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Home > Web Services > Additional services > You are here Strategy advice

Strategy advice

For many organisations addressing web accessibility issues, the biggest challenge is integrating accessibility into a wider website strategy.

A strategic approach to web accessibility means you are far more likely to keep your site accessible. Too often web accessibility is treated as a one-off development project which means, after launch, site accessibility can slowly degrade over time.

How we can help you

With our experience of working with a wide range of clients over many years, we can work with you to build accessibility into your wider web development strategy.

Specifically we can help you with:

• issues your web accessibility strategy should cover
• creating internal accessibility guidelines
• understanding and implementing PAS 78
• developing in-house knowledge on web accessibility

Your web accessibility strategy

We can help you with your web accessibility strategy by working with you through issues such as:

• skills needed by your team
• approaches to working with developers
• implementing an accessibility policy
• fitting website accessibility in with the accessibility of your intranet and documents, such as PDFs

Creating internal accessibility guidelines

One of the key challenges is to engage your staff with accessibility issues, giving them information they can understand and relate to their day-to-day work. Standard web accessibility guidelines are not easy to read, and are not specific to your organisation. We can also help you to:

• draft customised web guidelines using examples from your websites
• create easy to use checklists on key topics such as 'testing for accessibility' and 'working with external agencies' for editors and other staff who contribute content

Ask us for a full list of what internal guidelines drafted by AbilityNet for your organisation will include.

Understanding and implementing PAS 78

The PAS 78 Guide to Good Practice in Commissioning Accessible Websites is a framework guide to help anyone who commissions a website and is increasingly becoming widely used in the UK. As part of the expert panel who gave advice during its creation, AbilityNet has in-depth knowledge of the guide. We can provide practical advice on the guide’s recommendations, such as how to create your accessibility policy and accessibility testing plan, use disabled people to test your website and choose an external web development agency.

We also provide tailored in-house training on PAS 78.

Developing in-house knowledge of web accessibility

As part of a strategic approach we can run workshops with you and your team on any aspect of web accessibility, ranging from raising awareness through to detailed technical issues such as Flash and PDF accessibility. We can also facilitate meetings between you and your suppliers to ensure all parties clearly understand what you are trying to achieve.

"In 2002 AbilityNet were very helpful in reviewing and contributing to Barclays' Accessibility Design Standards and consequently endorsing the first version for us. When we approached them again in 2004 with a fully revised version, again AbilityNet completed the task of reviewing the changes and endorsing them a second time. Our standards are now endorsed at Group board level and are proving to be most useful in our UK business areas."
Clare Handforth, Accessibility Designer, Barclays Bank Pl

For more information:

• Email accessibility@AbilityNet.org.uk
• Phone 0800 269545

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