{"id":39065,"date":"2025-12-08T11:11:21","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T16:11:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/?page_id=39065"},"modified":"2025-12-11T09:47:40","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T14:47:40","slug":"accessibility-and-the-nc-state-theme","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/accessibility-and-the-nc-state-theme\/","title":{"rendered":"Accessibility and the NC&#160;State Theme"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-table-of-contents\"><p class=\"eyebrow\">On This Page<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"#beyond-compliance\">Why Accessibility Matters: Beyond Compliance<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#theme\">NC State Theme: Technical Foundation<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#content-accessibility\">Content Accessibility: Your Responsibilities<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#pdfs\">Finding and Managing PDFs in WordPress<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#training-workshops\">Training and Workshop Opportunities<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>With the upcoming <a href=\"https:\/\/accessibility.ncsu.edu\/digital-accessibility\/federal-digital-accessibility-requirements\/\">WCAG 2.1 AA requirements coming into effect on April 24, 2026<\/a> many content maintainers and site administrators are reviewing their websites to ensure their site is accessible to all users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In short, <strong>the NC State Theme meets the latest accessibility requirements<\/strong> from a technical perspective. Creating accessible solutions can be a nuanced endeavor. If you have concerns about the code on your site not meeting requirements, please submit a help request. University Communications and Marketing will review your concerns and make any necessary code adjustments and\/or provide context on why you may have received a false positive from a scanning tool such as <a href=\"https:\/\/accessibility.ncsu.edu\/digital-accessibility\/pope-tech-accessibility-scanner\/\">PopeTech<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/wave.webaim.org\">WAVE<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though the NC State Theme&#8217;s code is accessible, <strong>content changes may be necessary to ensure your website is accessible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"is-text wp-block-ncst-buttons\">\n    \n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-button\">\n      <a\n        class=\"ncst-block__button-link btn\"\n        href=\"https:\/\/accessibility.ncsu.edu\/digital-accessibility\/\"\n        data-ncst-lightbox=\"false\"\n                      >\n                  <span class=\"text\">Accessibility Office Guidelines<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span>\n              <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n  \n\n  <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"beyond-compliance\">Why Accessibility Matters: Beyond Compliance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/direct.mit.edu\/books\/book\/4137\/MismatchHow-Inclusion-Shapes-Design\">designer Kat Holmes<\/a>, one-third of people will need accessible accommodations at some point during their lives. Designing, developing and maintaining accessible websites improves the user experience for all users. Many commonplace design facets of our physical world come about through an effort to remove hindrances to individuals needing accommodations. This has become known as the &#8220;curb-cut effect.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Curb-Cut Effect in Digital Spaces<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Just as curb cuts\u2014originally designed for wheelchair users\u2014now benefit parents with strollers, delivery workers, and cyclists, digital accessibility features improve usability for everyone. This phenomenon, known as the &#8220;curb-cut effect,&#8221; means that designing for accessibility creates better experiences across the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Common examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Captions on videos<\/strong>: Originally for deaf and hard-of-hearing users, studies show that captions benefit people who aren&#8217;t native speakers, individuals with ADHD, and help everyone retain information better&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.accessibility.com\/blog\/the-curb-cut-effect-in-the-digital-age-how-accessibility-tools-help-everyone\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Accessibility<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Clear navigation and heading structures<\/strong>: While essential for screen reader users, these also help all users quickly find information<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Good color contrast<\/strong>: Critical for users with low vision, but also helps everyone read content in bright sunlight or on older screens<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Alt text on images<\/strong>: Necessary for blind users, but also displays when images fail to load and improves SEO<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"theme\">NC State Theme: Technical Foundation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The NC State Theme provides a solid technical foundation for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ada.gov\/resources\/2024-03-08-web-rule\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.ada.gov\/resources\/2024-03-08-web-rule\/\">WCAG 2.1 AA<\/a> compliance. From a technical perspective, the theme generally meets accessibility requirements out of the box, handling:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Semantic HTML structure<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keyboard navigation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Focus indicators<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ARIA landmarks and roles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Responsive design for various devices<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When to Report Technical Issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Occasionally, small