendix E: Remarks by Subject Matter
Experts for more details on expert comments.
● We also contacted the following advocacy groups by email and phone and asked
a standardized set of questions about the experience of disabled users and
particularly helpful web accessibility features: National Federation of the Blind,
American Foundation for the Blind, Hearing Loss Association of America,
National Association of the Deaf, United Cerebral Palsy, Provail in Seattle, the
Northwest ADA Center, the U.S. Access Board and the American Association of
People with Disabilities.
MAY 31, 2017 41
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Appendix H: Bibliography of Reviewed Literature
Each item in our list of resources consulted is tagged with an informative piece of
metadata, describing what area of accessibility the resource is commenting about. The
tags are listed below. This enables targeted searching for information on, e.g., sources
about Website Content & Design.
TAGS: Accessibility Policy, Plans, Website Evaluation, Website Content and Design,
Training, Evaluation & Assessment, Outreach, SMEs/Advocacy Groups to Contact,
Current Research on Accessibility, Equipment
Abou-Zahra, S. (2008). Web accessibility evaluation. In Harper, S., & Yesilada, Y.,
Web accessibility: a foundation for research. Human-Computer Interaction
Series, vol. 7. pp. 79-106. London: Springer.
● Metadata tags: website evaluation; website content and design
Access for All. (2017). Accessibility. Retrieved from
http://www.access-for-all.ch/ch/barrierefreiheit.html
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, Website Evaluation, Website
Content and Design, Equipment
ADA. (2017). Accessible technology. Retrieved from https://www.ada.gov/access-
technology
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, SMEs/Advocacy Groups to
Contact, Current Research on Accessibility, Equipment
Administration for Community Living. (2017). Home. Retrieved from https://acl.gov/
● Metadata tags: Plans, Website Content and Design, Outreach,
SMEs/Advocacy Groups to Contact
MAY 31, 2017 42
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Administration for Community Living. (2017). People with disabilities. Retrieved from
https://acl.gov/Get_Help/Help_Indiv_Disabilities/Index.aspx
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, Evaluation & Assessment,
Outreach, SMEs/Advocacy Groups to Contact
Adobe. (2017). Accessibility resources. Retrieved from
http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/resources.html
● Metadata tags: Training
American Foundation for the Blind. (2017). The American Foundation for the Blind’s
commitment to web accessibility. Retrieved from
http://www.afb.org/info/programs-and-services/technology-evaluation/creating-
accessible-websites/afbs-commitment-to-web-accessibility/1235
● Metadata tags: website content and design; SME; Advocacy Group;
training
ASHA.org. (2016). Redesigned NIDCD website offers responsive design, spanish-
language materials. ASHA Leader, 21(5), 10.
● Metadata tags: Website Content and Design, SMEs/Advocacy Groups to
Contact, Current Research on Accessibility
Assistive Technology Industry Association. (2017). Webinar directory. Retrieved from
https://www.atia.org/webinars/webinar-directory-search/
● Metadata tags: training
Balas, J.L. (2012). There are always possibilities. Computers in Libraries 32(3), 31.
● Metadata tags: tools for improving accessibility
Bernard, R., Sabariego, C., & Cieza, A. (2016). Barriers and facilitation measures
related to people with mental disorders when using the web: A systematic review.
MAY 31, 2017 43
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Journal Of Medical Internet Research, 18(6), Journal Of Medical Internet
Research, 2016 Jun, Vol.18(6).
● Metadata tags: Accessibility plans
Beukelman, D., & Mirenda, Pat. (2013). Augmentative and alternative communication:
Supporting children and adults with complex communication needs (4th ed.).
Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Pub.
● Metadata tags: Current Research on Accessibility
Beyond transparency. (2013). Building a smarter Chicago. Retrieved from
http://beyondtransparency.org/chapters/part-1/building-a-smarter-chicago/
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Website Content and Design,
Equipment
Booth, C. (2010). E-texts for all (even Lucy). Library Journal 135(13), 26.
