This guide explains how to write an accessibility statement, step-by-step. We’ll take you through the process of creating an effective accessibility statement using the Accessible.org accessibility statement template as a model.
What is an Accessibility Statement?
An accessibility statement is a page on your website that states your commitment to accessibility and provides information on how users can get support or provide feedback.
Table of Contents
Essential Components
While there is no single correct way to write an accessibility statement, two essential elements must be included:
- A statement of commitment: Clearly express your organization’s dedication to ensuring accessibility for all users.
- One or more method(s) of contact for support and feedback: Provide users with ways to reach out for assistance or to offer feedback on accessibility issues.
Statement of Commitment
Begin your statement with a clear commitment to accessibility. This should be the first section following your main heading.
Example: “Accessible.org is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience to everyone, including those with disabilities.”
Follow this with a brief paragraph that expands on your commitment. Mention that your commitment is guided by your accessibility policy, if applicable.
Example: “Accessible.org’s commitment is guided by our accessibility policy to ensure equal access.”
Note: An accessibility policy and an accessibility statement are different documents. The policy is generally an internal document and includes details like personnel names, responsibilities, deadlines, and objectives, which are not relevant to the public. Read our guide on how to write an accessibility policy to learn more.
Support
The support section should address accessibility-related inquiries. It provides information on how users can get help if they encounter accessibility issues on your website.
Example: How can we provide support? “We welcome your questions on the accessibility of our website. Please let us know how we can assist you.”
Provide clear and accessible contact information:
- Name
- Phone number
Important Notes:
- Ensure the email and phone number are active and monitored regularly.
- If the phone number is operational only during business hours, indicate those hours.
Feedback
The feedback section invites users to share their experiences and suggestions for improving accessibility.
Example: How can we improve accessibility? “We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our website. Let us know if you encounter any barriers to access.”
We recommend that you use the same contact information as the support section to keep things simple.
Technology and Compatibility
Discuss the technologies used on your website and any known compatibility considerations. This helps users understand the technical aspects of your accessibility efforts and any potential limitations.
Example: “Our website relies on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Note that different technology combinations, including browsers and assistive technologies, may interpret code in unique ways and render slightly different experiences that are specific to those combinations.”
Include any known compatibility issues with specific browsers or devices, if applicable. You may also want to add something to the effect of your website displays optimally on a certain browser (e.g., Chrome, FireFox, etc.).
Expertise
Demonstrate your commitment to accessibility by highlighting your investments in this area. Mention any audits or partnerships with accessibility consultants.
Example: “We invest in accessibility by conducting audits annually or biannually and working with accessibility consultants.”
Evaluation
Discuss your evaluation practices. Regular evaluation ensures less accessibility issues and further demonstrates your commitment.
Example: “We engage in interval audits, regular web page scans, and testing by professionals with disabilities to continually assess and improve our website’s accessibility.”
Training
Include information on training provided to your staff. This section underscores your commitment to equipping your team with the knowledge needed to maintain accessibility.
Example: “We require annual accessibility training for our staff to ensure they follow best practices.”
Resources
As a final section to bolster your accessibility statement, you can provide links to additional resources on accessibility. These links can help users access source material on accessibility and documentation that helped shape your organization’s policy.
Example:
- NVDA screen reader (free)
- Accessible.org
- The Americans with Disabilities Act
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Other Sections
Depending on your organization’s policies, you may or may not want to include sections on technical standards, compliance, and known accessibility issues (with workarounds).
The known accessibility issues can be practically helpful, especially in light of any technological limitations that you can give users advance notice of.
Technical Standards
Example: “We strive to maintain conformance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1 conformance level AA for our online experiences including website, documents, and mobile app.”
Compliance
Example: “We are committed to equal access and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Through our commitment to and investments in accessibility, we believe we not only meet, but exceed ADA requirements.”
Known Issues
Example: “Our archived content contains PDFs that have not been remediated for accessibility. However, you can request a document to be emailed to you by contacting our accessibility support.”
Notes
In a historic update to Title II of the ADA, the DOJ published a new rule that updated existing regulations. In the new rule, WCAG 2.1 AA became the technical standard for web accessibility.
However, while the DOJ spoke favorably about posting an accessibility statement in its commentary and highly suggested implementing a notice such as an accessibility in their Small Entity Compliance Guide, the DOJ stopped short of requiring an accessibility statement in the new rule.
Conclusion
An accessibility statement should reflect your ongoing efforts and commitments. Initially, your statement may be general, but as your investments and efforts grow, your statement can also expand to demonstrate this progress. Regardless of any changes, make sure to keep contact information readily available so users can easily get assistance.
