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Accessibility Standard

Whole of Victorian Government Standard

Website Management Framework

Identifier: WEB/STD/05
Version No.: 3.0
Status: Approved
Date of effect: 4 July 2011
Next review date: 4 July 2013

Owner: Office for Disability, Department of Human Services, Victorian Government

Issuing authority: Government Services Division, Department of Treasury and Finance, Victorian Government

Standard: Accessibility - WEB/STD/05

Standard

All websites must conform to version 2.0 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0).

Overview

Accessible websites provide a range of benefits for both users and government.  Broadly, accessible websites:

• assist people with disabilities to fully interact with the features and content of websites;
• ensure content is approachable for a wider audience by using the clearest and simplest language appropriate for the content;
• assist people that may have impeded access to the web, reducing the complexity of sites and/or providing usable alternatives;
• increase the usability of a site by including features that make finding, using and interacting with a site easier;
• reduce costs, by minimising the need to produce hard-copy formats;
• comply with the law and the requirement that information be provided to all people without discrimination on the basis of disability; and
• provide best practice examples for other Australian websites to emulate.

Rationale

To provide all citizens ready access to government websites, without discrimination.

Derivation

• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
• Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy

Related principles/ objectives

• Citizens can enjoy a consistent and high quality user experience and complete desired tasks.
• Operational risks are managed.

In scope

• All departments and four inner budget agencies (Environmental Protection Agency, State Revenue Office, VicRoads and Victoria Police).and CenITex.
• All internet sites including channels, portals and sub-domains.

Audience

Website Management Taskforces (WMTs), website managers, content authors and owners, developers and/or anyone responsible for the management of a website.

Compliance Date

All websites must conform to:

• Level A of WCAG 2.0 by December 31, 2012.
• Level AA of WCAG 2.0 by December 31, 2014.

Please note that this is a refreshed standard. The requirements of the previous version of this standard (version 2.1) apply until the compliance dates prescribed above are reached. Agencies should make best efforst to conform to WCAG 2.0 earlier than the compliance dates prescribed above.

Reporting requirements

Annual reporting, using the Government Services Division WMF template.

Guidelines, toolkits and references

• External guideline: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0), World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). (1)
• External reference: Web Accessibility Initiative, W3C. (2)

Further Information

For further information please contact web.standards@dtf.vic.gov.au

Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

Accessibility - The level to which websites and website content can be accessed by users with a disability, older technology or impeded infrastructure.

W3C - World Wide Web Consortium

WCAG - Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

WMF - Website Management Framework

WoVG - Whole of Victorian Government

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Footnotes

(1) Includes a checklist in Appendix B.

(2) The W3C provide many useful references and guidelines, notably How to meet WCAG 2.0; and Introduction to Techniques for WCAG 2.0.

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Alternative Formats:

The standard is available from the Government Services Division in pdf format (162kb). (This document requires the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader). .

Last updated: 18 July 2012

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