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WebAIM "Coordination and Leadership Strategies" Demonstration Version. - Back to Management for Web Accessibility online training course page.

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Step 2: Organize a Web Accessibility Committee

Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all. Sam Ewig

Objective for this Step:

• Identify key stakeholders for long-term accessibility efforts and decide the best ways to secure their participation

Why a Committee is Important

Is it possible for one person at a large organization to implement a full-blown accessibility initiative? Yes, it is possible, but this sort of "lone ranger" approach can backfire if other people at the organization do not share the vision or commitment that this one person has. Other people may resent the constant badgering of this individual, or, just as likely, this one person may tire of always cheerleading the effort or nagging everyone else.

Committees can be slower than the "lone ranger" approach, but their effect is usually longer-lasting because committee members have invested time and effort in the process, coming to agreement on important issues. A good committee should represent the major stakeholders or an organization.

The key is to form a committee that is representative of all of the stakeholders in an organization, and to ensure that each committee member performs the tasks that correspond to them.

People to Consider

Once the leadership at your organization supports the implementation of a Web accessibility policy, a group should be formed to draft accessibility policies and to see the process through its implementation. It is vital that this group be comprised of other key individuals at your organization. Those chosen should be respected in their individual fields and have the ability to influence change with their colleagues. They must also be able to commit the time necessary to see the process through. This could be a substantial commitment, sometimes lasting for years.

So, who should be part of this process? It is important to remember that every organization will need to approach future members of the committee in a slightly different way. It is also important that this committee be constructed in such a way that all members will work constructively toward the goal of helping to create a fully accessible Web for their organization. Please remember that these individuals will report back to the larger groups from which they came. As such, it would be helpful to the process if they were respected within their own groups. Representation and support by all parties is essential if implementation is to be widely accepted. The implementation of Web accessibility at your organization will be much easier if all of these pieces fit together.

Take a moment now to consider who would best represent the stakeholder groups necessary for a reform effort. They will become the committee for your organization. Some questions you might ask yourself include the following:

Take a moment to write out a list of the persons you would consider viable choices for a Web accessibility committee in your organization. When you have compiled this list, consider the following questions:

Postsecondary education example

In postsecondary institutions, there are typically at least 5 groups of stakeholders who should take part in this process. These groups include: the administration, the faculty, the Section 504 and ADA coordinators, Web designers, and students with disabilities. At least one member from each of these groups should participate in a Web accessibility committee, although it may make sense to have more than one representative for certain groups.

Government example

Government entities will want to involve agency or department leadership, individuals from the various focus areas of the entity, and the developers. Most government entities will have a Web master or a point person or group that administers the Web presence. It may be important for your legal counsel to be present. Programmers, content specialists, and network administrators may also be important to have active on the committee.

Business example

Business Web sites are administered in many ways. Thus, the people that would need to be on your committee may vary greatly depending upon your circumstances. It’s important that administration take part in the committee’s activities and that those involved in the Web presence are adequately represented.

Enlisting the Help of Others

The success of a Web accessibility committee hinges on getting the right parties involved. Representatives of the stakeholder groups must participate and be active in reform changes for success to be realized. Once you have identified who these key participants are, you must get them to buy into the idea of accessibility and become an active participant in your committee. Participation in the committee may take a lot of time and effort. Participants must have motivations and rewards for wanting to participate, especially if their role is one that may be burdensome.

There are several motivations and methods that can be used to promote committee participation. Some of these are identified in the previous section on making the case.

Personal motivations

Besides motivations already mentioned, there are many others that can be implemented to persuade potential committee members to become active in your Web accessibility efforts. These people are often involved in the creation and implementation of policies. Joining the Web accessibility committee may give them an opportunity to expand such work and become involved in the policy implementation process, thus interacting with administration and other stakeholder groups. If your committee includes the right people, chances are that you will have a fairly influential and powerful group of which others will want to be a part.

When possible, an invitation to participate in a Web accessibility committee should be paired with some sort of employment advancement, or as an influential resume item. Committee members will have opportunities for learning aspects of a concept with which they may have never interacted. Participation allows committee members to expand their current role and responsibilities, as well as to become involved in a meaningful effort.

What you can do

The success or failure of your Web accessibility efforts will likely be determined by the people who are actively involved in your committee. As you are organizing this committee, there are many methods for getting people involved. You may want to begin by asking those within your direct sphere of influence. If you've had previous interactions with potential committee members, start with them. As these people may be the first confirmed members of a currently non-existent committee, you may need to use unique approaches for getting their participation — ranging from begging and pleading to ego building. Once you have recruited people from within your sphere of influence, you will probably need to expand your search to ensure that all stakeholders are represented. You can then use the influence of your fledgling committee to seek out additional participants.

Gaining the support of at least one key administrator or manager is vital. This person may be able to exert more influence upon others than you or other committee members. Administration may also be able to help identify vital participants or stakeholders. When inviting committee participants, be sure that they know why they are such an important part of the committee and that they will be representing a larger stakeholder group.

If all goes well, you should be able to easily form a committee that adequately represents the stakeholders of your organization and has the ability to create and implement a Web accessibility policy.

Related Resources

Education

• California State University, Fresno provides a list of their Web Accessibility Work Group members, contact information, meeting times, and group responsibilities. http://www.csufresno.edu/webaccess/workgroup/members.htm- external link; http://www.csufresno.edu/webaccess/workgroup/purpose.htm- external link
• University of Wisconsin-La Crosse: http://www.uwlax.edu/- external link (committee members)
• The Johns Hopkins University: http://hrnt.jhu.edu/web_access/committee.cfm- external link (Web accessibility committee members listed with all their contact information)

Government

• Department of Housing and Urban Development: http://www.hud.gov/- external link The Department Web Policy and Web Management Structure includes the different positions and their responsibilities within this structure including Web accessibility. The Web accessibility guidelines to be followed are available at http://www.hud.gov/- external link

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Last updated: 2006-05-07