● Metadata tags: current research on accessibility
Brajnik, G. (2004). Comparing accessibility evaluation tools: A method for tool
effectiveness. Universal Access in the Information Society, 3(3), 252-263.
● Metadata tags: website evaluation, website content and design, evaluation
and assessment
Charski, M. (2015). Web accessibility: is your content ready for everyone? EContent
38(2), 22.
● Metadata tags: Website Evaluation, Website Content and Design,
Equipment
Clarke, M. A., Moore, J.L., Steege, L.M., Koopman, R.J., Belden, J.L., Canfield, S.M.,
Meadows, S.E., Elliott, S.G., Kim, M.S. (2016). Health information needs,
sources, and barriers of primary care patients to achieve patient-centered care: A
literature review. Health Informatics Journal, 22(4), 992-1016.
MAY 31, 2017 44
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● Metadata tags: Plans, Website Evaluation, Website Content and Design,
Training, Outreach, Current Research on Accessibility
Drupal. (2017). Accessibility. Retrieved from
https://www.drupal.org/about/features/accessibility
● Metadata tags: Website Evaluation, Website Content and Design
Ellcessor, E. (2010). Bridging disability divides. Information, Communication & Society,
13(3), 289-308.
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Current Research on Accessibility
Ellcessor, E. (2016). Restricted access : Media, disability, and the politics of
participation (Postmillennial pop). New York: New York University Press.
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Website Content and Design, Outreach, Current Research on Accessibility
Elliott, D. (2015, Jul 27). The challenges of surfing while blind. Wall Street Journal, A-
11.
● Metadata tags: SME, website content and design, user perspective
Environments for Humans. (2016). Accessibility summit. Retrieved from
http://environmentsforhumans.com/2016/accessibility-summit/#.WLeoTBiZNmA
● Metadata tags: Website Content and Design, SMEs/Advocacy Groups to
Contact
Equality and Human Rights Commission. (2017). Accessibility statement. Retrieved
from https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/accessibility-statement
● Metadata tags: accessibility policy
European Commission. (2017). Accessibility FAQ. Retrieved from
http://ec.europa.eu/ipg/standards/accessibility/faq/index_en.htm
● Metadata tags: website content and design
MAY 31, 2017 45
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Foley, A. (2011). Exploring the design, development and use of websites through
accessibility and usability studies. Journal Of Educational Multimedia &
Hypermedia, 20(4), 361-385.
● Metadata tags: website evaluation
Galvez, R. A., & Youngblood, N. E. (2016). E-government in Rhode Island: What effects
do templates have on usability, accessibility, and mobile readiness? Universal
Access in the Information Society, 15(2), 281-296.
● Metadata tags: Website Content and Design
Government Digital Service. (2017). Blog. Retrieved from https://gds.blog.gov.uk/
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, Website Content and Design,
Evaluation & Assessment, SMEs/Advocacy Groups to Contact,
Harper, S., & Yesilada, Y. (2008). Web accessibility : A foundation for research
(Human-computer interaction series). London: Springer.
● Metadata tags: website evaluation; website content and design; training;
current research on accessibility
Hakobyan, L., Lumsden, J., O'Sullivan, D., & Bartlett, H. (2013). Mobile assistive
technologies for the visually impaired. Survey of Ophthalmology, Survey of
Ophthalmology, 2013.
● Metadata tags: Current Research on Accessibility
Health and Human Services. (2017). Delivering accessible products and services.
Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/delivering-accessible-
products-services/index.html#Resources
● Metadata tags: website content and design
MAY 31, 2017 46
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Herther, N.K. (2016). Design standards take federal websites to new levels of usability.
Information Today, 33(1), 1-29.
● Metadata tags: website content and design; design standards
Hinds, R., Danna, N., Capo, J., & Mroczek, K. (2016). Foot and ankle fellowship
websites: An assessment of accessibility and quality. Foot & Ankle Specialist,
Foot & ankle specialist, 10 November 2016.
