Overview
The good news is that if you have a website provided by Parish Online, we've done 99% of the work on this already, so we're confident that you'll pass your audit. Relax!
Why are we so confident?
There are two elements to this;
- The way we've built your website. We've built your site using the latest GOV.UK Frontend framework. This is a design that has been heavily researched by a Central Government department, with the end result being a design that is inherently accessible and compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), currently version 2.2 AA. If guidance is changes, to 2.3 AA for example, then we will automatically update your site before the deadline. The site is also designed "mobile-first" meaning it works well on mobile, tablet and desktop devices. This ensures you meet the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018.
- The Accessibility Statement we've included on your website. An accessibility statement explains to visitors how accessible your website is. It also states that if there are elements that are not accessible then the visitor can contact your organisation to request an accessible version. So, it's perfectly acceptable to have non-compliant content on your website, so long as you promptly provide it to an individual in an accessible format on request. You should read through the Accessibility Statement we've provided as you may want to make tweaks to it that are more fit-for-purpose for your council.
If you're a customer of Parish Online Websites, then no. As mentioned previously, we've taken the steps to ensure your site is compliant. We regularly scan your site and if any improvements are needed we make them. This all happens behind the scenes.
Do I need to trawl through archive content to make it accessible before audit?
No, this would be seen as a disproportionate burden on your council and not a good use of public money and time. Instead, if a visitor requests content in a different format, you should deal with that request promptly.
To adhere to the Equality Act 2010 you must provide information requested in an alternative accessible format like large print or audio recording, if requested.
Does that mean loading accessible content is not important?
No, it's very important. The better the content you load in now, the more accessible your site becomes, and the less on-request work you'll have to do in the future. So, this continuous improvement is all that's required.
What if I want to check my site anyway?
It's a great idea to make yourself aware of the tools those with disabilities can use;
- Switch on the screen reader for your site. This should read out your website in order. If it's missing critical information then that's an issue. This is a test of whether your site is usable by those with little to no sight.
- Use your keyboard to navigate the site. Can you navigate your website without using a mouse? Use Tab, Shift + Tab and Space Bar to see if you can get around your site easily. This is a test of whether your site is usable by those who cannot use a touchpad or mouse.
- Adjust the zoom settings in the browser. Use the zoom buttons (usually found in the menu/settings. This allows a visitor to make the text and content much bigger and therefore easier to read if hard of sight. Try setting it to 200%. All content should be visible and legible.
- Use the site on a mobile device. All content available on the desktop view should be available in the mobile view. Are there missing menus or squished up content? Are the menus easy to select on a touchscreen? This is a test of accessibility for those without desktop or laptop computers.
This will give you a good foundation for understanding how your website behaves.
How do I make my content accessible?
You can make your content accessible with a few simple steps:
- Paste Agendas and Minutes into your meeting page. This ensures your content is scalable and adaptable to the site design. You can always upload a PDF of the content as well.
- Don't solely upload images/pdfs to share content. We see this a lot where an image is uploaded, e.g. for an event. All the information like the date, location, time, how to book tickets etc and in the image. However a screen reader cannot read that. So, you can upload the image, but you must type out the information into the page as well, so the text can be scaled or dictated for a visitor.
- Avoid text over images. It's hard to read, just don't do it!
- Avoid low contrast. Black text on a white background, or white text on a dark background is the holy grail. Anything else should be avoided.
These principles should be used when supplying information on-request.