Build the Business Case
Getting Started
Every organization will have its own unique set of priorities when building a business case for web accessibility. So, how do you build a case that makes sense to you? Choose your organization's type to find out which factors to focus on in your business case.
What kind of organization are you?
Corporate or Private Business
In your business case...
Focus on these factors:
- financial
- legal and policy
- technical
Highlight these benefits:
- Reduce risk of losing customers and/or legal action
- Have access to an untapped buying power and market
- Improve Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Increase access to your services, goods or facilities
Government Agency or Ministry
In your business case...
Focus on these factors:
- financial
- legal and policy
- technical
Highlight these benefits:
- Save on potential retrofitting costs in the long-term
- Increase access to your services, goods or facilities
College or University
In your business case...
Focus on these factors:
- legal and policy
- social
- technical
Highlight these benefits:
- Invest in assistive technology for students and faculty
- Meet legal standards like the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), Information & Communications
Charity or Nonprofit
In your business case...
Focus on these factors:
- legal and policy
- social
Highlight these benefits:
- Support inclusion, human rights and social responsibility
- Meet legal standards like the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), Information & Communications
Download the Toolkit
The following media items are available for download:
Postcard
4 inches by 6-inch postcard you can print and cut out to spread the word:
View Postcard (opens a new window with a JPG image file and transcript)
Poster
18 inches by 24-inch visual representation of this toolkit that you can save, print and keep handy:
View Poster (opens a new window with a JPG image file and text description)
Microsoft Word Document - Large Print
Best for screen readers and other assistive devices:
Download Word Document (MS Word file, 30kbs)
Text-only HTML
If you want to view this webpage as text-only, without styles:
View Text (opens in a new window)
Get Support
Share your support for web accessibility
Copy and paste these sample, accessible tweets or share this webpage on Twitter!
Reduce confusion for screen readers & put your hashtags or mentions at the end of your tweet #AccessibilityMatters @TwitterA11y
Make your messages clear, concise and easy to understand. Use #PlainLanguage
Screen readers like camels! Use capitals on each new word in your hashtag aka #CamelCase
TweetResources
Accessibility for Business
- Karl Groves: Chasing the Accessibility Business Case – Conclusion
- W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI): Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization: Overview
- Sarah Horton & David Sloan (Paciello Group): Accessibility for Business and Pleasure
Disability Research
- Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD): Portrayal of People with Disabilities
- Government of Ontario: Accessibility in the Ontario Public Service
- Harris Family Center for Disability and Health Policy: Healthcare - Access to Communication
- Office of Developmental Primary Care, University of California: Everybody Communicates: Toolkit for Accessing Communication Assessments, Funding,and Accommodations
Inclusive Infographics
- Butler University Libraries & Center for Academic Technology: How to Make Digital Assets Accessible: Infographics
- Access IQ: How to create an accessible infographic
- Piktochart Blog: Inclusive Design: How to Make Your Visuals Accessible to All
Web Accessibility
- Carie Fisher: Getting Started with Web Accessibility
- Henny Swan, Ian Pouncey, Heydon Pickering, Léonie Watson (Paciello Group): Inclusive Design Principles
- Penn State Accessibility: Font Face on the Web
- WebAIM: Introduction to Web Accessibility