● Metadata tags: website content and design; website testing and evaluation
IBM. (2017). Web resources. Retrieved from http://www-03.ibm.com/able/resources/
● Metadata tags: SMEs/Advocacy Groups to Contact
Jaeger, P. T. (2008). User-centered policy evaluations of section 508 of the
rehabilitation act: Evaluating e-government web sites for accessibility for persons
with disabilities. Journal Of Disability Policy Studies, 19(1), 24-33.
● Metadata tags: Website evaluation
Kirkpatrick, K. (2016). Existing technologies can assist the disabled. Association for
Computing Machinery. Communications of the ACM, 59(4), 16.
● Metadata tags: Equipment
Knowbility. (2017). About us. Retrieved from https://www.knowbility.org
● Metadata tags: training; website evaluation (testing)
Lynch, N.P., Lang, B., Angelov, S., Mcgarrigle, S.A., Boyle, T.J., Al-Azawi, D., &
Connolly, E.M. (2017). Breast reconstruction post mastectomy - Let's Google it.
Accessibility, readability and quality of online information. The Breast, 32, 126-
129.
● Metadata tags: Website evaluation
MAY 31, 2017 47
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
MassMATCH.org. (2017). Massachusetts initiative to maximize assistive technology
(AT) in consumer’s hands. Retrieved from http://www.massmatch.org/
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, SMEs/Advocacy Groups to Contact,
Equipment
Medium. (2017). [Search for “accessibility’]. Retrieved March 16, 2017
https://medium.com/search?q=accessibility
● Metadata tags: Website content and design
Molly.com. (2017). Who is my family? Retrieved from http://www.molly.com
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Outreach, SMEs/Advocacy Groups to
Contact
National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research. (2013). About the
national center for the dissemination of disability research (NCDDR). Retrieved
from http://www.ncddr.org/about.html
● Metadata tags: Outreach, Current Research on Accessibility
National Disability Authority. (2017). Accessibility toolkit. Retrieved from
http://nda.ie/Resources/Accessibility-toolkit/
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, Website Evaluation, Website
Content and Design, Training, Evaluation & Assessment
National Forum on Education Statistics. (2011). Forum guide to ensuring equal access
to education websites: Introduction to electronic information accessibility
standards. NFES 2011-807 Retrieved from
https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011807.pdf
● Metadata tags: website content and design, accessibility
policy/compliance
National Public Website on Assistive Technology. (2013). ATWiki. Retrieved
http://atwiki.assistivetech.net/index.php/ATWiki_HomeMAY 31, 2017 48
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● Metadata tags: Outreach, Current Research on Accessibility, Equipment
National Rehabilitation Information Center. (2017). Disability resources from NARIC.
Retrieved from http://www.naric.com/?q=en/node/27
● Metadata tags: Outreach, Current Research on Accessibility, Equipment
National Rehabilitation Information Center. (2017b). REHABDATA connection
subscription form. (Stay in the know). Retrieved from http://www.naric.com/?
q=en/RehabdataConnection
● Metadata tags: Outreach, Current Research on Accessibility, Equipment
Navarette, R. & Lujan-Mora, S. (2017). Bridging the Bandwidth Gap in Open
Educational Resources. Universal Access in the Information Society, DOI
10.1007/s10209-017-0529-9.
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Training, Current Research on
Accessibility, Equipment
Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of web information and
services of state and local government entities, 28 CFR Part 35, [CRT Docket
No. 128], RIN 1190-AA65. (2016). Retrieved from
https://www.ada.gov/regs2016/sanprm.html
● Metadata tags: accessibility policy
Olalere, A., & Lazar, J. (2011). Accessibility of US federal government homes pages:
Section 508 compliance and site accessibility statements. Government
Information Quarterly, 28(3), 303-309.
● Metadata tags: accessibility policy, plans, website evaluation, evaluation
and assessment
Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology. (2017). About. Retrieved
from http://www.peatworks.org/about
● Metadata tags: training
MAY 31, 2017 49
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Peterson, A. (2016). How facebook is helping the blind 'see' pictures their friends share
online. Washington: WP Company LLC d/b/a The Washington Post. Retrieved
from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/04/05/how-
facebook-is-helping-the-blind-see-pictures-their-friends-share-online/?
utm_term=.c35cfd26e96a
● Metadata tags: current research on accessibility
Politi, M. C.; Kaphingst, K. A.; Kreuter, M; Shacham, E.; Lovell, M. C.; & McBride, T.