platform-level code tweaks may be needed in the theme. If you encounter technical accessibility barriers that seem to be theme-related rather than content-related, please report them immediately:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bug Report Form<\/strong>:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/go.ncsu.edu\/ncstate-theme-bug-report\">https:\/\/go.ncsu.edu\/ncstate-theme-bug-report<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"content-accessibility\">Content Accessibility: Your Responsibilities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While the NC State Theme provides the technical framework,&nbsp;<strong>the bulk of the work necessary for WCAG 2.1 AA compliance is content-related<\/strong>. As a content maintainer, you are responsible for ensuring your content meets accessibility standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Core Content Requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Images and Graphics<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Add meaningful alt text to all informational images<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mark decorative images appropriately (empty alt text)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid using images of text when possible<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Document Structure<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use proper heading hierarchy (H1 \u2192 H2 \u2192 H3, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don&#8217;t skip heading levels for visual styling<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use lists for grouped items<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tables<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Include table headers (<code>&lt;th&gt;<\/code>&nbsp;elements)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep tables simple when possible<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide captions or summaries for complex data<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Multimedia<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Provide transcripts for audio content<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include captions for videos<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure all visual information in videos is also represented audibly (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=O7j4_aP8dWA\">example<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Links<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use descriptive link text (avoid &#8220;click here&#8221;)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Indicate when links open in new windows<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure link purpose is clear from context<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"pdfs\">Finding and Managing PDFs in WordPress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>PDFs present one of the biggest accessibility challenges for content maintainers. Here&#8217;s how to locate and manage them effectively:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Navigate to Media \u2192 Library<\/strong>&nbsp;in your WordPress admin<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Switch to List View<\/strong>&nbsp;for easier filtering<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Filter by type<\/strong>: Use the dropdown to show only &#8220;Documents&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Search specifically<\/strong>: Use the search bar with terms like &#8220;.pdf&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Note that some of the PDFs you find may no longer be used on your website. This is a great opportunity to remove unused content, especially when that content might need remediation to make it accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ensuring PDF Accessibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>PDFs should only be used when they are absolutely necessary. Native content built within your website is the best way to create accessible content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating accessible PDFs can be tedious. If you must use PDFs, it is best to start with content from tools such as Google Docs or Microsoft Word. In conjunction with tools such as <a href=\"https:\/\/accessibility.ncsu.edu\/digital-accessibility\/grackle\/\">Grackle<\/a>, you can more easily save accessible PDFs from these tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/helpx.adobe.com\/acrobat\/using\/create-verify-pdf-accessibility.html\">Adobe also has guidelines<\/a> on how to create accessible PDFs. Many of the guidelines for creating accessible content within a PDF are similar to those for creating accessible web content:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Document title and language<\/strong>&nbsp;settings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tagged content<\/strong>&nbsp;for proper reading order<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Alternative text<\/strong>&nbsp;for images and graphics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Proper headings<\/strong>&nbsp;and document structure<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Table headers<\/strong>&nbsp;for data tables<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bookmarks<\/strong>&nbsp;for documents over 9 pages<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sufficient color contrast<\/strong>&nbsp;(4.5:1 ratio)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Readable fonts<\/strong>&nbsp;that can be extracted as text<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"training-workshops\">Training and Workshop Opportunities <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The university&#8217;s accessibility office offers an asynchronous accessibility training through <a href=\"https:\/\/reporter.ncsu.edu\/link\/courseview?courseID=OIT-DigAcc-Basics&amp;deptName=OIT\">REPORTER<\/a> in addition to <a href=\"https:\/\/accessibility.ncsu.edu\/digital-accessibility\/resources\/\">many other resources<\/a>. This 30 minute long training covers the basic, core skills of digital accessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"is-text wp-block-ncst-buttons\">\n    \n<div class=\"is-style-secondary