Skip to main content
Accessibility Help
Browse Services

Orange County Government
Accessibility Policy and Procedure

Policy

Overview

It is the policy of Orange County Government (the County) to make proactive efforts to insure that the organization's websites are accessible to people with disabilities.

All web applications and sites owned by the County will conform to the Orange County Government Accessibility Statement (www.OCFL.net/Accessibility.aspx).

Definitions

  • ADA - The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability.
  • HTML - Hypertext Markup Language is the standard markup language for creating web pages and web applications.
  • WCAG - Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are developed through the W3C process in cooperation with individuals and organizations around the world, with a goal of providing a single shared standard for web content accessibility that meets the needs of individuals, organizations, and governments internationally.

Policy Details

The County will make its websites and web-based applications accessible to the public, including individuals who have disabilities. All personnel involved in the procurement, preparation and maintenance of County websites and web-based applications will conform to this policy.

The County's websites and web-based applications will conform to the Orange County Government Accessibility Statement (www.OCFL.net/Accessibility.aspx) or will be made available in alternate form to users upon request, such as by emailing Access@ocfl.net or phoning Orange County 311 at 407-836-3111.

In addition, the Orange County ADA Coordinator is available to help all persons with disabilities who need accommodations when interacting with the County, or who need modifications to the County's policies, practices, and procedures due to a disability.

Orange County Accessibility Conformance Efforts

The County's accessibility conformance efforts will include the following:

  1. We will be knowledgeable about the regulatory compliance guidelines which have been published by the Department of Labor and/or Department of Justice.
  2. We will evaluate the above guidance relative to the County's circumstances, including resources and certain website accessibility best practice guidelines.
  3. After evaluating the County's website accessibility circumstances, we will implement the following measures:
    1. Develop an accessibility procedure which explains the steps required to conform to website accessibility guidance.
    2. Continuously evaluate the County's websites to monitor the degree to which they conform to best practices.
    3. Implement WCAG training for Orange County web developers, web coordinators and public information officers.

Success Criteria

This policy's success criteria are based on the following qualitative measures:

  1. Provide text alternatives for non-text content.
  2. Provide alternatives for time-based media.
  3. Create content that can be presented in different ways (for example simpler layout) without losing information or structure.
  4. Make it easier for users to see and hear content including separating foreground from background.
  5. Make significant functionality available from a keyboard.
  6. Provide users enough time to read and use content.
  7. Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures.
  8. Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.
  9. Make text content readable and understandable.
  10. Make web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.
  11. Help users avoid and correct mistakes.
  12. Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.

Procedure

Overview

Orange County Government will adhere to this procedure for conforming to our Accessibility Statement (www.OCFL.net/Accessibility.aspx) and to our Accessibility Policy.

Assumptions

Within the scope of this document, references to conformance and/or compliance will be understood to mean "conformance with the County's Accessibility Statement www.OCFL.net/Accessibility.aspx and Accessibility Policy and Procedure".

Implementation Guidelines

  1. All personnel responsible for the County's websites will use good faith efforts to maintain them in conformance with the County's Accessibility Statement (www.OCFL.net/Accessibility.aspx) and Accessibility Policy and Procedure.
  2. New website development and purchases will make feasible efforts to conform to this policy and procedure.
  3. Vendors seeking to develop or provide websites or web-based applications will demonstrate that their products conform to this policy and procedure.
  4. Each of the County's websites will contain an Accessibility Statement that provides specific conformance goals (for example, "compliance with WCAG 2.0 Levels A and AA"). The Accessibility Statement will also provide contact information so that anyone who needs help with accessibility can get it.
  5. A status report will be generated on a regular basis and shared with the Information Systems and Services (ISS) leadership team. This report will be used to monitor and guide efforts to achieve and maintain conformance.
  6. Compliance with WCAG 2.0 Levels A and AA may be an undue burden due to the nature of the content, the purpose of the resource, the lack of accessible solutions, or the unreasonably high administrative or financial costs necessary to make the content conform. This does not relieve the County of its obligation to provide reasonable accommodations to users in regard to accessing the content and services provided on Orange County websites. We will provide content and/or services in a suitable alternative form (such as electronic text file or audio description), or other manner, upon request. Requests should be made to Access@ocfl.net or by calling 407-836-3111.

Website Best Practices

Orange County Government will follow best practices in the development of our websites.

  1. Web pages will be written using standard tools, (e.g., HTML and CSS) and will include alternative text, long descriptions, captions and other accessible elements.
  2. A "Skip Navigation" link will be recommended in order to save time for users of screen readers. (By selecting "Skip Navigation", users of screen readers may skip the announcement of standard links found in the header and footer).
  3. Images and graphics will have an alt tag or long description.
  4. Alt tags will be used for image maps and for graphics associated with the image map so that a person with a screen reader will have access to the links and information.
  5. Long descriptions will be used with photos and images that cannot be described adequately with alt text.
  6. Hyperlink labels will be descriptive. We will avoid the use of generic link labels, such as "Click here".
  7. Data tables will contain header rows to provide context to data in cells.
  8. Tables will not be used for purposes of layout.
  9. Contact information will be provided with content.
  10. If online forms are used, they will be made accessible or alternate means of achieving equivalent functionality will be provided.
  11. Documents will be posted in a text-based format, in a WCAG 2.0-compliant Portable Document Format (PDF), or offered in alternate form as an accommodation upon request.
  12. Videos will have closed captions.

Response to Accessibility Issues

Accessibility issues will be routed through Orange County 311 by emailing Access@ocfl.net or phoning 407-836-3111. Orange County 311 is the County's central non-emergency phone contact. We will follow these steps:

  1. Upon receipt of a report of an accessibility issue, Orange County 311 will forward the issue to the Orange County Government ADA Coordinator.
  2. The ADA Coordinator will perform in the following actions:
    1. Notify Information Systems and Services and Risk Management by email, notifying them of the accessibility issue.
    2. Acknowledge receipt of the issue in writing by email to the user raising the issue.
    3. Verify that the issue is an authentic accessibility issue.
    4. Treat all issues as important.
    5. Document the issue and Orange County's responses.
    6. Make every effort to engage with the user promptly (generally within a period of one business day). If resolution of the issue requires a longer effort, the user raising the issue will be promptly notified in writing of the expected delivery.
  3. The ADA Coordinator will engage in the following actions:
    1. If it is determined that the information or service provided on the County's website(s) cannot be made accessible, or that doing so would constitute an undue burden or fundamental alteration, the ADA Coordinator and other applicable departments will engage in an interactive process with the user about alternative methods for delivering the information or service and will provide an effective alternative format or service.
  4. Orange County departments will provide timely subject matter expertise and support as needed to the ADA Coordinator in responding to accessibility issues.