Web Accessibility
This Web site has been created for University at Buffalo web developers to provide information and resources for creating accessible Web sites. The University at Buffalo is committed to the ideal of universal Web accessibility and strives to provide an accessible Web presence that enables all university constituents full access to university information, programs and activities offered through the Web. This effort is pursuant to both state policy and federal law including New York State Technology Policy 99-3; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - Section 504; the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); and the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 - Section 508.
Accessible Web design is based on the principle of universal design which means that Web content can be obtained and understood by as many potential users as possible. While accessibility may be conceptually linked to people with disabilities, accessibility also means that people with older modems and earlier versions of browsers can use the Web site equally as well as people with the latest hardware, software, and fast Internet connections. (See overview for more information)
All University at Buffalo sites are required to adhere to the Technology Policy on Accessibility of State Agency Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications (P04-002) http://www.oft.state.ny.us/policy/p04-002/index.htm and NYS Mandatory Technology Standard S04-001 http://www.oft.state.ny.us/Policy/s04-001/index.htm. Please review the policy and mandatory standards to insure your site is in complianceWhere possible, Web developers are encouraged to create sites that meet the standards of Conformance Level "Triple-A": all Priority 1, 2, and 3 checkpoints are satisfied. In addition, it is recommended that sites are created in accordance to the guidelines of Section 508.