Web Accessibility

The power of the Web is in its universality.
Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.

— Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web

Web accessibility means that websites, tools, and technologies are designed so that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with them. It encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, and visual.

Web accessibility also benefits people without disabilities, for example:

• People using mobile phones, smart watches, and other devices with small screens, different input modes, etc.
• People with temporary disabilities such as a broken arm or lost glasses
• People with situational limitations such as bright sunlight or a location where they can't listen to audio
• People using a slow Internet connection

Adapted from W3C's Introduction to Web Accessibility

Accessibility is about ensuring that digital technology is usable by people with disabilities. Checklists, standards, and laws are important tools to help achieve accessibility — yet sometimes they get the focus instead of the fundamental goal of accessibility: meeting the needs of disabled people in the real world (www.w3.org/WAI/people/).

San José State University has a deep commitment to social justice, equity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, staff. We view accessibility as a core tenant of our university mission and values.

From Accessibility at SJSU

Building accessible LibGuides is something that benefits every single student. But firstly and most importantly, it creates an equitable educational experience for those who require accommodations or the use of accessibility tools.

As educators, each of us is responsible for ensuring an accessible, equivalent, and effective experience for all of our users.

Accessibility should be built into the very foundations of everything we create. This requires us to be knowledgeable about the principles of accessibility, and to think about accessibility while still in the planning stages of building learning experiences.

The goal of this guide is to assist and encourage all of us in creating accessible learning experiences.