Report 2014-131 Recommendation 26 Responses
Report 2014-131: California State Government Websites: Departments Must Improve Website Accessibility So That Persons With Disabilities Have Comparable Access to State Services Online (Release Date: June 2015)
Recommendation #26 To: Technology, California Department of
To standardize California's approach to web accessibility testing, CalTech should issue a policy that specifies the method by which state departments should conduct web accessibility testing. This policy should include information about a minimum combination of operating systems, browsers, and assistive technologies that should be used during testing.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2016
A joint workgroup comprised of CDT and Department of Rehabilitation subject matter experts has created the necessary guidance for accessibility testing that resolved this audit recommendation. The updated guidelines were released in an official Technology Letter 16-16 in July 2016.
- Completion Date: July 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
The Department of Technology subsequently confirmed that the Technology Letter it refers to in its response should be Technology Letter 16-06. This letter and the corresponding portions of the Statewide Information Management Manual fully implement our recommendation.
1-Year Agency Response
The Department of Technology has determined that the resolution of this audit recommendation will not be completed by the May 31, 2016 completion date previously indicated in our six month status update.
A joint workgroup, comprised of Department of Technology and Department of Rehabilitation subject matter experts, has completed the draft IT Accessibility Resource Guide (SIMM 25) to comply with new web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.0). This update includes the necessary guidance for accessibility testing that will resolve this audit recommendation.
The updated guidelines are currently under formal review and approval and are anticipated to be released by June 30, 2016
- Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 2016
- Response Date: May 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented
6-Month Agency Response
The Department of Technology issued Technology Letter No. 15-05 on November 30, 2015, which provides information to assist state departments with web accessibility testing and identify methods by which testing can be conducted.
The Department of Technology, together with the Department of Rehabilitation, is assessing options for defining a minimum combination of operating systems, browsers, and assistive technologies that should be used during web accessibility testing. This will include identifying methods by which state departments should conduct web accessibility testing. The resulting formal documentation is planned to be completed by May 31, 2016.
- Estimated Completion Date: May 31, 2016
- Response Date: December 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
60-Day Agency Response
The Department of Technology and Department of Rehabilitation collaborated on new content which was published July 23, 2015 as a resource to state webmasters on the webtools.ca.gov website. The new content provides guidelines for web accessibility tools and general testing procedures.
The Department of Technology will issue a policy Technology Letter on this new content.
- Estimated Completion Date: October 31, 2015
- Response Date: July 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented
All Recommendations in 2014-131
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.