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Go to the button next to this link to open sub menu.</span></a><button class="sub-menu-toggle dropdown-arrow" aria-expanded="false"><i aria-hidden="false" class="fa fa-chevron-down"></i><span class="sub-menu-toggle-text-open screen-reader-text" aria-hidden="false">Open menu</span><span class="sub-menu-toggle-text-close screen-reader-text" aria-hidden="true">Close menu</span></button> <ul class="sub-menu"> <li id="menu-item-314" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-314"><a href="https://accessibility.jhu.edu/accessibility-services-vendors/">Vendors of Accessibility Services</a></li> </ul> </li> <li id="menu-item-38" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-38"><a href="https://accessibility.jhu.edu/accessibility-and-accommodation/">Accommodations</a></li> <li id="menu-item-577" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-577"><a href="https://accessibility.jhu.edu/digital-accessibility-initiatives-at-jhu/">Initiatives</a></li> <li id="menu-item-585" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-585"><a href="https://accessibility.jhu.edu/tools/">Tools</a></li> </ul>   <ul class="archives-menu navbar-nav ml-auto"> </ul> <ul class="mobile-navbar-nav"> <li class="menu-item utility-item"> <li class="menu-item utility-item"> <a href="/?s=">Search</a> </li> <li class="menu-item utility-item"> <a href="/contact">Contact</a> </li> </ul>  </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> <div class="secondary-jumbotron" role="banner" aria-label="Page Banner"> <div class="container-fluid"> <img src="https://accessibility.jhu.edu/wp-content/themes/Johns-Hopkins-University/assets/img/small_banner@2x.png" alt="Getting Started Site Banner" /> <div class="jumbotron-overlay"> <div class="inner-wrap"> <h1 role="heading" aria-label="Page Heading"> Getting Started </h1> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="container"> <div class="breadcrumb"> <div id="crumbs" role="navigation" aria-label="breadcrumb"><a href="https://accessibility.jhu.edu">Home</a> <span class="bread-sep">/</span> <span class="current">Getting Started</span></div> </div> </div> <main role="main" id="main" tabindex="-1"> <section id="mainContent" class="container pt-2"> <div class="narrow-width"> <p></p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="626" height="417" src="https://accessibility.jhu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/young-blind-person-with-long-cane-walking-city_1157-38790.webp" alt="Blind woman sitting on steps talking on a cell phone with her cane next to her" class="wp-image-61" srcset="https://accessibility.jhu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/young-blind-person-with-long-cane-walking-city_1157-38790.webp 626w, https://accessibility.jhu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/young-blind-person-with-long-cane-walking-city_1157-38790-300x200.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 626px) 100vw, 626px" /></figure> <h4 class="wp-block-customblock-custom-headline-title">What Is Digital Accessibility?</h4> <p>Digital Accessibility is the inclusive practice of designing and creating websites and other electronic information to be usable by as wide an audience as possible, including those with disabilities. Digital accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect digital access, including auditory, cognitive, physical, neurological and visual disabilities. </p> <h4 class="wp-block-customblock-custom-headline-title">Why is Digital Accessibility Important?</h4> <p>As more and more activities are conducted online, it is crucial that we leave no one out. This includes people with disabilities. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html#text-version" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 1 in 4</a> of the US adult population has some form of a disability. The likelihood of developing a disability increases as we age. <br><br>Digital Accessibility is an important part of <a href="https://diversity.jhu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)</a>. It’s essential to include disabled customers, applicants, students, faculty and staff, and consciously work to attract and retain them. That includes ensuring that websites, digital materials or apps on your site meet accessibility standards. </p> <p>Digital accessibility is also a <a href="https://www.ada.gov/resources/web-guidance/">legal requirement</a>. Organizations that receive federal funds are <a href="https://www.ada.gov/resources/disability-rights-guide/#rehabilitation-act">barred from discriminating against people with disabilities</a>.