Digital accessibility goes beyond just compliance: it creates an inclusive, welcoming environment for every student and visitor that interacts with your institution online.
The CDC reports that 1 in 4 adults in the United States live with disability; ignoring this significant portion of the population presents inherent risk of both legal and ethical consequences. Annual lawsuits specifically targeting websites for not accommodating users with disability are in the thousands every year.
Digital accessibility is especially important within Higher Education with the National Center for Education Statistics reporting that nearly 20% of secondary students experience disability to some degree.
Supporting students fully and equally means having your institution become an accessibility champion. One straightforward way to get there is by embracing the four P-O-U-R Principles.
Embracing Digital Accessibility with the P-O-U-R Principles
Accessibility is complex. The most recent Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (W-C-A-G) span hundreds of individual pages and explanations. Fortunately, much of it can be distilled into a single, four-legged set of guideposts called the P-O-U-R principles.
The P-O-U-R principles are designed to make digital accessibility digestible. Each one has a defined focus and they work together to make it possible for every user to engage with your institution online whether it’s on your website, campus map, virtual tour or events calendar.
1. Perceivable (P)
W-C-A-G defines “perceivable” content as content a user is able to engage with through multiple senses including visual, auditory or touch.
Below is a list of ways to ensure your content is “perceivable”:
- Provide ALT text for all images that describes exactly what’s shown for anyone with a visual disability.
- Add captions and written transcripts to videos so users with an auditory disability can still fully understand what is being shown.
- Create audio voiceover options for written text to help users with dyslexia or other vision impairments.
- Optimize your website and digital map for screen reader compatibility.
By implementing these tactics you ensure that no user is excluded from consuming your online content.
2. Operable (O)
Operable refers to ensuring your content can be engaged with using alternative navigation for users that experience a motor disability and can’t operate a traditional mouse.
When discussing the “Operable” principle, W-C-A-G includes the below list of recommendations that colleges and universities can implement:
- Provide keyboard shortcuts for all navigational tasks, like using arrow keys to zoom or move across a web page.
- Optimize the content for alternative input devices, like voice assistants that react and navigate based on verbal commands.
- Provide enough time for each piece of content, allowing users with neurological disabilities to consume the content at their own pace.
3. Understandable (U)
Designing your content with appropriate font size, visual hierarchy and plain language are ways to make it “Understandable”.
Below are more detailed ways to implement the “Understandable” principle.
- Use clear and simple language throughout, especially on headlines and call-to-action buttons.
- Avoid flashing colors or loud music queues to prevent harm to users who might be prone to seizures.
- Use consistent navigation, both graphically and linguistically, across all of your digital platforms.
- Include clear and obvious error messages on forms and bad links that tell users exactly where they went wrong and how to fix it.
- Provide good contrast between different visuals, like a caption on a picture, to assist users with vision impairments.
The key to success here is simplicity. The goal is to craft your digital content in a way that is easy to experience and consume for all users.
4. Robust (R)
“Robust” content performs to an equal degree on multiple devices, browser types, and technologies.
Here is a list of a few technical measures to put in place:
- Ensure compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers and non-keyword or mouse input devices.
- Test your content to make sure it displays equally well on all browsers and all types of devices, from Firefox to Chrome and laptops to smartphones.
In today’s digitally drenched landscape, digital accessibility is not just a trend or a nice-to-have, but a vital requirement for Higher Education institutions that want to provide equal access to their online resources. Embracing the P-O-U-R Principles builds a strong foundation for equitable experiences for students, families, visitors and staff.
Ready to learn more? Contact us for a deeper conversation about our commitment to accessibility or get started by downloading a copy of our Ultimate Checklist For A More Accessible Higher Ed Website.