An accessibility statement is “a public information page that relays your internal organizational policies, your accessibility goals, and your past successes when it comes to serving and working with people who have disabilities.” It should be easily accessible for any visitor to your website so that they know what your commitment to accessibility is, and what you have done and are doing to uphold that commitment going forward.
However, it can be difficult to know what to put into an accessibility statement. How much information is too much? What is necessary to include? It can be a little overwhelming. This guide will help you ensure that your website’s accessibility statement thoroughly covers your organization’s accessibility practices.
Do you need an accessibility statement?
There is no law in the United States stating that accessibility statements are legally required to meet digital accessibility standards, but it is considered best practice. Accessibility statements illustrate awareness and communicate your commitment to digital accessibility. This can reflect well on your organization, but it also serves as a way to keep you accountable. Maintaining accessibility is the right thing to do under any circumstances, but publicizing your commitment to accessibility creates an additional incentive to do so.
So although there is no legal requirement, you should have an accessibility statement on your website as part of your commitment to accessibility.
What should I include?
There are some key components you should include in your accessibility statement to ensure that it conveys what it’s intended to:
- Statement of commitment.
- Form of contact.
- Standards used.
- Environments tested for compatibility.
- Date updated.
Let’s take a closer look at exactly what each of these components comprises.
Statement of commitment
A statement of commitment is a simple explanation of your intentions, dedication, and efforts towards digital accessibility. And since you want the people reading it to know where you stand, it should be in plain language. This is not the place for fancy legal jargon. You want people to know what you’re talking about, and plain language is both more accessible and easier to understand.
Form of contact
You want your visitors to be able to get in touch if something breaks or new issues arise. Include more than one form of contact in your accessibility statement so people can reach out if something isn’t working. It’s critical that whatever contact information you provide is valid, up-to-date, and something that gets checked regularly. Consider incorporating a method of flagging and prioritizing accessibility inquiries. Remember: the faster you respond to reports of something breaking, the less likely you are to be sued over inaccessibility.
Standards used
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the most globally recognized and followed digital accessibility standards, but they’re not the only ones. Be sure to define what standards you adhere to and link to them for reference. And if you have any internal policies or guidelines that you follow, consider making them public for transparency.
Environments tested for compatibility
With the multitude of devices and applications people use to access content these days, designing, developing, and testing for function in multiple environments is so foundational that it is rarely mentioned anymore. But there are infinite possible environments that are being updated all the time, so testing every possible permutation is unrealistic. Test thoroughly and regularly for the most common environments to confirm compatibility and document this in your statement. Failing to include this information could leave you open to users making claims of inaccessibility in extreme edge cases, which are impossible to eliminate completely.
Date updated
Having an out-of-date or inaccurate accessibility statement both reflects poorly on you as an organization and opens you up to lawsuits if your statement includes false claims about accessibility. Review and update your statement regularly to ensure that it is accurate and current, and include the date of the last revision.
Conclusion
Writing an accessibility statement doesn’t have to be hard. Include these components to ensure that you clearly communicate your commitment to digital accessibility to all visitors.
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