Web Accessibility Statement

Avila University is committed to ensuring that avila.edu is accessible to all people, including those with disabilities.

Last updated: March 2026 | Standard: WCAG 2.2 Level AA | Review cycle: Every 6 months

Conformance Status

Partially conformant. The Avila University website partially conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA. This means some content does not yet fully meet the standard. Known issues are actively being identified, prioritized, and remediated. We update this statement as improvements are made.

Our Commitment

Avila University believes that every student, faculty member, staff member, prospective student, and visitor deserves equal access to our digital resources. We are actively working to improve the accessibility of avila.edu in alignment with WCAG 2.2 Level AA and applicable law.

Our commitment is grounded in the following legal standards:

We have chosen to target WCAG 2.2 Level AA as it is the current W3C recommended standard, superseding WCAG 2.1.

Scope

This statement applies to the primary Avila University website at avila.edu and all pages within that domain.

It does not cover third-party platforms linked from our site — such as Canvas, external portals, or social media platforms — which are governed by their own accessibility policies. Sub-domains and affiliated sites such as athletics are being evaluated separately.

Known Limitations

We are committed to transparency. The following accessibility issues have been identified and are actively being remediated:

In progress — actively being fixed:

  • Missing or insufficient alt text on images (WCAG 1.1.1) — A site-wide remediation effort is underway. Content editors are being trained to add descriptive alt text when publishing content.
  • Video captions and transcripts (WCAG 1.2.2) — Embedded YouTube videos are being reviewed. Caption accuracy is being verified and corrected.
  • Heading level inconsistencies (WCAG 1.3.1) — Some page templates contain skipped heading levels. Template-level fixes are in progress with our development team.
  • Non-descriptive link text (WCAG 2.4.4) — Repeated “Learn more” links without context are being updated to descriptive, meaningful text.
  • Legacy PDF documents — PDF documents across the site may not be fully accessible regardless of publication date. We are currently auditing all PDFs and prioritizing high-use documents — such as course information, financial aid forms, and program brochures — for remediation or replacement with accessible HTML pages prior to 2024 may not be fully accessible. High-use documents are being prioritized for remediation or replacement with accessible HTML pages.

Issues not listed here may exist and will be documented as they are discovered. We welcome reports of barriers from users — see the Feedback section below.

Verified Accessibility Features

The following accessibility features have been confirmed as present and functioning across primary page templates on avila.edu:

  • Color contrast ratios meet WCAG 2.2 AA requirements — minimum 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text — verified using Chrome DevTools
  • Page language is correctly declared on all pages
  • ARIA landmark roles are present throughout the site to support screen reader navigation
  • An Accessibility link is present in the site footer on every page
  • All interactive elements — buttons and links — have accessible names
  • The site is viewable at 400% zoom without loss of content on key templates
  • ARIA IDs are unique throughout all pages
  • No flashing or strobing content that could trigger photosensitive conditions

How We Test

Avila University uses a combination of automated and manual testing to identify and remediate accessibility issues:

  • Automated page scanning — The WP Accessibility plugin is installed in WordPress and flags issues at the point of content creation, helping editors catch problems before publishing.
  • Browser-based testing — The WAVE browser extension is used to run page-level accessibility checks, identifying errors, alerts, contrast issues, and structural problems visually on the page.
  • Manual screen reader testing — VoiceOver (built into Mac and iPhone) is used to test navigation, forms, and content on key page templates.
  • Developer inspection — Chrome DevTools Accessibility panel is used to verify color contrast ratios, ARIA attributes, and element roles on individual components.

Important note: Automated tools identify approximately 30–40% of accessibility issues. Manual testing is required to fully evaluate keyboard navigation, screen reader experience, and the quality of alternative text and captions. We are expanding our testing program as resources allow.

Feedback & Contact

We welcome your feedback. If you encounter an accessibility barrier on avila.edu — or if you cannot access content in an alternative format — please contact us. We aim to respond within 5 business days.

Accessibility Contact:

  • Email: SAO@avila.edu
  • Phone: 816-501-3606 (Student Access Office)
  • Mailing address: Avila University, 11901 Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO 64145

For urgent accommodation needs during an active semester, please also contact the Student Access Office directly by phone.

If you are not satisfied with our response:

You have the right to contact federal agencies directly:

Disability Services & Accommodations

Avila University provides accommodations and support through the Student Access Office. Students, faculty, staff, and visitors who require disability accommodations may:

Avila University does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its programs, activities, or services in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Review Schedule & Ongoing Work

Accessibility is not a one-time project — it requires ongoing commitment. Avila University has the following schedule in place:

  • Monthly — Automated page scanning using the WP Accessibility plugin and WAVE, with issues tracked and prioritized
  • Every 6 months — Full re-audit including manual screen reader testing; this statement updated accordingly
  • Ongoing — Template-level remediation sprint currently active (2026)
  • Q2 2026 — Content editor accessibility training program launching for all web content editors

This statement was prepared in March 2026 following a systematic accessibility review of avila.edu. It will be reviewed and updated every 6 months, or sooner if significant changes are made to the site. Published at avila.edu/accessibility — linked in the footer of every page.

Go back to the top
Secret Link