Developing accessibility competence at Vincit

The accessibility competence gap

Developing accessible digital services remains a challenge, as highlighted by several studies on the state of accessibility. For example, WebAIM Million analysis revealed that 95.9% of global websites fail to meet accessibility requirements. Similarly, Digital Trust reports that 94% of European websites fall short of these requirements. Even government websites are not exempt – a review of government sites across several countries and US states, published in Web Almanac, found none fully comply with accessibility requirements. Furthermore, a Funka Foundation study found severe accessibility issues on all European political parties' websites.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, one significant factor impacting this poor state of accessibility is the lack of comprehensive accessibility training in higher education institutions. This results in an accessibility competence gap, leaving companies responsible for bridging it.

Continuous competence development

At Vincit, we identified the competence gap and have taken proactive steps in developing our accessibility competence through three focus areas: support for our teams, external education and research, and internal learning programs.

Accessibility support

Our ongoing support initiatives aim to help teams and individuals tackle accessibility challenges and foster a sense of community. Our efforts include:

• Accessibility channel: a dedicated Slack channel for Q&A, sharing resources, promoting events, and staying updated on accessibility.

• Guidance and materials: resources and best practices to help teams and individuals integrate accessibility into daily workflows.

• Bi-weekly meetups: informal online gatherings to share updates, discuss cases and challenges, and anything else related to accessibility.

Education and research

The core of competence development is providing access to professional courses and certifications. To support this goal, Vincit reimburses course expenses and has a bonus program to encourage pursuing accessibility certifications. Examples of courses and certifications include:

• Professional courses: these cover all skill levels – from beginner level like W3C “Introduction to Web Accessibility” to advanced level from Deque University courses.

• Accessibility certifications: we incentivize this through our bonus program, covering certifications by globally recognized organizations such as the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).

We are also actively involved in accessibility research through collaborations with higher education institutions, including course projects and master’s theses. These partnerships contribute to advancing the field while gaining valuable insights to improve our accessibility practices and expand our knowledge.

Learning programs

Our tailored learning programs complement external courses by focusing on more contextual and specific knowledge and training. These initiatives include:

• Sessions with people with disabilities: first-hand insights into everyday digital barriers and the impact of accessibility.

• Topical sessions: practical knowledge and tools for addressing key accessibility topics through sessions and live demos.

• Learning modules: a more comprehensive series covering broader accessibility themes, enabling deeper learning and skill development.

To give a clearer idea of a learning program, here’s an example of a learning module.

Example of an accessibility learning module

In Spring 2024, we conducted a three-part accessibility learning module open to all employees. The module included a combination of a lecture, interactive workshop, and study group sessions. The lecture and workshop were delivered by Q-Factory/eQual. Employees had the flexibility to participate in one or more parts of the module. This structure provided diverse learning opportunities and encouraged organization-wide participation.

Lecture

The lecture covered the fundamentals of accessibility, focusing on the following topics:

• What is accessibility

•  Types of disabilities and their impact on using technology

• Legal requirements for accessibility

•  How to ensure web accessibility

To ensure broad participation, the lecture was offered twice in different locations, available both live and online, required no registration, and was recorded for on-demand viewing. In total, the lectures attracted over 100 participants from various roles, with approximately 80% attending online.

Workshop

The workshop focused on the practical aspects of accessibility in software development. Key topics included:

• Accessibility in agile workflows

• Tools for designers, developers, and testers

• Effective testing methods

• Ensuring keyboard and screen reader compatibility

• Structure and semantics in web development

• Optimizing images and other visuals for accessibility

• Designing accessible forms

• Making native and custom UI components accessible

The workshop was held online in two similar sessions. To ensure a more interactive and engaging experience, participation was limited to 20 people per session. Both sessions were fully booked, reflecting the strong interest in accessibility.

Study group

At Vincit, we have experience with study groups, which are an engaging and cost-efficient method for skill development. For this study group, we used the W3C “Introduction to Web Accessibility” course mentioned earlier as the foundation for the group sessions. The course content is free while obtaining the certification requires payment (covered by Vincit) and is optional.

Over the course of eight weeks, we held weekly online group meetings, each focused on discussing one module of the course. Each meeting also included an internal accessibility specialist who provided real-world context and additional expertise by demonstrating an accessibility tool, sharing a case study, or leading a discussion on a specific topic. The meetings were recorded, allowing those who missed a session to review it later. To encourage continued engagement, we created a dedicated Slack channel for sharing information, posting summaries, and follow-up discussions. The study group attracted more than 30 participants, with 25 earning the W3C course diploma.

What we’ve learned

The experience so far highlighted several lessons that are worth sharing.

• Continuous effort: developing accessibility competence requires an ongoing commitment due to employee turnover, technological advancements, and evolving standards and regulations.

• Focused sessions: short, specific sessions (max. 1 hour) help people decide relevance, maintain engagement, and fit better into busy schedules.

• Target everyone: accessibility is a responsibility shared across all roles, making it essential to ensure that support and training are available to everyone.

• Study groups: participants praised this format for its collaborative learning experience, structured and insightful course materials, expert demos and case insights, and valuable Slack discussions.

What’s next?

Looking ahead, there is still much to be done. We are currently focused on further developing our internal accessibility portal as a centralized resource hub for all employees. On a broader scale, we also explore the W3C Accessibility Maturity Model to systematically assess and improve accessibility practices across all operations.

Your input matters!

We’re always looking for ways to improve and are eager to hear your feedback and experience on accessibility competence development. If you have insights, suggestions, or want to share ideas, feel free to contact me! 😊