FRSD ADApts
Website Compliance Corner ~ Issue 1, November 2022
Introducing...FRSD ADApts!
What is ADA Compliance?
How is FRSD addressing ADA Compliance?
In August 2022, our Board of Education revised Board Policy 1511 - BOARD OF EDUCATION WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY (Mandated). This policy outlines the District's roadmap for adhering to ADA requirements. The latest revisions reflect the most recent updates in response to ADA compliance requirements.
As stated in the policy, "It is the goal of the FRSD Board of Education that the information on the school district’s internet websites are accessible to individuals with disabilities in compliance with the requirements of Federal law and New Jersey law." Our District is committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability. We are actively working to increase the accessibility and usability of our website.
By September 2022, our District uploaded a new ADA compliant template to refresh all school and district web sites through our web site provider Finalsite, formerly known as Blackboard. The template enabled our web site to achieve the following ADA compliance requirements:
- Mobile-friendly design
- Sufficient color contrasting
- Accessible fonts
- Keyboard navigation use
- Text resizing without loss of content or function
- Titled web pages for all workspaces
- Uniform design for consistency and ease
- Easy-to-locate contact information
- Resources for users and content creators.
In addition, our upgraded web site includes a testing tool, pictured below, that allows content creators to write and create content, check the accessibility of content, identify errors and correct issues to ensure compliance when publishing. This features helps the District proactively address and also respond to accessibility problems, complaints and recommendations.
Through our web site provider Finalsite, formerly known as Blackboard, our District uses a program called Ally. This tool helps the District provide accessible content for all by:
- Monitoring content and compliance
- Identifying issues and providing step-by-step instructions for correcting content
- Automatically improving access to content using alternate forms, including audio, electronic braille, BeeLine Reader, machine translations and more.
When accessing PDF documents linked on our web site, you may notice a small graphic (pictured right), that resembles a letter "A." A user can click the "A" to launch the tool. The tool lists alternate ways the user can access the content that is included on the linked PDF.
A screenshot of these alternate methods are pictured below to illustrate how Ally's automatic feature works.
4. A Website Accessibility Statement
Our District posted a Web Accessibility Statement on all District web pages. A graphic showing the District's Web Accessibility button appears below. The graphic is also an active link that will direct you to the online statement.
Coming Up: Web Audit & Trainings
In future issues, we'll talk more about the components of ADA compliance, difficulties that users with disabilities might experience while online, checklists for reviewing electronic forms of communication, pitfalls to avoid and so much more! Stay tuned and check back to say informed of our progress.
FRSD ADApts
Executive Assistant to the Superintendent
Website Accessibility Coordinator
Email: laura.bruhn@frsd.us
Website: www.frsd.k12.nj.us
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flemrarschools/
Twitter: @FlemRarSchools