Accessibility for All

Written By: Brian Galante

Private companies and public sector organizations work hard to create digital signage content that delivers important messaging to employees, visitors, and customers. Regardless of the standards set out in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ensuring that this content is accessible by all is an important best practice for those who prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion. This is the main driver behind the Carousel Accessibility (A11Y) Site.

‍The Carousel Accessibility (A11Y) Site

Designed to work in conjunction with assistive technologies such as screen readers, the Carousel Accessibility Site allows people with visual impairments to view digital signage content. Carousel Digital Signage Software users can enable this feature with the simple click of a button, and the Accessibility Site will serve up an alternative browsing experience. This includes a public website that viewers may access on demand (or when it’s inconvenient to view content on a screen). 

Readability is top-of-mind for Carousel’s channel design team, which takes care to select specific color combinations that make it easier for people with visual impairments, including colorblindness, to view messaging. Additionally, the software supports multiple languages, and will automatically switch to the language configuration specified in the user’s browser settings. 

The Regulations

Overseen by the U.S. Department of Justice, the ADA’s requirements apply to public institutions, such as schools. They also concern businesses including retailers, restaurants, healthcare facilities, entertainment venues, banks, and hotels. Because most of these organizations offer products and services via the internet, ADA regulations extend to web content. Recognized guidelines for compliance are supplied by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), an international standard developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative. Carousel strives to comply with the WCAG 2.0 AA specification.

Carousel also self-polices its WCAG compliance activities by completing the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT). This document is developed by the Information Technology Industrial Council—which promotes technology-related public policies and industry standards—and is based on standards laid out in Section 508. We invite Carousel customers to request a copy of this form if they are interested in learning about how Carousel software performs against these guidelines. 

“Accessibility for Everyone” is not just a slogan at Carousel Digital Signage—it’s a philosophy. Our emphasis on ease-of-use applies not only to content creators and digital signage administrators, but also to those they need to reach. Through the Carousel Accessibility Site, customers can work to achieve ADA compliance, while also delivering their messaging to everyone in their target audience.

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