CKCS 851 - Web Accessibility Auditing and Reporting

Course Description

Is your company’s website accessible? Does it meet the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) standards that need to be fully implemented by 2025?

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the growing public demand for digital inclusion and many individuals and organizations have yet to catch up. Digital accessibility remediation is costly and time-intensive, especially when working with external vendors. Our microcredential offers an opportunity for employees and job seekers to demonstrate competency in Web Accessibility Auditing and Reporting.

This microcredential assesses your ability to conduct web accessibility audits and reports. Individuals that successfully complete the assessment will receive formal recognition with a Toronto Metropolitan University digital credential. You will be evaluated by an expert assessor to confirm you can do the following:

Perform a web accessibility audit
Produce a web accessibility report according to standard reporting formats
Implement the relevant tests, tools, and strategies for the context/situation when evaluating web accessibility

This microcredential includes non-facilitated, preparatory material and an assessment. Individual work will be evaluated by an expert assessor to determine competency.

*Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, S.O. 2005, c. 11

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I ready? Microcredential Self-Screening

You should have foundational knowledge of WCAG 2.0 level AA compliance and how to perform accessibility testing of web content before enrolling. If you can answer ‘yes’ to all of the following questions, then you may be ready to enroll:

Have you used a variety of automated accessibility checkers?
Do you know how to measure colour contrast?
Do you know how to assess the readability of web content? Do you know how to validate HTML?
Are you familiar with using screen readers to test web content accessibility?
Can you use multiple manual testing strategies to identify accessibility issues without the need for an automated checker or screen reader?
Can you examine webpage markup to identify potential barriers and accessibility features?
Do you understand what WAI-ARIA is, and how it should be used?
Can you select the most appropriate type of web accessibility audit and report for a given audience?

What do I need to do for the assessment?

For the assessment, you will perform an audit of a website and complete a report to record your findings. The assessment for this microcredential is specifically testing your understanding of WCAG 2.0 level AA compliance. Once you complete the assessment, you will receive personalized feedback and a mastery score from the expert assessor.

What are the technological requirements for the assessment?

You will need a:

Desktop version of Office 365, Office 2021, or Office 2019
Stable Internet connection (no minimum connection speed required)
Computer with an Internet browser (e.g. Edge, Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc.)
Mobile phone* capable of receiving an SMS text message

*Why do I need a mobile phone? To log in to the my.torontomu.ca portal and access the microcredential environment (D2L Brightspace), you will need a mobile device for two-factor authentication.

How much time do I have to complete the assessment after enrolling?

You will have one week to gain access to the microcredential environment (D2L Brightspace) and explore the supporting resources and expectations for the assessment. This preparatory content is self-paced and can take approximately five hours to complete.

Thursday, February 9, 2023 will be your assessment day. Once you have access to the microcredential environment (D2L Brightspace), you will choose a three hour time slot on that day that works best for you to complete the assessment.

What are my support options?

Upon enrolling, you will have access to supporting resources that will help you access the required software for the assessment. If you have any questions or experience any technical issues, you may contact Toronto Metropolitan University’s Computing and Communications Services (CCS) by email or phone.

What happens once I complete the assessment?

Once you complete the assessment, you will receive personalized feedback and a mastery score from the expert assessor.

The successful completion of the assessment will result in a shareable Toronto Metropolitan University digital credential. This credential can be shared on your LinkedIn profile, personal website, or anywhere you want to display your achievements.

If you are not able to demonstrate mastery, you can re-enrol and try again when the next offering of this microcredential is available. Be sure to review your personalized feedback and ensure that you have filled any gaps in knowledge or skill before a second attempt. The Chang School website, Professional Web Accessibility Auditing Made Easy, includes free resources on web accessibility auditing and reporting that may also be of interest.