Ensuring Public Sector Website Accessibility

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09:15 - 16:15

Tuesday 25 February 2020

Central London

For a limited time we are offering 10% discounts for the first 8 delegates on the course. To take advantage of this discount, enter code SCKVACF when completing your booking.

In August 2018, the Government passed a new law on Public Sector Website Accessibility Regulations. Thus meaning that public sector organisations will need to put in place technical structures to ensure that they are providing a website or digital content that is not indirectly discriminating against disabled people.

While it is expected that new websites will already be published in line with the regulations, all existing public sector websites will need to be updated to comply with requirements by September 2020.

Join this interactive and informative training course to find out how you can achieve website accessibility under the new standard in your organisation.

Learning Objectives:

Know the effects and timescales of the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018
Understand your organisation’s responsibilities under the regulations
Learn how to write and what is included in a compliant accessibility statement
Know steps they can take to include accessibility into procurement processes
Understand responsibilities when it comes to 3rd party content
Develop opportunities to engage senior management on accessibility
Understand what changes need to be made across an organisation to deliver accessibility

Confirmed:

Expert Trainers

George Rhodes, Independent Accessibility Consultant

Ben Watson, Independent Accessibility Consultant

Over the past year Ben and George have been involved in national work associated with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018, including working with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Assistive Technologies, providing advice on regulatory compliance to the Cabinet Office Minister for Implementation. They are also chairing members of the national Further and Higher Education Digital Accessibility Working Group.

View the agenda and additional speakers

09:15

Registration

09:45

Trainer's Welcome and Clarification of Learning Objectives

10:00

Understanding the Accessibility Requirements for Public Sector Bodies

The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 – how did the regulation come about and what it aims to achieve
Discussing the timeline for implementing regulations and how you can plan your work accordingly
Outlining who and what falls under the new legislation and who is exempt
Outlining the Memorandum of Understanding and how the process of monitoring and enforcement will operate
Getting senior management on board – realising the scale of work involved and prioritisation
Identifying sources for keeping in touch with the latest developments

11:00

Morning Break

11:15

Preparing Your Organisation for the Changes - Policy and Practical Steps

Publishing the accessibility statement
- Outlining the requirements of an accessibility statement
- Discussing the purpose of accessibility statements and what other
  information users might want
- Building a model accessibility statement
Procurement and Suppliers
- What to include in procurement, tenders and contracts
- What to expect from suppliers
- What to do with existing suppliers
3rd Party systems and your responsibilities
- Understanding your responsibilities
- Outlining the 3rd Party responsibility matrix

12:20

Decide How to Check for Accessibility Problems

Reviewing internal processes and ensuring that all staff involved is effectively trained
Basic checks for accessibility – Where do you need to address the problem and how?
- Image alternatives
- Video and Audio content
- Documents
- Websites
- Other comms

12:45

Lunch

13:45

Achieving Accessibility Under the New Standard

Recognising which web content accessibility guidelines you need to adhere to and understanding WCAG 2.1
- Learn about the process of testing sites for accessibility using automatic scanning tools versus an audit
- Live testing exercise
- Understanding accessibility evaluations and testing results
Issue reporting, exclusions and disproportionate burden – what is it and what does it apply to?
How diverse user testing can inform accessibility audits and future development plans
Discussing common accessibility issues and how to overcome the
Creating content, including dynamic and visual, with accessibility in mind

15:00

Afternoon Break

Open Questions and Accessibility Clinic

Get some consultancy time, asking advice on real issues in your organisation

16:00

Evaluation and Close

*Programme subject to change

George Rhodes

Accessibility Consultant, Home Office

George is an experienced Accessibility Consultant who currently works for the Home Office. In the past, George has worked with Local Government, NHS, Schools, Universities and Emergency Services in improving accessibility.

George is committed to improving the accessibility in the UK, so in his free time continues to support public sector organisations independently. George is the author of the well-renowned Accessibility Statements across the UK Public Sector research that looked at the accessibility guidance of 1441 Public Sector organisations across the UK

Ben Watson

Accessible Information Adviser, University of Kent

Ben is the Accessible Information Adviser for the University of Kent. Ben has been involved in the delivery of guidance that is now best practice advised by Universities UK and has done significant work to improve the accessibility of the student journey from start to finish in Kent.