Web Services
Contact Us

webservices@csuchico.edu

More Contact Information


2021–22 Campus Web Accessibility Plan

Table of Contents

CMT Web Services is committed to providing everyone in the CSU, Chico community equal access to University programs, services, and activities. We are working hard to make our websites (those in the www.csuchico.edu domain) accessible to all users. This means a goal of meeting the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 AA).

Scope

The Campus Web Accessibility Plan applies only to websites and web content contained within the URLs www.csuchico.edu and search.csuchico.edu.

The Web Accessibility Plan does not apply to other sites, including the following:

  • Web-based applications including University Catalog, Directory, or Class Schedule
  • Electronic forms
  • Personal faculty and student websites in YourWeb(opens in new window)
  • Department websites in Chico State Web Hosting or externally hosted
  • Affiliate or auxiliary websites regardless of domain (ex., University Public Events, Athletics, RCE)
  • LMS content or other instructional materials
  • Meriam Library websites and other digital properties

System Background

Web Services provides the framework (template) for all www.csuchico.edu subsites, referred to in this plan as the "Campus Web." This framework is built within the Cascade web content management system (WCMS) and is designed to provide a unified brand and user experience in websites conducting official university business.

The content within each site is controlled by a website owner (appropriate administrator) and updated by site maintainers designated by the site owner. Each site maintainer is required to attend Cascade training that includes accessibility tips, best practices, and resources and sign a user agreement before being granted access to the WCMS.

In 2019–20, Web Services completed a migration of campus websites into a mobile-responsive framework (Campus Web 3.0(opens in new window)), using this migration as a remediation checkpoint and dramatically improving the overall accessibility of the Campus Web. Since that time, more campus departments have opted into the Campus Web, including the Turner Gallery, improving the overall health of campus digital properties.

System Status

Inventory

Current inventory of existing www websites (campus authentication required) and associated digital content, including maintainers, division, accessibility score, QA and SEO scores, PDF accessibility scores, page views, and last modified date.

Historical Data

June 2017 Status: Pre-migration & Pre-Siteimprove Baseline

Inventory (Siteimprove)

  • Pages: 18,166
  • Links: 93,464
  • Documents: 15,980
  • Media files: 24,536
  • JavaScript files: 309
  • CSS: 662
  • Meta tags: 44

Automated Check Against WCAG 2.0 (Siteimprove)

  • 86 A issues to fix or check
  • 7 AA issues to fix or check
  • 23 A and AA issue types with no errors

August 2018 Status: Midway Through 3.0 Migration

Inventory

  • Pages: 13,974
  • Links: 60,813
  • Documents: 10,953
  • Media files: 17,302
  • JavaScript files: 380
  • CSS: 530
  • Meta tags: 35

Automated Check Against WCAG 2.1 (Siteimprove)

  • 91.5/100 Siteimprove weighted accessibility score
  • 73 A issues to fix or check (48,313 occurrences)
  • 4 AA issues to fix or check (1,452 occurrences)
  • 39 A and AA issue types with no errors

October 2019 Status: 3.0 Migration complete

Inventory

  • Pages: 12,120
  • Links: 48,425
  • Documents: 7,402
  • Media files: 12,854
  • JavaScript files: 260
  • CSS: 282
  • Meta tags: 13

Automated Check Against WCAG 2.1 (Siteimprove)

  • 87.6/100 Siteimprove weighted accessibility score for 3.0 sites only (87.6 for all www.csuchico.edu)
  • 56 A issues to fix or check (91,544 occurrences)
  • 3 AA issues to fix or check (596 occurrences)
  • 42 A and AA issue types with no errors

November 2020 Status

Inventory

  • Pages: 13,318
  • Links: 67,975
  • Documents: 10,108
  • Media files: 15,558
  • JavaScript files: 270
  • CSS: 467
  • Meta tags: 13

Automated Check Against WCAG 2.1 (Siteimprove)