(2013). Knowledge of health insurance terminology and details among the
uninsured. Medical Care Research and Review, 71(1).
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, Website Content and Design
Raths, D. (2012). Access denied. Campus Technology, 26(3), 10-15.
● Metadata tags: accessibility policy, accessibility plans; training
Riley-Huff, D. (2012). Web accessibility and universal design: A primer on standards
and best practices for libraries. Library Technology Reports, 48(7), 29-35.
● Metadata tags: website content and design; website evaluation; evaluation
and assessment
Royal National Institute of Blind People. (2017). Technology. Retrieved from
https://rnib.org.uk/practical-help/technology-hub
● Metadata tags: website content and design
Russell, K., Kerr, S.T., Burgstahler, S., Johnson, K., & Peck, C. (2014). Examining how
web designers' activity systems address accessibility: Activity theory as a guide,
ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.
● Metadata tags: website content and design, current research on
accessibility
MAY 31, 2017 50
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Siddhanamatha, H.R.; Heung, E.; Lopez-Olivo, M. de L.A.; Abdel-Wahab, N.; Ojeda-
Prias, A.; Willcockson, I.; Leong, A.; Suarez-Almazor, M. E. (2017). Quality
assessment of websites providing educational content for patients with
rheumatoid arthritis. Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism.
● Metadata tags: Website content and design
Sieben-Schneider, J., & Hamilton-Brodie, V. (2016). Doing the right thing: One
university's approach to digital accessibility. Journal Of Postsecondary Education
& Disability, 29(3), 221-230.
● Metadata tags: accessibility plans, training
Slater, H., Davies, S., Milne, G., Kelso, J., Slattery, M., & Briggs, A. (2015). The
painHEALTH website: A Western Australian policy-into-practice initiative to
deliver holistic, consumer-focused best-evidence pain management for people
with musculoskeletal pain. Physiotherapy, 101, E1410. Retrieved from
http://smr.csse.uwa.edu.au/pdf/Slater%20The%20PainHealth%20website
%202015%20WCPT%20Congress%202015.pdf
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Website Content and Design, Outreach, Current Research on Accessibility
Sligar, S., & Zeng, X. (2008). Evaluation of website accessibility of state vocational
rehabilitation agencies. Journal of Rehabilitation, 74(1), 12-18.
● Metadata tags: Website Content and Design
Social Security Administration. (2013). Best practices library. Retrieved from
https://www.ssa.gov/accessibility/bpl/default.htm
● Metadata tags: website content and design;
Southwell, K. L., & Slater, J. (2013). An evaluation of finding aid accessibility for screen
readers. Information Technology and Libraries (Online), 32(3), 34-46.
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, Website Evaluation, Website
Content and Design
MAY 31, 2017 51
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Streamline.com. (n.d.). Website tool for local government. Retrieved from
http://www.getstreamline.com/web/
● Metadata tags: Website Content and Design
Udesky, L. (2015, Dec 22). The State: Let down by high-tech upgrades; Tools aimed at
making tests more accessible for disabled students had the opposite effect for
some. Los Angeles Times, p. B4.
● Metadata tags: equipment
US Department of Health and Human Services. (2006). The research-based web
design & usability guidelines. Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office.
● Metadata tags: website content and design
Userite. (2017). Home. Retrieved from http://www.userite.com
● Metadata tags: Website evaluation
UNHIOD. (2016). A beginner’s guide to creating accessible documents. [YouTube
video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=_OOT9N3KUNI&feature=youtu.be
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, Website Content and Design
United States Digital Service. (2017). Digital services playbook. Retrieved from
https://playbook.cio.gov/
● Metadata Tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, Website Evaluation, Website
Content and Design, SMEs/Advocacy Groups to Contact
University of Washington. (2017). Accessible technology. Retrieved from
http://www.washington.edu/accessibility/web/tools-and-resources/
● Metadata Tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, Website Evaluation, Website
Content and Design, Training, Evaluation & Assessment
MAY 31, 2017 52
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Vanderheiden, G. (2006). Over the horizon: Potential impact of emerging trends in
information and communication technology on disability policy and practice.
