Your organization’s website is often the first place people go for information about your museum, your exhibitions, your programs, and your collection. But who are the people who use your website, and is your website inclusive of the broadest audience? 20% of Americans identify as having a disability—can they, and everyone, access all of the information that your website shares? Is your website designed by IT in a silo, or have critical stakeholders been included in the process–from top to bottom and across your organization (and beyond)? Have you addressed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or embraced Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and principles of Universal Design in your choices of font, colors, graphics, functionality, tagging, and use of assistive technology?

In this survey webcast, presenters will provide a general overview of accessible website design for audiences of different functional abilities. Our panel of experts will focus on standards and best practices, graphic design aspects, institution-wide engagement, user testing, and regulatory and legal issues related to websites as public accommodation. With targeted tips that you can implement after the webinar, these experts will offer practical strategies for planning, delivering, and evaluating accessible websites that can be used by people of all abilities.

Who Should Attend:

This program will be useful to anyone interested in create more accessible websites for consumers with disabilities, including IT staff, directors, program staff, educators, curators, collections managers, and accessibility advocates

How Will I Benefit?

By participating in this program attendees will be better able to:

• Understand the basics of and key issues related to website accessibility
• Gain insight into how a person with a disability interacts with a website through the use of assistive technology
• Include key stakeholders across (and beyond) the organization in website planning
• Take actionable steps towards a more accessible website by using simple design tips to make your site more usable by all
• Advocate for accessible website design to staff and website visitors

Presenters

• Sina Bahram, president, Prime Access Consulting, Inc. @SinaBahram
• Gabriela Bonome-Sims, director of administration and finance, Institute for Human Centered Design @IHCDesign
• Sharon Rosenblatt, director of communications, Accessibility Partners, LLC@Access_Partners

Moderator

• Greg Stevens, assistant director for professional development, American Alliance of Museums, Arlington, VA @DCGregStevens

Registration

• Free:    Staff of Alliance Tier 3 Museum members
• $25:     Staff of Alliance Tier 2 Museum members, Ally members, Industry Partner members, Individual members
• $50:     Staff of Alliance Tier 1 Museum members and Non-members*

You will receive a registration confirmation email within 24 hours. Webinar access instructions will be sent via email closer to the live event.