FAQ
Explore our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for a thorough understanding of our digital accessibility services. Can't find the question you're looking for? Get in Touch with us.
General FAQs
Our suite of services revolves around making digital spaces truly accessible and inclusive, assisting both public and private sector organizations in achieving this goal. Our offerings span three key areas:
Compliance services: Navigating legal frameworks, such as Web Accessibility Directive (WAD) and European Accessibility Act (EAA), and key accessibility standards like Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and European Norm EN 301 549, we conduct Digital Accessibility Evaluations, provide detailed Evaluation Reports, and furnish Accessibility Statements & Conformance Reports for transparent adherence to these standards.
Knowledge & Culture services: We guide you in starting your accessibility journey by building knowledge and expertise. We tackle key accessibility questions, offer solutions, and support you in gaining buy-in for accessibility within your company. Engaging formats like Keynotes, Seminars, Workshops, Trainings, Strategy Sessions, and hands-on experiences in our Accessibility Experience Lab make this learning process dynamic and impactful.
Design & Development services: We create accessible digital products and environments from the ground up. Whether it's conducting Usability or User Experience (UX) research, designing UX/UI, or developing Web/App/E-commerce solutions, we emphasize universal design principles and adhere to accessibility standards. With our Accessible Content Production service, we guarantee sustained accessibility as information evolves by creating content that align with top-tier accessibility and usability requirements.
At June / Karlove, we consider accessibility a fundamental element of any digital platform. Rather than resorting to costly add-ons to tackle accessibility issues, we specialize in constructing digital platforms with accessibility in mind right from the start. We're equally proficient in transforming existing platforms to meet both national and international requirements.
Our approach integrates expertise, innovation, and collaboration with users to craft accessible digital spaces that exceed compliance. We partner with individuals with disabilities which ensures the validation of accessibility, while our expertise in user experience and universal design guarantees that the digital platform adheres to the highest usability standards.
Finally, we provide continuous support and guidance, fostering a long-term partnership for ongoing accessibility improvements.
Yes, costly add-ons often refer to accessibility overlays, third-party tools intended to enhance a website's accessibility. However, per Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the consensus among accessibility experts and the broader accessibility community, websites should be inherently accessible, not relying on overlays.
Overlays may create a superficial layer, neglecting underlying issues and posing risks of user confusion and legal concerns. They might also interfere with assistive technologies and lag behind evolving accessibility standards.
Our approach focuses on integrating accessibility into the core of digital platforms, providing a more durable and sustainable solution. For more details, read our article on Why You Should Avoid Using Accessibility Overlays.
Prioritizing accessibility not only aligns with legal standards but also establishes a competitive edge, especially as regulations tighten with the introduction of Europe's Digital Decade 2030 initiative.
Moreover, embracing accessibility enhances user experiences, drives innovation, and aligns with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, which in turn strengthens brand value and social impact.
Additionally, it opens doors to a substantial global audience, helping you reach diverse communities and tap into a vast market of 1.85 billion people (equivalent to the combined populations of China and the EU) and the possibility to reach an additional 3.4 billion friends and family, wielding over $13 trillion in annual disposable income. The business potential is immense!
To initiate the platform's journey toward accessibility compliance, we follow a systematic approach. The first three steps we take are:
- Conduct Accessibility Evaluation: We begin with a comprehensive digital Accessibility Evaluation, which involves assessing the platform against relevant standards, such as WCAG 2.1 Level AA. This audit offers insights into the current accessibility status.
- Generate Accessibility Evaluation Report: The second step involves creating a comprehensive Accessibility Evaluation Report. This document outlines identified accessibility barriers, the standards applied, methods used, and expert analysis. It may also include recommendations for error correction. Serving as an internal guide, it directs accessibility optimization tasks across the organization, functioning as a roadmap for the web development, design, and content management teams.
- Prepare an Accessibility Statement and Conformance Report: In the third step, we begin by creating a concise, plain-language Accessibility Statement, describing the platform's accessibility level. Simultaneously, we develop an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) that assesses the platform's alignment with specific standards, like European Norm EN 301 549 and / or WCAG.
To advance accessibility, we not only advise but also carry out these steps as part of our service:
- Implement recommendations: Take action based on the suggestions in the Accessibility Evaluation Report to address identified accessibility gaps. You can choose our expert team or your in-house professionals for implementation, using the report as your guide.
- Incorporate accessibility into development processes: Embed accessibility principles into the development lifecycle, ensuring that new features, updates, and content additions adhere to accessibility standards from the outset. We can assist in creating a workflow and strategy for this integration.
- Employee training: Equip your teams, including developers, designers, and content creators, with training to enhance their understanding of accessibility standards and best practices. This fosters a culture of accessibility awareness within the organization. Our engaging formats like Keynotes, Seminars, Workshops, Trainings, Strategy Sessions, and hands-on experiences in our Accessibility Experience Lab make this learning process dynamic and impactful.
