Accessible Stout

UW-Stout strives to provide accessible web design for all people on all devices.

Through Accessible Stout, our web editors strive to improve web usability for everyone, following designated training tools and guidelines. Our web editors constantly evaluate our usability using Core Web Editor Skills to create content we all can use. Currently, we are working to make our site screen-reader friendly for all devices.

Please contact us if you have a disability-related access issue.

Access to information is a human right

The Americans with Disabilities Act states clearly that information must be accessible. UW-Stout's Drupal Web Authors Team work together to co-create a more Accessible Stout online and across the campus community.

There are three web publishing groups at UW-Stout who contribute voluntarily toward the university's efforts to comply with the law. We use the WCAG 2.0 standard to benchmark our work.

Improve usability for everyone

Accessibility means our website is usable for people of all abilities to accomplish their goals. UW-Stout web editors follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 12 guidelines that are organized under 4 principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust (POUR).

Perceivable

• Provide text alternatives for non-text content.
• Provide captions and other alternatives for multimedia.
• Create content that can be presented in different ways,
  including by assistive technologies, without losing meaning.
• Make it easier for users to see and hear content.

Operable

• Make all functionality available from a keyboard.
• Give users enough time to read and use content.
• Do not use content that causes seizures.
• Help users navigate and find content.

Understandable

• Make text readable and understandable.
• Make content appear and operate in predictable ways.
• Help users avoid and correct mistakes.

Robust

• Maximize compatibility with current and future user tools.

For each guideline, there are testable success criteria, which are at three levels: A, AA, and AAA to make our website digitally accessible. These guidelines help us improve the website experience for adaptive technology users, people with non-apparent disabilities and the general population.