Imagine if you were blocked from using the internet – no websites, shopping, apps or Uber. How frustrating would that be? How would you get anything done? 

Unfortunately, this is oftentimes the experience of people with disabilities. If they can’t easily tab through a website or use “assistive technologies” to get information and make requests, online resources are simply inaccessible to them. 

Who is responsible for accessibility? 

UC’s policy is to make materials accessible to everyone – particularly individuals with disabilities. You may think accessibility is an “IT problem.” But it’s up to all UC employees to ensure that accessibility is top of mind whenever we design, distribute or buy online resources. This includes:  

• Creating or using PDFs or videos  
• Buying software or electronic devices  
• Posting material on the web, or distributing it electronically   

 New accessibility e-courses 

UC has procured short, online training courses developed by our accessibility partner, Siteimprove. Participants will learn how to make accessible documents, videos and PDFs, as well as how to support the purchase of accessible hardware and other accessibility related topics. 

All courses are available online through the UC Learning Center. Simply enter “accessibility” in the search bar to view current offerings. If you’re new to accessibility, you might want to begin with the General Digital Accessibility Principles course, which covers the basics. Or, you may want to dive into content that’s specific to your job duties, like Accessibility for Designers. These on-demand courses can be taken at your convenience.  

New web monitoring tool  

UC has licensed the Siteimprove app for monitoring and improving websites for accessibility. All UC locations have access to this helpful tool. To get started, contact infohelp@ucop.edu to request an account. And, read the UC webpage about Siteimprove.  

 For more information about IT accessibility, visit the UCOP IT Accessibility Program website.

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