- Ongoing monitoring and updates: Regularly monitor the platform's accessibility status and make updates as needed. Accessibility is a continual process, and staying vigilant ensures ongoing compliance. We can assist by providing tools, guidelines, and support for effective monitoring and updating processes, ensuring your platform consistently meets accessibility standards.
Yes, integrating accessibility into ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) activities is a strategic move that not only aligns with social responsibility but also contributes to positive business outcomes. The Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) serves as tangible evidence of a company's commitment to addressing accessibility needs. It acts as a proof-point for ongoing efforts to enhance digital accessibility, reinforcing the 'Social' aspect of ESG action.
Measuring the benefits involves considering both public perception and business advantages. Publicly, it showcases transparency and a commitment to Diversity & Inclusion, ensuring equal access to information and services. This positively impacts reputation and public perception.
From a business perspective, benefits include market expansion by reaching a broader audience, innovation for improved user experience, legal compliance and risk mitigation, and enhanced employee productivity and satisfaction. For more details, read our article on The Role of Web Accessibility in Enhancing a Company's ESG Score.
While it may be challenging to quantify these benefits precisely, conducting market research, tracking user engagement metrics, and considering qualitative feedback can provide tangible insights into the positive impact of prioritizing accessibility.
After addressing accessibility barriers, the company embarks on its accessibility journey and begins gauging accessibility maturity using the Accessibility Maturity Report. Within the Accessibility Maturity Report, the Accessibility Conformance Report takes center stage as a vital proof point.
Moreover, Accessibility Maturity Report incorporates internally developed assets, including an accessibility solutions library for development, design, and content, internal accessibility checklists for updates, accessibility requirements for communication service providers, and team training.
In essence, the Accessibility Maturity Report captures and illustrates the company's increasing capability to deliver widely accessible services, improve communication, and enhance talent experiences.
Accessibility and Usability Research goes beyond a simple Accessibility Evaluation by delving deeper into the User Experience, collaborating with various accessibility groups, such as individuals with disabilities and elderly people. This research involves a more comprehensive and user-centered approach to ensure that digital spaces not only meet accessibility standards but also provide genuine usability. It includes thorough testing, detailed reports, and tailored solutions to identify areas for improvement.
This service is ideally performed at the outset of digital platform creation, but it can also be effectively implemented at later stages, allowing for adjustments and fine-tuning to align with the research findings and recommendations.
Absolutely. We specialize in enhancing the accessibility of existing platforms. Whether it's through comprehensive evaluations, targeted improvements, or tailored consultations, we provide services to elevate your platform's accessibility and ensure it aligns with the highest standards.
Yes, we offer post-launch support and maintenance services to ensure the sustained accessibility and longevity of your digital platforms. This support includes continuous monitoring, updates, and troubleshooting to uphold accessibility standards. Our goal is to guarantee that your digital space remains accessible and user-friendly throughout its lifecycle.
Accessibility Evaluation FAQs
Accessibility Evaluation involves standardized tests that assess a digital platform's alignment with accessibility requirements. Our audits ensure a thorough assessment through a dual approach, combining automated and manual testing.
In our manual/expert evaluation, which constitutes at least 70% of the assessment, our team of accessibility experts—including UX/UI specialists experienced in usability and individuals with disabilities—conducts testing with various technologies. They interact with platform elements, assessing accessibility based on firsthand experience, enabling a deeper and more comprehensive evaluation that considers both user experience and context.
We complement this with automated accessibility assessment tools, contributing up to 30% of the assessment. Automated testing involves using tools or software to scan and analyze a website for accessibility problems, particularly code errors. This dual approach ensures a robust evaluation that encompasses both expert insights and systematic automated checks, adhering to accessibility standards such as EN 301 549 V3.2.1 (2021-03) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA.
At JUNE / KARLOVE, we begin our accessibility efforts with the EN 301 549 standard, crafted by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and published by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
This harmonized standard incorporates key principles from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1. By evaluating based on EN 301 549, we ensure alignment with the relevant WCAG principles. Both standards collectively serve as foundational benchmarks, ensuring baseline accessibility in any digital solution we work on.
To identify the primary accessibility issues on a platform, we utilize a strategic sampling approach. Instead of assessing every page, we evaluate a representative selection that includes various templates, functionalities, and content types. This allows us to efficiently pinpoint key accessibility challenges across the platform, providing a well-rounded assessment while optimizing resources.
The selection of pages for evaluation is specific and depends on factors like the diversity of design elements and user interactions. Feel free to reach out to us for an overview and a proposal for your platform evaluation.
We advise regular monitoring and updates for sustained accessibility. Follow the EU's recommendation of testing at least once a year. This ongoing process ensures continuous compliance.
When implementing updates on your platform, a reevaluation of the entire platform is not always necessary. Instead, focus on verifying the areas that have undergone changes, whether in functionality, programming language, framework, visual elements, or user interface. For an up-to-date accessibility statement, target the modified part, screen, or page.