</p> <p>Accessibility also benefits those without disabilities through useful features such as captions, better color contrast and readability and consistent structure. Search engine optimization improves when sites are more accessible. The reach of your website increases with an accessible site. </p> <h4 class="wp-block-customblock-custom-headline-title">How Do I Know if My Digital Content is Accessible?</h4> <p>JHU uses the prevailing accessibility standard for its digital content, currently the <a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/quickref/">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA</a>.  This standard covers not only websites and web applications (developed at JHU or purchased products), but also documents, course materials, slide decks, multimedia (videos, audio files) and social media. To check your materials for accessibility, you can: </p> <ol class="wp-block-list" style="list-style-type:1"> <li>Use automated accessibility checking tools to check your websites and documents. JHU has licensed <a href="https://accessibility.jhu.edu/tools/">some of these tools </a>for faculty and staff use. </li> <li>Documents can be checked for accessibility with the <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/improve-accessibility-with-the-accessibility-checker-a16f6de0-2f39-4a2b-8bd8-5ad801426c7f">accessibility checkers in Microsoft Office</a>, <a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/create-verify-pdf-accessibility.html">Adobe Acrobat</a>. </li> <li>Since automated accessibility checking tools only detect about 30-40% of accessibility barriers, <a href="https://accessibility.jhu.edu/manual-accessibility-testing-guide/">manual checks</a> are also important. <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Navigate your website without a mouse and <a href="https://webaim.org/techniques/keyboard/#testing">check that the site is fully usable with a keyboard.</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.siteimprove.com/glossary/screen-reader-testing/">Test your website with a screen reader </a>such as <a href="https://www.nvaccess.org/download/">NVDA</a>, JAWS for Windows or <a href="https://support.apple.com/guide/voiceover/welcome/mac">VoiceOver</a> for Mac. </li> <li>Make sure that all <a href="https://webaim.org/techniques/captions/">video is captioned and audio files have transcripts</a>.</li> <li>Informational images need to have <a href="https://webaim.org/techniques/alttext/">ALT (alternative) text</a> with a short description of the image. Decorative images can be given a <a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/decorative/">null ALT tag</a>. </li> <li><a href="https://webaim.org/techniques/forms/">Forms need to have labels</a> that are associated with the data field.聽</li> <li>Make sure <a href="https://webaim.org/techniques/hypertext/link_text">links have meaningful names</a> so that users know what the link is for. For example, use “financial aid application” as a link name instead of “click here” </li> </ul> </li> <li>Be sure to <a href="https://uxdesign.cc/semantic-html-the-foundation-of-web-accessibility-e5bbecad7c17">structure your document or website with semantic tags</a> that make it easier for people with disabilities to navigate (titles, headings, bulleted lists, tables, language).</li> <li>Be sure that your text and background colors <a href="https://webaim.org/articles/contrast/">have sufficient color contrast</a> so that they are readable. </li> <li>Make sure <a href="https://webaim.org/techniques/writing/">your content is clearly and simply written</a>. </li> <li><a href="https://www.digitala11y.com/3-2-3-consistent-navigation/">Layout and navigation should be as consistent as possible</a>. </li> </ol> <p></p> </div> </section> </main> <footer> <div class="container py-5"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-lg-3"><a class="footer-logo" href="/"><img src="https://accessibility.jhu.edu/wp-content/themes/Johns-Hopkins-University/assets/img/JHU_logo_white.svg" width="227px" height="43px" alt="Johns Hopkins University Logo" /></a></div> <div id="footerLocation" class="col-lg"> <p id="locationInfo">IT@ Johns Hopkins<br /> 5801 Smith Avenue<br /> Davis Building, Suite 110A<br /> Baltimore MD 21209 </p> </div> <div id="footerContact" class="footer-contact col-lg"> <p> </p> <p><a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#562133343735353325253f343f3a3f222f163c3e2378333223"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2a5d4f484b49494f595943484346435e536a40425f044f4e5f">[email protected]</span></a></p> </div> </div> <hr /> <div class="copyright">Copyright @ 2024 The Johns Hopkins University. 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