Overview
The University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst’s website is not fully accessible. We determined that 11 webpages out of a sample of 80 of UMass Amherst’s webpages were not accessible in accordance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for navigational accessibility, language, or color accessibility. Of these, we determined that 8 had broken hyperlinks, 2 contained videos without proper captioning, and 1 had links without sufficient contrast14 with the surrounding text.
Broken or faulty hyperlinks limit users from having equitable access to critical information and key online services offered by UMass Amherst and increase the likelihood that Massachusetts residents and students will either access outdated or incorrect information or be directed to webpages that no longer exist. Videos that lack sufficient captioning prevent users from engaging with video content in a meaningful way (e.g., lack of context provided through dialog and important sounds). Additionally, hyperlinks without sufficient contrast with the surrounding text negatively impact the user experience by making it difficult to locate other relevant information.
Authoritative Guidance
The Web Accessibility Initiative’s WCAG 2.1 states,
Success Criteria 2.4 .5,
More than one way is available to locate a Web page within a set of Web pages except where the Web Page is the result of, or a step in, a process.
Success Criteria 1.2 .2,
Captions are provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such.
Success Criteria 1.4 .1,
Color is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.
Reasons for Issue
UMass Amherst management told us that they have a very decentralized website and that it is difficult to monitor every branch for WCAG compliance. The accessibility issues identified on UMass Amherst’s website appear to stem from gaps in implementing and maintaining WCAG standards. The issues identified in this finding reflect broader challenges, such as insufficient accessibility reviews during the audit period and limited integration of accessibility as a priority, demonstrated by a lack of controls in web design and maintenance processes.
Recommendation
The university should continually review its webpages to ensure that all hyperlinks lead to related information and have sufficient contrast with the surrounding text in order to provide equitable access to critical information and services offered online by UMass Amherst. The university should also adopt procedures to ensure that videos have captioning features enabled when posted to the umass.edu website.
Auditee’s Response
The University understands the importance of ensuring the accessibility of its webpages for all users. It is important to note that accessibility is and has been a priority of the campus and webpage reviews were performed before a launch and weekly during the audit scope period. The campus will continue to perform weekly accessibility reviews and resolve issues as they are identified. Also, the campus has fixed all accessibility issues identified in the audit.
Auditor’s Reply
Based on its response, UMass Amherst has taken, and continues to take, measures to address our concerns regarding this matter.
| Date published: | December 30, 2024 |
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