  • 92.3 /100 Siteimprove weighted accessibility score
  • 54 A issues to fix or check (91,544 occurrences)
  • 4 AA issues to fix or check (596 occurrences)
  • 48 A and AA issue types with no errors

January 2022

Inventory

  • Pages: 16,894
  • Documents: 15,201

Automated Check Against WCAG 2.1 (Siteimprove)

  • 80/100 Siteimprove weighted accessibility score for
  • 406 pages with A issues to fix or check (894 occurrences)
  • 21 pages with AA issues to fix or check (46 occurrences)

Plan

This plan was created to align with the structure of the CSU Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI). The CSU ATI coded memo can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/6654183/latest/.

CSU ATI Web Accessibility goals fall into 7 main categories:

  • Web Accessibility Evaluation Process: Identify and repair or replace inaccessible websites, web applications, and digital content.
  • New Website/Web Application and Digital Content Design and Development Process: New website/web application and digital content development complies with all Section 508 accessibility guidelines.
  • Ongoing Monitoring Process: Updating and maintenance of websites/web applications and digital content comply with Section 508 Accessibility Standards.
  • Training Process: Professional development training has incorporated Section 508 accessibility guidelines into website and web applications development and digital content preparation.
  • Communication Process: The campus community is aware of Section 508 guidelines to make web-based information available to everyone (students, staff, faculty & the general public) regardless of disability.
  • Administrative Process: Campus governance entities are aware of and kept informed about web accessibility.

1. Web Accessibility Evaluation Process

Responsible body: CMT Web Services

Inventory: Dynamic report pulling data from server, Siteimprove, Cascade

Automated testing: Monthly testing of entire www.csuchico.edu domain using Siteimprove

Manual testing: Twice yearly, selected pages, using CSU testing framework and additional criteria including a screen reader test

Distribution of results: Automated reports to 3.0 site owners/maintainers via Siteimprove; manual testing results emailed to individual stakeholders. Users of the WCMS see a Siteimprove integration within Cascade that informs them of accessibility scan results.

Compliance assistance:   Accessible Content ticket category and Website Design and Support Knowledge Base within the campus service catalog (Siteimprove reports, the Web Services website, and the University Communicators Guide all contain links to relevant help tickets)

Digital content: Basic scan of PDFs and semi-automated caption check via Siteimprove. Full monthly scan of documents using Ally for Web.

Documentation: Historical data of automated tests and manual tests archived in Siteimprove and Box, respectivelu.

2021–22 Maintenance Strategy: Maintain accessibility baseline of Siteimprove score in 90s.

  • Continue to scan, revise, and adjust 3.0 framework based on testing results
  • Use Web Services student assistants to visually check and fix errors identified in Siteimprove

2021–22 Remediation Strategy: Focus on PDFs.

  • Implement the use of online forms instead of PDFs for simple information gathering.
  • Partner with other campus departments to review and filter online form requests to appropriate platforms.

2. New Websites and Digital Content

Process for new websites:

  • Use Cascade framework based on Chico State Web Design System library of accessible elements and styles
  • New websites are requested by site owner and approved by Web Content Review Committee
  • Keep Chico State Web Design System current using formalized versioning system
  • Follow Web Services development standards

Tools used during design and development:online Colour Contrast Analyser, Siteimprove browser extension, Google Lighthouse, axe browser extension, WAVE, Button Contrast Checker.

2021–22 Goals

  • Create a webpage outlining the accessibility regulations, expectations, and resources available to campus groups looking to build new digital websites or apps.
  • Write internal documentation describing which campus hosting locations and CMS platforms are recommended for certain use cases.
  • Begin to build internal UX resources to help campus groups better understand student needs and how students are interacting with our digital platforms and services.
  • Refine the backend template and experience for Cascade site maintainers.

