Accessibility

In response to the need to ensure equal access to electronic and information technologies, the state of Utah has developed a set of standards for Web page design. The State of Utah is committed to providing an accessible web presence that enables the public full access to Utah government information and services. Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological disabilities. Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. Web accessibility also benefits others, including older people with changing abilities due to aging.

Understanding that government has a responsibility to provide service to all citizens and businesses in its jurisdiction, the State of Utah will make reasonable efforts to accommodate all users by following the W3C recommendations and 508 guidelines. This policy describes these accessibility standards and may be updated periodically.

Design Standards

Straightforward Design – Our website uses simple information architecture, organized navigation and reliable headings throughout. Utah has adopted a statewide header used on every state agency website to provide consistency to the user and an easy way to navigate back to the home page regardless of location.

Images With Alternative Text – This text provides further detail for an image or destination of a hyperlinked image. It is commonly called an ALT tag, and they are accessible to screen readers, and visible when the mouse is placed over the image. They also provide a description of graphics for people who have images turned off in their browser.

Relative Font Sizing – The font size of the website can be modified to small, medium, or large under “my settings” at the top of the page.

The Navigation – The main navigation, located just below the title banner (Utah.gov logo), uses lists. Lists make it easier for screen readers to literally read down the list without having to sort through unnecessary code.

Style Sheets – Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) centralize the style information for the website. Using CSS allows for greater flexibility when a style change is needed to accommodate a specific disability. It also keeps the code clean and is faster to download.

Layout – The design uses a flexible layout, built to optimize viewing for the vast majority of visitors. The layout will accommodate any screen resolution, mobile or tablet device.

Multimedia – When available, the transcripts of audio and video description are linked with the file. Videos are provided using an HTML5 player allowing media to be viewed on iPhone and iPad devices.

Hypertext Links – Text is specifically chosen to make sense when read out of context, so all users know where they are going when they select a link.

Scripts and AJAX – Alternative methods for searching or alternative content are provided in case active features are inaccessible or unsupported by a users browser. When JavaScript is not available, this is automatically detected and the proper non-JavaScript version of the site is utilized.

Accessibility Validation – Our design work is checked using tools, checklists, and guidelines at https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG.