What is Web Accessibility?

A website is accessible when all who visit can do what they need to online, regardless of physical or developmental abilities or impairments. Accessibility is fundamental to MCC’s core values and we are committed to making our websites accessible.

In 2021, there were a record-setting 4,055 lawsuits regarding inaccessible websites! Below are some resources to learn more about website accessibility lawsuits.

The following acts provide legal protections for people with disabilities, which include the ability to have equal access to websites and materials posted on websites.

  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (https://www.ada.gov/)
    • Prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, architectural design, transportation, examinations and courses, and other services offering “public accommodation” (including websites).
    • SUNY schools, including MCC, were sued in 2018 over their websites’ failure to meet accessibility requirements. The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) reached an agreement with MCC over remediation efforts in March, 2021.
    • Remediation is an ongoing process to prevent future lawsuits as we continue to be monitored by OCR.
  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/index.html)
    • Covered by the Office of Civil Rights, this section of the Rehabilitation Act “defines the rights of individuals with disabilities to participate in, and have access to, program benefits and services.”
  • Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (https://www.section508.gov/)
    • Requires the U.S. federal government to take accessibility into account when procuring information technologies: websites, telephones, copiers, computers, and other technologies.

It pays to know why web accessibility is important and how accessible websites help everyone. Here are ways to learn about it.

Watch Accessibility Videos

The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative’s Accessibility Fundamentals website includes several short videos that illustrate aspects of web accessibility. Select a video that interests you or watch them all together in this 7.5 minute Web Accessibility Perspectives compilation on YouTube.

Listen to a Screen Reader in Action

A screen reader is software that reads a web page out loud to a blind or visually impaired visitor. To get closer to this type of visitor’s experience, watch a screen reader demo, with commentary from a UC Berkeley web accessibility evangelist. In a companion video, learn why online PDFs have to be accessible as well. 

Take an Online Course

Deque University offers two online courses – Accessibility Fundamentals – Disabilities, Guidelines, and Laws and Basic Web and Document Accessibility for Content Contributors – that are a great starting point for learning about accessibility, who it impacts and how, and what we can do to improve the content we create. These courses are required training for all website liaisons and web content editors.

All MCC Employees are welcome to take any of the courses offered by Deque, and are not limited to website accessibility. Not sure if you have an account? Submit a Technology Services Support Request Ticket to check or request access, or go to the Deque University Login Page and select “Forgot your password or username?” and choose to reset your password.

Study Web Accessibility Standards

To delve into web accessibility standards, try these resources: 

MCC has pledged to make its websites comply with WCAG 2.0, Levels A and AA.