Web Content Accessibility Micro-Certification Badge

A micro-certification badge documents, assesses, and validates accessible web design skills utilizing industry and disciplinary defined standards for Boise State’s WordPress site administrator staff. These competency-based badges for web accessibility, recognize that recipients have the skills necessary to utilize tools at Boise State to create, design, test, conduct usability research, and remediate web content against industry standards for accessibility.

After completion of all requirements, Boise State University certifies the micro-certification and awards a badge through Idaho SkillStack.

Boise State’s IT Accessibility Policy (#8140) ensures the University’s information technology (IT) environment is accessible to all, and in particular to individuals with disabilities. It supports an environment of inclusiveness and ensures that all students and staff can acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services in an equally effective integrated manner with substantially equivalent ease of use.

Since 2016, Boise State has made concerted efforts to ensure that all web content published on our public-facing sites are accessible for all users.  However, with over 42,000 individual web pages, 57,000 image and media files, and 217,000 hyperlinks (and counting), this is no small task.

In collaboration with Communications and Marketing, the Office of Information Technology has hosted a series of in-person workshops on the topic of web accessibility.  However, not all staff and faculty are able to attend in-person workshops. For this reason, this new professional development opportunity has been developed.

Are you responsible for a WordPress site? Are you wondering how to make your content accessible? Do you want to learn more about web accessibility? Are you looking for a fun, flexible, free professional development opportunity?

Then YES, this is the course for you! This micro-certification badge provides an opportunity to broaden your employee development by gaining new, accessible web design and development skills and receiving appropriate recognition for those newly acquired skill sets and knowledge.

The course was designed and developed by Carolyn Quintero and Tammy Schmidt in the Office of Information Technology to document, assess, and validate accessible web-design skills using industry and disciplinary defined standards for Boise State’s WordPress site administrator staff in a flexible online format. Anyone responsible for a WordPress website or responsible for creating web content is encouraged to enroll and complete the course.

Carolyn Quintero, M.A., is a Web Accessibility Analyst in the Office of Information Technology with nearly a decade of experience in online education, student support, and technical communication. Tammy Schmidt, M.S., is an Accessibility and Training Coordinator in the Office of Information Technology with over 25 years experience in instructional design and training.

There are four different levels of content. Each level is designed to build, or stack, upon each other.

In this level, you’ll be introduced to the tools available at Boise State to draft, build, edit, and publish accessible web content. Upon successful completion you will be able to:

1. Identify web accessibility requirements
2. Write alternative text descriptions
3. Publish accessible web content in WordPress
4. Troubleshoot and remediate accessibility errors
5. Articulate the needs for accessible web content at Boise State University

In this level, you’ll be introduced to the tools available at Boise State to draft, build, edit, and publish accessible documents and media. Upon successful completion you will be able to:

1. Identify and evaluate accessibility of documents (MicroSoft Office, Google Docs, and PDFs), images (static and animated), and time-based media using Monsido
2. Create and publish accessible documents and forms
3. Evaluate and publish accessible images
4. Evaluate, remediate, and publish time-based media including captions, audio description, and transcript using Camtasia Studio
5. Publish accessible documents, images, and time-based media on a webpage using WordPress
6. Articulate needs for accessible documents, images, and time-based media at Boise State University

In this level, you’ll be introduced to the concepts of universal design, user experience, and access technology and learn how to incorporate these concepts while drafting, building, editing, and publishing web content. Upon successful completion you will be able to:

1. Identify and explain universal and user-centered design principles
2. Evaluate your department websites interoperability using different types of access technology including screen readers, zoom, magnification, and other alternate input devices
3. Draft a usability study for your department’s website to determine the overall effectiveness with end users
4. Propose changes to your department websites design based on knowledge of universal design, user-centered design, and findings from access technology evaluation
5. Articulate needs for considering universal design, user experience, and access technology when drafting, building, editing, and publishing web content at Boise State University

In this final level, you’ll demonstrate competency using skills gained in the previous three levels. Upon successful completion you will be able to:

1. Conduct a usability study with 3-5 end users
2. Publish changes to a Boise State department website based on universal design principles, access technology review, and user feedback
3. Develop a plan for continued conformance evaluation and implementation of accessibility for web content including documents, images, and media
4. Produce a video reflection on your journey to develop your web accessibility skill set and knowledge, and discuss how you will influence and advocate for web accessibility in the future

Please note: Enrollment is limited to Boise State students and employees with an active Boise State email address.

Cohort Option

The cohort option is offered in a flexible online environment. This way you can access the course materials on your schedule and complete tasks when it works best for you. The main difference with the cohort is each week you’ll receive:

1. Reminders and suggestions for completing requirements
2. Priority registration for in-person workshops
3. One-on-one assistance if you have questions

The cohort option is best for individuals new to accessibility, who like learning in a more structured environment, or who want additional accountability to complete tasks.

Self-Paced

With the self-paced option, you have access to all the same, great content as the cohort version, but there is less structure in how you move through the information. This gives you the freedom to complete the course on your own terms.

The self-paced option is best for individuals who may already be familiar with accessibility, prefer flexibility over structure, have a schedule that needs more flexibility, or like to complete tasks and learn new topics on their own.