JSET

JSET Articles Index

Volume 18 Number 1

Accessibility of State Department of Education Home Pages and Special Education Pages
Christine Opitz, Wilhelmina Savenye
Arizona State University
Cyndi Rowland
Utah State University

Abstract

The Internet provides unlimited resources to persons of all ability levels. However, access can be limited. The purpose of this study is to inform organizations about accessibility implementation and revision procedures for persons with disabilities. This piece focused on State Department of Education home pages and special education pages that were evaluated for accessibility compliance according to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Section 508 accessibility guidelines. Results concluded that a small portion (26%) of the state department home pages achieved overall W3C accessibility compliance, and a greater number of the special education pages (52%) achieved compliance. Findings regarding Section 508 conformity revealed that 16% of the state department home pages achieved approval, while a greater proportion of the special education pages (42%) achieved approval. A majority of the errors and non-compliance factors could be remedied with minimal revision. Recommendations and resources for improving equal access are discussed.

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