Why Care About Accessibility?

There are many reasons to care about accessibility on the web. Here are three important reasons.

It's Part of Fisher's Identity

The main reasons for caring about accessibility are built into the way we talk about the St. John Fisher College community. We are a collaborative, student-centered institution where diversity and inclusion are valued and practiced.

From the St. John Fisher College concise mission statement:

"St. John Fisher College is a collaborative community dedicated to teaching, learning, and scholarship in a student-centered educational environment. The College is guided by its liberal arts tradition and its Catholic heritage, as expressed in the motto of its founders, the Basilian Fathers: "teach me goodness, discipline, and knowledge." Fisher engages individuals in lives of intellectual inquiry, professional integrity, and civic responsibility, where diversity and service to others are valued and practiced."

From the St. John Fisher College Strategic Plan - Pillar 4: Equity, Inclusion, and Community:

"St. John Fisher College will cultivate an equitable, inclusive learning and working environment that attracts, retains, and supports a diverse community of lifelong learners to positively impact today's complex, global world."

It's the Right Thing to Do

Accessibility is not a "nice to have" feature that can be tackled if time and resources allow. Individuals with disabilities, including those who use assistive technology, require our website to be accessible in order to interact with Fisher as an institution. We need to ensure that all individuals can interact with us regardless of their circumstances.

It's the Law

As an institution that receives federal funds in the form of financial aid for our students, we are required to make our website accessible to people with disabilities under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

For more information, visit UDL on Campus: Legal Obligations for Accessibility.