3. Ongoing Monitoring

  • Continue to check selected pages manually (every 6 months) and all subsites automatically (every month)
  • Continue to check web content (PDFs) monthly
  • Require update clients to remediate content before Web Services upload
  • Use one quarter-time student assistant position to remediate issues introduced by content maintainers and do visual checks through Siteimprove
  • Siteimprove plug-in integrated into Cascade WCMS editing interface
  • Cascade WCMS automated accessibility checks
    • Other automated features include enforcing file naming conventions, automatically add file extensions to links to media file, and building menu links with descriptive ARIA labels.

2021–22 Goals

  • Develop a way to assess what percentage of new PDFs are fully remediated.
  • Produce an internal web services report that monitors broad statistics related to the team’s activities and campus as a whole.
  • Continue monitoring practices of manual testing (6 mo), PDF assessment, and reporting.

4. Training

  • Accessibility basics and introduction to Siteimprove covered in Cascade 3.0 training(opens in new window) for site maintainers, offered monthly. This training is required for Cascade access.
  • All Web Services staff and student assistants have completed “General Digital Accessibility Basics” Siteimprove Academy course
  • Walk-in lab available for site maintainers to get hands-on assistance in site remediation
  • An Accessibility Assistance page for Campus Web site maintainers
  • Accessibility section included in University Style Guide to increase awareness among campus communicators, including best practices for digital content
  • Web Accessibility Knowledge Base of content accessibility tutorials is regularly updated to help site maintainers with content issues identified in Siteimprove automated scans

2021–22 Goals

  • Evaluate site maintainer training to ensure accessibility best practices are being retained by participants.
  • Leverage new campus training system to require and automatically assign accessibility training to all campus developers.
  • Leverage new campus training system to require accessibility basics training as a Cascade training prerequisite.

5. Communication

  • Continue to send monthly Siteimprove content accessibility reports to identified site owners and maintainers
  • “Report an accessibility issue” link in standard campus footer—directs to the Web Accessibility section of the campus ATI site, which includes our desired level of compliance, links to resources for compliance assistance, and a link to the form for reporting web accessibility issues
  • Accessible Content Service Catalog in the TeamDynamix ticketing system allows campus community to request site scans, content remediation assistance, captioning support, and more
  • Accessibility section included in University Style Guide increases awareness among campus communicators

2021–22 Goals

  • Refine quarterly reports to ensure they are easy to understand and take action on.
  • Identify gaps in campus understanding of Section 508 guidelines so that appropriate help guides and documentation can be created.
  • Convene a new campus committee regularly to direct and evaluate progress in meeting ATI goals, increasing awareness across campus through these key stakeholders.

6. Administrative

  • Revise and publish Campus Web Accessibility Plan yearly

2021–22 Goals

  • Convene a new campus committee regularly to direct and evaluate progress in meeting ATI goals through training of developers and content maintainers across campus.
  • Continue to seek collaboration with college deans.
  • Refine written templates use for the web page creation process. These templates, disseminated by Web Services, college deans and department chairs, aid in the usability of academic program web pages.

Outreach to Other Campus Areas

While this plan covers the Campus Web only, Web Services is committed to fostering collaboration with other campus units creating websites and web apps. Our efforts to help other units meet ATI standards include

  • Leverage the web review within the ITPR process to contact owners of non-Cascade sites and suggest remediation, migration to Cascade, or moving them to another system (ex., student clubs to OrgSync, personal sites to YourWeb)
  • Provide YourWeb personal sites and Chico State Web Hosting services to campus
  • Accessibility Knowledge Base in TeamDynamix and section in University Style Guide
  • Provide Siteimprove reports to Chico State Web Hosting site owners
  • Campus Web UI: a library of CSS web styles available to campus app developers and vendors
  • Manual and automated scans: provided by Web Services to other campus units and auxiliaries
  • Siteimprove access for other campus units and auxiliaries upon request
  • Web Services participation in ATI working groups and the Disability Access and Compliance Committee
  • Contribution to annual ATI report, President’s Report, and Web Accessibility Report required by the CSU
  • Accessibility consulting to other units for websites, web apps, and other digital projects
  • Digital branding consultation service offering that includes accessibility

Table of Contents