Title: Definition of Accessible
Course: Web Accessibility MOOC for Educators > Section: What is Accessibility and How Does it Apply to my Job?

Definition of Accessible

“Accessible” means a person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective and equally integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use. The person with a disability must be able to obtain the information as fully, equally and independently as a person without a disability. Although this might not result in identical ease of use compared to that of persons without disabilities, it still must ensure equal opportunity to the educational benefits and opportunities afforded by the technology and equal treatment in the use of such technology (Office of Civil Rights in the Resolution agreement with South Carolina Technical College System, 2/18/13) Resolution Agreement South Carolina Technical College System OCR Compliance Review No. 11-11-6002. (2013, February 28). Retrieved July 6, 2015, from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/11116002-b.pdf.

People with disabilities and an aging population increase the need for accessible electronic information and resources. Accessibility means that electronic information is easy to use by people with:

- Limited mobility, including quadriplegia and spinal cord injuries
- Hearing impairments, such as hard or hearing and deafness
- Visual impairments, like low vision, blindness, and color blindness
- Cognitive disabilities, including dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder
- Other disabilities, too

Accessibility also means that electronic information is easy to use on any electronic device, such as smart phones, tablets, laptops, and desk top computers. Finally, accessibility means that electronic information is compatible with assistive technologies.

Terminology Used in Defining Accessible

WCAG 2.0 – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

W3C – World Wide Web Consortium

WAI -- Web Accessibility Initiative

Section 508, Subpart B - Web-based intranet and internet information and applications.

VPAT – Voluntary Product Accessibility Template

ALT Text [Not Tag] – Alternative Text

A Few Important Accessibility Characteristics

Designing for accessibility includes:

- No reliance on color or sensory characteristics alone to convey meaning
- Use of color combinations that provides a sufficient degree of contrast
- Controls for audio
- Use of text instead of images of text
- No use of flashing or blinking elements
- No focus changes without user initiation
- Consistent navigation and identification of elements

"Defining Accessibility" by Brenda M. Perea, CHAMP Grant, Colorado Community College System is licensed under CC BY 4.0