Website Accessibility Policy

The National Bureau of Economic Research (“NBER”) has an ongoing commitment to achieving the highest levels of satisfaction for users of NBER’s websites (the “Websites”). As part of these efforts, NBER is dedicated to offering full and equal enjoyment of its Websites to users with disabilities.

To assist in achieving the aforementioned accessibility goals with respect to the Websites, NBER has committed to the Websites being designed, developed, and operated in accordance with generally recognized and accepted guidelines and/or standards for website accessibility (the “Standards”). While these Standards may change and/or evolve over time, they are currently at least the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 at Levels A and AA (“WCAG 2.1”)1.

NBER’s commitment to website accessibility will be further implemented over time with the additional guidance of both counsel and an independent third-party accessibility expert (“Web Accessibility Consultant”). This website development process will also bring the Websites into further conformance with the Section 508 Web Accessibility Standards developed by the United States Access Board. The Websites will be tested on a periodic basis with assistive technology such as screen readers and screen magnifiers, and by users with disabilities who use these technologies.

Below are some of the steps NBER is taking under its website accessibility policy:

  • The Web Accessibility Consultant will conduct a website accessibility audit and provide NBER with specific recommendations to facilitate website accessibility and conformance with the Standards.  
  • NBER Web Accessibility Consultant will provide training for NBER’s Web development personnel on conformance with the Standards.
  • NBER will periodically review and test the Websites in order to facilitate conformance with the Standards.  
  • NBER will make available on its Websites a dedicated accessibility email address, webaccessibility@nber.org, in order to address any accessibility issues that individual users of the Websites may encounter and for which they seek a reasonable accommodation or auxiliary aid. 
  • NBER has adopted this website accessibility policy to support its ongoing commitment to the accessibility of the Websites.

 

Specific Steps


Accessibility Manager

  • NBER will designate one or more individuals to manage website accessibility.

Accessibility Needs Assessment/Recommendations

  • The Web Accessibility Consultant will conduct a website accessibility audit and provide NBER with a needs assessment and recommendations to facilitate website accessibility and conformance with the Standards.

Voluntary Product Accessibility Statement

Training

  • NBER’s Web Accessibility Consultant will provide training for NBER’s respective Web development personnel on conformance with the Standards.

Authoring Tools

  • NBER will preferentially purchase authoring tools consistent with this Web accessibility policy.

Procurement 

  • NBER will inform third-party content providers of its website accessibility policy, and will favor providers based on their accessibility conformance capabilities.

Ongoing Accessibility Testing and Evaluation

  • NBER will have website accessibility reviews conducted going forward on a periodic basis.  Accessibility evaluations will be principally manual, and will not rely solely on automated accessibility screening software.

Accessibility Statement / Contact and Feedback

  • NBER will publish an accessibility statement on the Websites.  Such statements will inform users that NBER is committed and is working on an ongoing basis to facilitate website accessibility for the Websites.

Accessibility Contact and Feedback

  • NBER will undertake reasonable efforts to make accessible any particular Website page that, at any time, is specifically identified and requested to be made accessible by an individual with a disability. The department or team responsible for the creation of the specified content is responsible for making it accessible. NBER has created a designated Web accessibility email address, webaccessibility@nber.org, for reporting the specific accessibility issue and Website address that the user has encountered.

Policy and Periodic Review

  • This policy is not contingent on a particular technology or design approach. Its aim is to facilitate access to and use of the Websites by all users, including persons with disabilities.
  • This policy will be reviewed, and when appropriate revised, on a periodic basis by NBER’s designated accessibility manager and counsel as appropriate.

1. The WCAG area of the WAI site provides an overview of WCAG guidelines with supporting resources. See http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag.php.