Designing a website with accessibility in mind can be treated in two ways, either through text only or built directly into the site templates. With the GOSS iCM solution, the guidelines are built directly into the site. The solution complies with W3C WAI AA and provides a platform for compliance with AAA.
Holly Ellis, Web Programme Manager, Guildford Borough Council added, "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." Read the full article here.
Accreditation
Many clients partner with GOSS to help them achieve accessibility accreditations.
SOCITM Better Connected
- Exeter City Council
- North Yorkshire County Council
- Gloucestershire County Council
- Chichester District Council
GOSS expertise is reflected in the findings of annual SOCITM 'Better Connected' Reports. SOCITM is the association for ICT and related professionals in the public and third sectors. Its influential annual reports include all Local Authority websites.
These websites were all recognised as representing best practice websites by achieving "top 20 most developed website" status in the 2010 report. This accolade recognises the latest developments in useful, usable and used websites.
Bobby
Recognised with the Bobby Approval.
Shaw Trust
- Guildford Borough Council
- Chichester District Council Re-design video case study
- London Borough of Sutton
- North Yorkshire County Council
- Hillingdon Homes
These website have all been awarded the Shaw Trust Web Accreditation. Any web site carrying this mark has been tested by people with a wide range of disabilities and found to be accessible.
Tools in GOSS iCM
Access keys
GOSS iCM supports the UK Government access keys standards, and these are implemented in the solution, as can be seen here.
Further, GOSS iCM enables you to create additional access keys for pages to meet your business requirements.
Text only / low graphics
GOSS iCM supports website versions with different colour backgrounds and variable text sizing are also supported as can be seen here.
Screen readers
GOSS iCM supports a range of screen reader technologies, including:
- Browsealoud
- Say It
- Dixerit
- Read Speaker
Accessibility checker
To further safeguard compliance, GOSS has implemented accessibility checking tools into GOSS iCM. Content contributors and editors can access an online tool that checks their work 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.
Content contributor assistance
GOSS recognises that adhering to corporate standards is important and to assist GOSS iCM users a Template Requirements tool is available.
This enables administrators to set standards for each template that will therefore apply to every page created using it. Administrators can specify the text, number of media items, pages, external links and other digital assets to be associated with the page and require that the page has been validated, before the page is either submitted for approval or published.
