Yes. You will find the answer to the question “why” and how we can help you in the text below

More and more schools are becoming aware of their obligation to adapt their websites to digital accessibility requirements, but many of them still do not meet WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards. It is worth emphasising that WCAG compliance is not optional, but a legal obligation, and ignoring it can lead to legal and reputational consequences.

Legal obligations

Under the Act of 4 April 2019 on the digital accessibility of public sector bodies’ websites and mobile applications, schools in Poland, as public bodies, are required to implement WCAG 2.1 standards at level AA. In practice, this means that every school must guarantee that its website is accessible to people with disabilities.

Failure to comply with the Act may lead to:

  1. Financial penalties – Institutions that do not meet the requirements may be fined and required to remedy the breaches within a specified period.
    It is worth mentioning here that the first penalties for failing to provide a website accessibility statement were imposed in 2022 (source).
  2. Legal problems – People who cannot access information on a school’s website have the right to submit a complaint to the supervisory authority, which may result in administrative proceedings.
  3. Reputational risk – A school that does not meet WCAG standards may lose its image as an institution that cares for all pupils and parents, which may discourage cooperation.

OK, I understand the risks, so “I’ll just add a plugin” 🙂

Why are plugins such as “Access Ability” not enough?

Many schools try to solve the accessibility problem by installing plugins for popular platforms such as WordPress or Joomla!. Unfortunately, these solutions often give a false sense of security and of having fulfilled the obligation. Why?

  1. Lack of full compliance – These plugins do not meet all WCAG 2.1 level AA requirements. They may improve some aspects of a website, such as changing the contrast or adjusting fonts, but they will not solve problems with navigation, operability or perception, which are crucial for people with disabilities.
  2. Operability problems – Plugins often do not allow the entire website to be operated using a keyboard. For people with limited mobility, a keyboard may be the only navigation tool, and the lack of this option represents a serious barrier to accessing information.
  3. Automatically generating accessibility – No tool can automatically adapt a website to WCAG requirements. Manual adjustments and testing by specialists are needed for a website to meet all the criteria. Plugins can help, but they cannot replace a comprehensive approach.
  4. Adapting the website interface – Poorly arranged elements, unintuitive navigation or imprecise messages, as well as a lack of appropriate ARIA attributes, can make a website inaccessible to people with visual impairments or those using assistive tools.

Cases of accessibility problems on school websites

There have been cases in Poland where parents of blind or partially sighted pupils reported problems with being unable to use school websites, preventing them from accessing class schedules, announcements or admissions information. Situations of this kind can lead to complaints and mandatory corrections, generating additional costs and reputational damage.

Why adapt your school’s website to WCAG with our help?

FSV Sp. z o.o. offers comprehensive services for implementing and optimising WCAG-compliant websites. We have detailed guidelines for creating accessible websites and training for editors to ensure that content is adapted to people with different needs. We help schools in Poland raise their standards of service for users.

Adapting a website to WCAG means not only complying with the law, but also signalling that the school is an open, modern institution that cares for all its pupils and their families.