Accessibility Compliance Requirements
- All digital content must meet the accessibility requirements of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as a minimum accessibility standard (WCAG 2.1, Level AA) per university policy.
- All employees who create and publish digital content must take the Digital Accessibility Assessment.
Accessibility Is Everyone’s Responsibility
A person who isn’t required to take the Digital Accessibility Assessment based on their Accessibility Role on a website is still required to take the Digital Accessibility Assessment if their other duties include creating and publishing digital content.
Website Accessibility Roles
Website accessibility roles help ensure that WSU websites comply with university policy.
Working in conjunction with WSU WordPress User Roles, website accessibility roles designate people with clear responsibilities and sufficient website access to quickly check for and resolve any website accessibility issues.
Brief Overview
- Every website must have a Website Owner.
The Website Owner is responsible for ensuring all web pages and digital content on their website meet accessibility requirements. - A website owner can assign an Accessibility Proxy.
While the Website Owner remains responsible for ensuring their website meets accessibility requirements, the Accessibility Proxy works alongside or on behalf of the Website Owner and is also responsible for ensuring that all web pages and digital content on the website meet accessibility requirements. - A Content Publisher is responsible for ensuring the web pages and digital content they create, publish, and edit meet accessibility requirements.
- A Non-publisher is not responsible for the accessibility of their web pages and digital content because they cannot independently publish or edit content. They may create content for users in the other accessibility roles to review and publish.
Select your accessibility role after the Definition of Accessibility Roles section.
Definition of Accessibility Roles
Website Owners
Every WSU website must have a Website Owner. They are the person who can make unilateral decisions about the website. The Website Owner is responsible for ensuring their website and its digital content comply with university policy and meet the accessibility requirements of WCAG 2.1, Level AA.
Point of Contact: The Website Owner is the point of contact for any accessibility issues raised.
Digital Accessibility Assessment: A Website Owner is required to take the Digital Accessibility Assessment regardless of their role on the website.
User Role: Which User Role a Website Owner may have determines whether an Accessibility Proxy is also assigned. If an Accessibility Proxy is assigned, the Website Owner may have any User Role, including Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, or Subscriber. However, if no Accessibility Proxy is assigned, then the Website Owner must have the User Role of Administrator.
Accessibility Proxy
Optionally, a WSU website may have both a Website Owner and an Accessibility Proxy. Along with the Website Owner, the Accessibility Proxy is responsible for ensuring their website and its digital content comply with university policy and meet the accessibility requirements of WCAG 2.1, Level AA.
Point of Contact: When an Accessibility Proxy is assigned alongside a Website Owner, both the Website Owner and the Accessibility Proxy are points of contact for any accessibility issue brought forward.
Digital Accessibility Assessment: An Accessibility Proxy is required to take the Digital Accessibility Assessment.
User Role: An Accessibility Proxy must have the Administrator User Role.
Content Publisher
Content Publishers are responsible for ensuring that the web pages they create, publish, and edit, and the digital content they add to the website, meet the accessibility requirements of WCAG 2.1, Level AA.
Digital Accessibility Assessment: Content Publishers are required to take the Digital Accessibility Assessment.
User Role: Content Publishers may have the Administrator, Editor, or Author User Role.
Non-Publisher
A Non-Publisher Accessibility Role is assigned to anyone who cannot independently publish or edit content on a website.
Digital Accessibility Assessment: A Non-Publisher is not required to take the digital accessibility assessment based on their role with the website. However, other duties not related to the website that involve creating or publishing digital content still require them to take the assessment.
User Role: Non-Publishers may have the User Role of Contributor or Subscriber. The User Roles of Contributor and Subscriber do not publish web pages or publish changes to existing web pages without approval from someone with the Administrator or Editor User Role. The “approver” is responsible for ensuring the Non-Publisher’s digital content meets the accessibility requirements of WCAG 2.1, Level AA.
Accessibility Roles and WordPress (WP) User Roles
| Accessibility Role | Administrator (WP) | Editor (WP) | Author (WP) | Contributor (WP) | Subscriber (WP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website owner | Yes | Yes (Required: Proxy) | Yes (Required: Proxy) | Yes (Required: Proxy) | Yes (Required: Proxy) |
| Accessibility Proxy | Yes | This combination is not possible | This combination is not possible | This combination is not possible | This combination is not possible |
| Content Publisher | Yes | Yes | Yes | This combination is not possible | This combination is not possible |
| Non-Publisher | This combination is not possible | This combination is not possible | This combination is not possible | Yes | Yes |
Example Scenarios
The Website Owner is a WP Subscriber, who can make unilateral decisions about the website’s existence, and the Accessibility Proxy, a WP administrator, will be the point of contact for any website or accessibility issues and ensure the website and its digital content comply with accessibility requirements.
The Content Publisher is a WP Administrator and is responsible for ensuring that the web pages they create, publish, edit, and the digital content they add to the website meet the accessibility requirements.
Example Accessibility Roles and WordPress (WP) User Roles
Roles for The Fellowship
This table shows the Accessibility Roles and WordPress (WP) User Roles for the Fellowship. Not every role combination is demonstrated.
| Accessibility Role | Administrator (WP) | Editor (WP) | Author (WP) | Contributor (WP) | Subscriber (WP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website owner | Frodo | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles |
| Accessibility Proxy | Sam Gamgee | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles |
| Content Publisher | Gandalf Aragorn Boromir | Pippin Took Merry Brandybuck | Gimli | Legolas | No one has both these roles |
| Non-Publisher | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles |
Roles for Hundred Acre Woods
This table shows the Accessibility Roles and WordPress (WP) User Roles for the Hundred Acre Woods. Not every role combination is demonstrated.
| Accessibility Role | Administrator (WP) | Editor (WP) | Author (WP) | Contributor (WP) | Subscriber (WP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website owner | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | A.A. Milne |
| Accessibility Proxy | Owl | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles |
| Content Publisher | Christopher Robin Rabbit | Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga | Tigger, Roo | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles |
| Non-Publisher | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | No one has both these roles | Winnie-the-Pooh | No one has both these roles |