The Council selected GOSS Interactive to deploy their website and GOSS iCM (intelligent Content Management) to manage it. Content editors are able to fully utilise the inbuilt accessibility controls within GOSS iCM to ensure compliance with W3C WAI AA.
The software checks new content against the standards and users receive the online report either confirming compliance or highlighting issues for resolution to achieve compliance. Checking the page is mandatory stage in page creation and editing and cannot be avoided.
Holly Ellis, Web Programme Manager, Guildford Borough Council added, "We have been really pleased with the work that GOSS have carried out to ensure our website meets accessibility requirements, which we know will be of great benefit to all of our users. The ability of GOSS iCM to check for accessibility as new content is generated will now play a fundamental role in ensuring we can efficiently maintain our high level of accessibility, which was a significant objective of delivering a new website and partnering with GOSS."
Cllr Tony Rooth, Leader of Guildford Borough Council says: "People with all sorts of differing abilities use our site. We are committed to ensuring that all of our web users can use our site easily and effectively.
After rigorous testing by people with disabilities, we're delighted that our website is now fully user friendly so that everyone can access information about the Council and our online services."
The accreditation process makes sure websites comply with equality legislation by being accessible for users who have different needs in accessing, navigating or reading information online.
Richard Jones of Shaw Trust said: "Disabled people won't return to a website that they can't access, meaning that through no fault of their own they could be missing out on vital information about services. Councils do a huge amount of work to make sure the information they publish is accessible, and Guildford Borough Council, with the help of GOSS Interactive, has passed our rigorous tests with flying colours."
Shaw Trust is one of the UK's leading website accessibility accreditation services, providing accessibility services to local authorities and other organisations. It is also the only web accessibility accreditation organisation to employ its own testing teams on a full time basis.
