Accessibility refers to the extent to which people of all levels of ability can view and engage with your content. Accessible content is based on four POUR principles:
- Perceivability - content is presented in a way users can perceive (e.g., users with low vision can perceive your text with a screen reader)
- Operability - users can interact with it (e.g., users with limited hand mobility can navigate your content using only a keyboard)
- Understandability - users can understand your content (e.g., a user with dyslexia can read and comprehend your text)
- Robustness - even when assistive technologies or web browsers are upgraded, users can access your content
At MSU, we have concrete goals to meet when it comes to web accessibility. Specifically, according to MSU policy 01.13, all public, non-archived content must meet the accessibility standards defined in WCAG 2.0, at the AA level. ITS uses SiteImprove to measure the accessibility of all MSU websites, and DIWS tries to keep the MSU Libraries' accessibility score above 75% of industry standard. However, this number is only a measurement of how well we meet accessibility guidelines - it does not necessarily mean that our website is easy for a person with a disability to use. But it is a great start!
Inclusivity refers to the extent to which people with varying perspectives and lived experiences can meaningfully engage with your content. This includes people with disabilities, but also people from a diversity of cultures, native languages, ages, genders, socioeconomic backgrounds, locations, and education levels.
Inclusivity is harder for content writers to measure, but as part of our user testing, we hope to talk with a variety of students, faculty, and staff, to seek out ways to improve in this area.
In a nutshell: "Accessibility" means people can get to and use the website. "Inclusivity" makes them feel welcome and valued there. Both require a level of empathy and openness to users' diverse experiences. Accessibility is easier to "do," but addressing both results in a better website and happier users. An inclusive website is an accessible website, but an accessible website is not necessarily inclusive.