wp-block-ncst-button\">\n      <a\n        class=\"ncst-block__button-link btn\"\n        href=\"https:\/\/reporter.ncsu.edu\/link\/courseview?courseID=OIT-DigAcc-Basics&amp;deptName=OIT\"\n        data-ncst-lightbox=\"false\"\n                      >\n                  <span class=\"text\">REPORTER Training<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span>\n              <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n  \n\n<div class=\"is-style-secondary wp-block-ncst-button\">\n      <a\n        class=\"ncst-block__button-link btn\"\n        href=\"https:\/\/accessibility.ncsu.edu\/digital-accessibility\/resources\/\"\n        data-ncst-lightbox=\"false\"\n                      >\n                  <span class=\"text\">Accessibility Resources<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span>\n              <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n  \n\n  <\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"ncst-labeled-section wp-block-ncst-featured-content ncst-featured-content is-card-style layout-two-column\">\n  <div class=\"ncst-labeled-section__background\">\n    <div class=\"ncst-labeled-section__container\">\n               <div class=\"ncst-labeled-section__header\">\n                      <h2 class=\"ncst-labeled-section__heading\">Other workshops from the accessibility office<\/h2>\n                            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"ncst-labeled-section__content\">\n        \n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-featured-content\"><a\n    class=\"ncst-content-card wp-block-ncst-content-card with-cta\"\n    href=\"https:\/\/reporter.ncsu.edu\/link\/courseview?courseID=OIT-Access-GWMO&amp;deptName=OIT\"\n  >\n  \n    \n    <div class=\"content-card__text-container\">\n      \n                        <h3 class=\"content-card__headline\">Creating Accessible Google and Office Files<\/h3>\n              \n\n      \n              <p class=\"content-card__cta\"><span class=\"text\">Register now<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span><\/p>\n          <\/div>\n\n  <\/a>\n\n\n<a\n    class=\"ncst-content-card wp-block-ncst-content-card with-cta\"\n    href=\"https:\/\/reporter.ncsu.edu\/link\/courseview?courseID=OIT-Access-PopeScan&amp;deptName=OIT\"\n  >\n  \n    \n    <div class=\"content-card__text-container\">\n      \n                        <h3 class=\"content-card__headline\">Pope Tech Automated Accessibility Scanner Training<\/h3>\n              \n\n      \n              <p class=\"content-card__cta\"><span class=\"text\">Register now<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span><\/p>\n          <\/div>\n\n  <\/a>\n\n\n<a\n    class=\"ncst-content-card wp-block-ncst-content-card with-cta\"\n    href=\"https:\/\/reporter.ncsu.edu\/link\/courseview?courseID=OIT-Access-VPATs&amp;deptName=OIT\"\n  >\n  \n    \n    <div class=\"content-card__text-container\">\n      \n                        <h3 class=\"content-card__headline\">Understanding VPATs and Accessibility Conformance Reports<\/h3>\n              \n\n      \n              <p class=\"content-card__cta\"><span class=\"text\">Register now<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span><\/p>\n          <\/div>\n\n  <\/a>\n\n\n<a\n    class=\"ncst-content-card wp-block-ncst-content-card with-cta\"\n    href=\"https:\/\/reporter.ncsu.edu\/link\/courseview?courseID=OIT-Access-NCSU&amp;deptName=OIT\"\n  >\n  \n    \n    <div class=\"content-card__text-container\">\n      \n                        <h3 class=\"content-card__headline\">Understanding Digital Accessibility: Your Legal Responsibility at NC State<\/h3>\n              \n\n      \n              <p class=\"content-card__cta\"><span class=\"text\">Register now<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span><\/p>\n          <\/div>\n\n  <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n              <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Accessibility and the NC State Theme Workshop<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>University Communications and Marketing will be holding two identical workshops in the spring 2026 semester. Each workshop will cover basics of creating and maintaining accessible content within the NC State Theme and have ample time for Q&amp;A from participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Wednesday, February 4<\/strong> 11 a.m. &#8211; noon (registration required)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Wednesday, April 1<\/strong> 11 a.m. &#8211; noon (registration required)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"is-text wp-block-ncst-buttons\">\n    \n<div class=\"is-style-secondary wp-block-ncst-button\">\n      <a\n        class=\"ncst-block__button-link btn\"\n        href=\"https:\/\/reporter.ncsu.edu\/link\/courseview?courseID=ADV-UCOMM-A&amp;deptName=ADV\"\n        data-ncst-lightbox=\"false\"\n                      >\n                  <span class=\"text\">Register today<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" role=\"img\"  aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\">\n\t\t<\/svg><\/span>\n              <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n  \n\n  <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the upcoming WCAG 2.1 AA requirements coming into effect on April 24, 2026 many content maintainers and site administrators are reviewing their websites to ensure their site is accessible to all users. In short, the NC State Theme meets the latest accessibility requirements from a technical perspective. Creating accessible solutions can be a nuanced&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"pageIntro\":\"The NC State Theme adheres to accessibility guidelines and requirements, but there are still steps that content maintainers must take to have an accessible website.\"}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-39065","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39065"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39065\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39128,"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39065\/revisions\/39128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/documentation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}