The optimal strategy is to incorporate accessibility requirements and principles in the initial brief and architecture planning for resource optimization and to guarantee accessibility from the start. If not possible, during Q/A, introduce criteria tailored to assess accessibility standards of modified segments.
When making changes to visuals, designs, and UI, embed accessibility principles in brand guidelines, manuals, and content administration guidelines. We can assist by providing checklists for development, brand updates, and content administration guidelines to facilitate the smooth integration of accessibility principles into your workflow.
Certainly. Our workshops and training sessions are designed to increase internal buy-in and enhance expertise, ensuring that accessibility is an integral part of your team's approach. Addressing accessibility issues post-audit fosters organic knowledge growth across teams. As issues are fixed, colleagues learn, creating a valuable internal accessibility solutions library and showcasing the team's commitment to ongoing improvements.
Reports and Certification FAQs
Accessibility Statement serves as a public-facing web page, providing users with concise and comprehensive information about the accessibility level of a digital platform. It includes details about the platform's accessibility features, any known limitations or non-compliance areas, and contact information for reporting accessibility issues.
A key supporting element of the Accessibility Statement is the Accessibility Conformance Report. Notably, an Accessibility Statement is legally mandated in Europe for the public sector, and it's considered a good practice for businesses across different sectors.
Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) not only evaluates compliance with accessibility criteria but also offers commentary on the status. It outlines a clear plan of action along with a timeline for addressing any identified issues.
The ACR serves as a vital document in your commitment to accessibility. It supports external communication, validates the Accessibility Statement, and ensures transparency in accessibility status and actions. It provides tech teams with insights to plan their work, while offering sustainability and business teams an overview of the social impact domain. This report serves as a crucial reference point for Accessibility Maturity Assessments conducted by dedicated teams, showcasing the company's readiness to deliver services and information to diverse online customer/user groups with varying needs.
We utilized the globally recognized Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®) for the Accessibility Conformance Report, developed by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC).
VPAT® is a leading reporting format aiding in the identification of accessible information and communications technology (ICT) products. It encompasses key ICT accessibility standards: Section 508 (U.S.), EN 301 549 (EU), and W3C/WAI WCAG version 2.1 (international).
Yes, we provide Certification and a Quality Seals that allow you to showcase your commitment to digital accessibility.
Our 'Certified IDP' Quality Seal indicates that the platform was developed following Inclusive Design and Accessibility principles. It aligns with technical standard EN 301 549 V3.2.1 (2021-03) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA.
The 'Evaluated EN 301 549 Accessibility Conformance' Quality Seal signifies that the platform underwent an evaluation based on the EN 301 549 standard.
These Quality Seals may be awarded individually or together, depending on the specific achievements and evaluations of the platform.
We encourage our clients to proudly showcase these badges on their platforms, serving as a tangible representation of their commitment to fostering a digital space that is truly accessible and inclusive.
There is no specific accreditation requirement for the services we provide. However, our expertise and service quality are evident through:
- Close collaboration with the disability communities, including Lithuanian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted (LASS). The member of LASS and our team, Andzejus Ravanas, serves as a blind evaluator and specialist in UX for the blind.
- Keeping up with the worldwide accessibility practices and standards, learning and benefiting from a variety of perspectives and expertise offered by international counterparts like IAAP (USA), Hassell Inclusion (UK), FUNKA (Sweden), and Fundación ONCE (Spain).
- Adherence, continuous studying, and hands-on practice in international and EU standards, including EN 301 549 V3.2.1 (2021-03) and WCAG.
- Membership in the AccessibleEU Community of Practice and certification by the AccessibleEU Centre for Accessible Technology Design.
- Vita June's expertise in accessibility strategy and methodology, complemented by an over a decade of experience in digital communication strategy and creative direction.
- Indre Karlove's knowledge and know-how in accessibility evaluation, accessibility standards, and accessible design backed by years of experience in UX/UI design, and front-end development.
- Extensive hours dedicated to learning in the ever-evolving field of accessibility, including participation in certification courses and events.
To uphold transparency and usability, we adopt the following approach:
- Assigning an official number to each audit or report, registering it in our database, and preserving it for at least 5 years.
- Enabling the implementing team to directly consult with the specialist who conducted the study for any inquiries.
- Sharing the performed work with the client for a comprehensive review. This includes detailed information on standards, technologies, and other factors that illustrate the depth and quality of the audit.
- We've introduced an 'Accessibility Registry' to our platform, facilitating transparent tracking of every accessibility evaluation, certificate, and design/development project that we did. This registry, featuring information about all our accessibility work, is published on our website with client agreement. It enhances transparency and provides a publicly verifiable register, simplifying direct communication for those interested in audit methodology, accessibility status, and other quality matters without inconveniencing our clients
Yes, our team can provide guidance on designing and integrating an effective and accessible feedback mechanism, in line with EU requirements, such as Web Accessibility Directive.
An example can be found on our website. Look for the 'Accessibility and Feedback' button in the bottom left corner, featuring an 'overlay' function, an accessibility overview, and a link to the feedback form.