Digital Accessibility Services: Your Partner on Harvard’s Accessibility Journey
Hello from Digital Accessibility Services (DAS), and welcome to our new blog, the DAS Navigator! We hope you will find our posts interesting, helpful, and informative. Let’s start by introducing ourselves so that you have an idea of who we are and what we do here at Harvard.
The DAS team at our annual Accessibility Summit. Image credit: Laura Shachmut Photography.
Who We Are
DAS is part of Harvard University Information Technology, but we support the entire Harvard community in making sure that everyone has the opportunity to access the university’s knowledge, ideas, and resources. That means we’re striving to make sure all of Harvard’s digital content and properties are available to everyone, at the same time and with the same ease of use, including and especially people with disabilities. More than just access, we want to be sure everyone can interact and meaningfully engage with our digital content, creating an equitable experience for all.
Why We’re Here
Digital Accessibility might be a brand-new concept for you, or maybe you’re already very familiar with it. No matter where you are on your accessibility journey, DAS is here to support and partner with you in this shared work. Everyone has a role to play when it comes to ensuring an accessible experience, whether you’re a web editor, developer, designer, finance administrator, professor, manager - whatever your role, it includes making Harvard’s digital information more accessible.
To support that commitment, Harvard’s Digital Accessibility Policy was adopted to promote equal access and to improve the experience of IT and online media for all users, including people with disabilities. Learn more about how to implement the Policy in your everyday work.
What We Do
DAS provides consultation, training, and accessibility support services for the Harvard community. We also maintain this website (accessibility.huit.harvard.edu) and are always open to feedback and suggestions!
DAS Office Hours
Not sure where to start with accessibility? We're here to help! The DAS team is available to answer your questions and provide guidance and support to the Harvard community. We hold virtual office hours via Zoom. Check out our upcoming Office Hours, and stop by and say hello!
Consultations
DAS offers consultations and research support to find the best solutions for your accessibility needs, whether that's exploring new tools, sharing best practices, or advising on how to enhance your local services for content creators. Email digitalaccessibility@harvard.edu with questions or to schedule a consultation.
Instructor-led and Self-Paced Trainings
DAS is your source for accessibility knowledge and learning. We host live instructor-led trainings for the Harvard community on topics like content creation, development, documents, and testing. We also offer self-paced trainings that provide quick overviews of popular accessibility topics.
Custom Trainings
DAS can come to you! For groups of at least 10-12, DAS can present in-person or virtual trainings customized and directly relevant to what you're working on. For groups of any size, DAS can join a team or all-staff meeting to speak or answer questions on a specific topic. Email DAS at digitalaccessibility@harvard.edu to schedule a training or presentation!
Assessment, Remediation, and Guidance
Our team also helps ensure your websites, documents, course materials, and multimedia are easy to use and accessible to everyone. We test your digital content against accessibility standards, offer practical guidance to fix any issues, and provide training so you can create and maintain accessible content with confidence. DAS also supports teams in following the university’s Digital Accessibility Policy, and we provide guidance on policy procedures relating to digital content, course materials, multimedia, and procurement.
Let’s Connect!
We’re so glad you found the DAS Navigator and we look forward to working with you to make all of our digital materials accessible to the Harvard community and beyond. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at digitalaccessibility@harvard.edu to schedule a consultation, ask questions, share feedback, or just say hello!
See you soon -
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