What is web accessibility?
"Web Accessibility" is a foundational pillar of modern website development. All people, regardless of their ability, should be able to make use of websites equally. In practice, this means that web developers and content creators need to ensure that people with varying degrees of physical and cognitive abilities can interact with, perceive, and understand the same information.
For instance: some website users may have a visual impairment. They may have difficulty seeing images on your website, and so it's possible they won't be able to understand what an image is or represents.
The accessible web solution to this specific problem is to add alternative (or "alt,") text that describes what's depicted in the image. The person can then use their browser, screen reader, or other technology to audibly speak or show the alt text in a way they can perceive it.
For more detailed information about web accessibility, take a look at the Web Accessibility Initiative's "Accessibility Fundamentals" resources.
Why is it important?
The main benefit of an accessible web is obvious—it provides the same information access to people who might have physical or cognitive disabilities. However, accessible design benefits everyone, even those who don't have disabilities.
Tools used to help make websites accessible can help make your site appear more often in search and answer/AI engines. Building an accessible web also means ensuring different device types can use and view a site. In other words: the same information is displayed and usable on phones, tablets, and computers.
University Requirements
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that requires that public accommodations be accessible to those with disabilities. Recently, this law has also expanded to include the digital presence of public universities and governments, as well as other organizations that receive federal or state funding. This means that the vendors these entities rely on need to have accessible web experiences for everyone, too.
The ADA will began enforcing web accessibility for these organizations on April 26, 2027. According to ADA Title II, affected websites need to meet or exceed the requirements laid out by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, at level AA.
OpenScholar Accessibility Compliance Measures
At OpenScholar, we know that maintaining websites to an accessible standard benefits everyone and makes the web a better place to be. We keep accessibility requirements at the forefront of all development and maintenance work. This practice helps us continue ensuring our core web platform and resources meet or exceed WCAG 2.1 at level AA.
You can read specific details about how our platform themes, components, and user interactions are accessible in our Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®) located on our accessibility directory.
What can I do to help make sure my OpenScholar site is accessible?
Our platform allows for a lot of freedom when it comes to site content creation and distribution. Because of this, you should ensure your content on your OpenScholar site meets the same WCAG 2.1 AA-level requirements. Some specific content management tips can be found in our documentation.
If you have any specific concerns about accessibility on OpenScholar, reach out to us with an email to support@theopenscholar.com.