National Council on Disability.
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, website content and design
Van de Ven, W., Van Kleef, R., & Van Vliet, R. (2015). Risk selection threatens quality
of care for certain patients: Lessons from Europe's health insurance exchanges.
Health Affairs (Project Hope), 34(10), 1713-20.
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, Current Research on
Accessibility
Van Ginneken, E., Swartz, K., & Van Der Wees, P. (2013). Health insurance exchanges
in Switzerland and the Netherlands offer five key lessons for the operations of US
exchanges. Health Affairs (Project Hope), 32(4), 744-52.
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Policy, Plans, Website Evaluation, Website
Content and Design, Current Research on Accessibility
Vision Internet. (2017). Vision digital accessibility checklist. Retrieved from
http://info.visioninternet.com/accessibility-checklist
● Metadata tags: Website content and design
Vision releases digital accessibility checklist. (2016, Apr 20). PR Newswire Retrieved
from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vision-releases-digital-
accessibility-checklist-300254210.htm l
● Metadata tags: website content and design; training
Waight, M., & Oldreive, W. (2016). Accessible websites -- what is out there? British
Journal Of Learning Disabilities, 44(2), 122-129.
● Metadata tags: website evaluation; website content and design;
evaluation and assessment
MAY 31, 2017 53
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
Washington University at St. Louis. (2017). Confused by health insurance jargon?
Retrieved from http://www.futurity.org/insurance-jargon-mystifies-healthcare-
options/
● Metadata tags: Website Content and Design
W3C. (2008). Mobile web best practices 1.0. Retrieved from
https://www.w3.org/TR/mobile-bp/
● Metadata tags: Website Content and Design, Equipment
WebAIM. (2016). Keyboard accessibility. Retrieved from
http://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/
● Metadata tags: Website Content and Design, Equipment
Webprofessionals.org. (2017). Why web accessibility matters more now than ever.
Retrieved from https://webprofessionals.org/web-accessibility-matters-now-ever/
● Metadata tags: Plans, Website Content and Design, Training, Evaluation
& Assessment, Equipment
Wilson, D. E. (2015). Web content and design trends of alabama academic libraries.
The Electronic Library, 33(1), 88-102.
● Metadata tags: Website Evaluation: Website Content and Design:
Evaluation & Assessment
YALSA. (2016). Resources for social justice and disability. Retrieved from
http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2016/12/20/resources-social-justice-disability/
● Metadata tags: Website Content and Design, Evaluation & Assessment,
SMEs/Advocacy Groups to Contact
Yesilada, Y., Brajnik, G., & Harper, S. (2011). Barriers common to mobile and disabled
web users. Interacting with Computers, 23(5), 525-542.
MAY 31, 2017 54
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE: distribution unlimited.
● Metadata tags: website evaluation, barriers to access
Yong, J.Y. (2015). Compliance of Section 508 in public library systems with the largest
percentage of underserved populations. Government Information Quarterly,
32(1), 75-81.
● Metadata tags: current research on accessibility; website content and
design
Yoon, K. K., Dols, R., Hulscher, L., & Newberry, T. (2016). An exploratory study of
library website accessibility for visually impaired users. Library & Information
Science Research (07408188), 38(3), 250-258. doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2016.08.006
● Metadata tags: website content and design, website evaluation, current
research on accessibility
Zhang, J., Purgathofer, P., Brereton, M., Fitzpatrick, G., & Güldenpfennig, F. (2016).
Handle the way. Proceedings of the 2016 ACM Conference Companion
Publication on Designing Interactive Systems, 117-120.
● Metadata tags: Accessibility Plans, Website Evaluation, Website Content
and Design, Equipment
MAY 31, 2017 55