Nowadays, compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is crucial for the success of your organization—but where do you begin with this new frontier? Oftentimes, the first step to understanding WCAG compliance is to seek out proper training.
Typically, a web accessibility training course or workshop will involve hands-on instruction that can teach you how to ensure that there are no barriers to prevent people with disabilities from accessing your online presence. Whether you’re a web developer, an entry-level employee, or a member of the C-suite, you may find some form of WCAG training beneficial to your business for a number of reasons.
Why invest in WCAG training?
When it comes to web accessibility training there are a variety of different levels to suit your exact needs. There are highly technical classes in web accessibility for web developers and designers, quality assurance personnel, content authors, and others with a solid background in digital technology to help them stay on top of the tools available to them. There are also less technical courses available for managers and other staff who only want to dip their toes into the digital accessibility pond with an understanding of the general concepts.
No matter which level you choose, web accessibility training can help you develop a deeper understanding of how people with disabilities interact with the internet, as well as the latest standards for WCAG compliance. Depending on the level of instruction, you will learn about the tips and tricks for incorporating accessibility into your digital presence.
Beyond curiosity and wanting to ensure your brand’s compliance, there are many reasons why you might opt into this kind of training:
- First and foremost, training can help you comply with legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and any state laws banning discrimination against people with disabilities.
- You will also gain a better understanding of the basics of web accessibility, why compliance matters, the people it helps, and learn more about the different types of assistive technology used by anyone with a disability.
- Becoming an accessible organization allows you to reach a growing sector of potential clients that might not otherwise be able to access your brand.
- Training enables content authors to learn more about tools and resources that exist to improve web accessibility, and how to apply them.
- With training, you may be able to discover and address barriers for people with disabilities on your website.
- As technology evolves or you make adjustments to your website, you will be able to maintain a high standard of accessibility moving forward.
- If you decide to hire any web-development contractors, you will know what to look for to ensure that their work meets or exceeds your accessibility standards.
- Become a better advocate for digital accessibility within your own organization and beyond.
At the end of the day, WCAG training can be an incredibly eye-opening experience, especially for anyone with little to no expertise in accessibility. For anyone that may already have a background in accessibility, this training can fill any potential knowledge gaps and keep your skills sharp.
Get WCAG Compliant with STAUFFER
At STAUFFER, we take web accessibility seriously—that’s why our developers continuously undergo training to stay on the top of their game. You can rest easy knowing that we will do our very best to ensure that your content is clean and ready to go. If you’re ready to take the next step to not only make your organization accessible to all users, but to also make the world a bit more equitable, we’ve got your back.