FAQs: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region

What does accessibility mean?

Accessibility refers to the assurance of equal access and enablement for all people; regardless of whether or not a person has a disability. Digital accessibility places a narrow focus on the technology, web, and other digital assets assuring that the medium is properly formatted to interact with user tools ensuring a positive user experience.

Why is web accessibility important at Northern Kentucky University (NKU)? 

Websites have become a central part of our everyday lives. Our stakeholders, workforce, and students are accustomed to doing their business over the internet  through the various websites and web technologies we offer. To ensure fair and equitable access, NKU must work diligently to remove barriers that limit our constituents' interactions with us. This proactive work also serves to protect us against legal action.

How are users with disabilities able to visit our website?

Through the use of assistive devices and software; things like screen readers, braille displays, interpreters, special keyboards, and screen magnifiers.  These external technologies offer equitable experiences when our sites and messages are designed with accessibility in mind.

Who is a content author?  What about a web editor?

Content Author: Any university associate who creates documents, web pages, files, posters, bulletins, newsletters, communications, or other content for distribution via any digital avenue.

Web Editor: Employees who work to post, publish and share content within our content management system.

It is possible for a person to be both the author and the editor.

How will my site and web content be measured?

NKU's accessibility team utilizes content testing and reporting tools that scan web pages and hosted documents for accessibility issues and identify what action is required to resolve. This reporting will be communicated to Web Editors, Content Owners, Managers, NKU administration as necessary for adjustment.

Who will be notified of my web content's score?

The NKU Accessibility Committee will notify web editors, content owners, managers, and NKU administration of accessibility issues identified in documentation and web pages.

How long do I have to make my content accessible?

All new and substantially revised content should be immediately accessible.  Older content should be made accessible as soon as reasonably possible.

What requirements do NKU web editors need to meet?

NKU's web editors are required to:

Participate in all web accessibility training sessions 
Pass any assessments/quizzes with a score of 90% or higher
Monitor their web sites and files using NKU’s chosen web remediation tool   
Remediate web sites and files in timely fashion. This is done by ensuring:
- all documents are checked to meet accessibility standards
- all video is captioned 
- all web pages meet WCAG 2.1, AA standards

What is WCAG 2.1?

WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, and were created to establish a worldwide collection of standards for web content. For web content to be accessible, it must meet these WCAG guidelines.

What are  NKU’s requirements? 

NKU requires web content to comply with:

State and federal regulations (Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 508)
NKU’s Digital Accessibility policy
WCAG 2.1, AA standards

Does my third-party software have to be accessible?

Yes, all third-party software must be accessible per NKU's requirements.

Do social media posts made on behalf of NKU have to be accessible?

Yes, all social media posts made on behalf of any NKU department, or the university as a whole must be accessible. Recommendations and guidelines can be found on our Social Media Guidelines & Best Practices page.

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