Brief Description of Project: 

The project entails the development of online platforms for government agencies and educational institutions, providing citizens and students with convenient access to various services and information. This includes accessing government services, such as applying for permits and accessing public records — as well as educational services like course registration, assignment submission, and accessing academic resources. The goal is to create seamless and user-friendly digital experiences, empowering citizens and students to interact with their government and educational institutions efficiently from anywhere with internet access.      
 

Sector : Internal Communication  

Refers to the department within a government agency or educational institution facilitating effective communication and coordination among organizational divisions, ensuring smooth operations, and alignment of goals.

Problem Statement:  

 The public sector websites and school portals faced accessibility challenges, hindering users with disabilities from accessing government services and educational resources. Common issues included:

• Insufficient Color Contrast: Text and background elements do not meet accessibility standards, impacting readability, especially for users with visual impairments.
• Ambiguous Link Styling: Links lack clear visual differentiation, making it difficult for users to identify interactive elements within the content. 
• Incorrect Tab Order: The sequence in which elements receive focus via keyboard navigation does not correspond with the logical flow of the webpage, causing navigation challenges for keyboard users. 
• Lack of Keyboard Accessibility: Certain interactive controls cannot be accessed or operated using keyboard commands, restricting accessibility for users who rely on keyboard navigation.  

All these problems combined create barriers for individuals with disabilities, such as those with blindness, low vision, locomotor disability, and intellectual disability — preventing them from fully engaging with public websites. The average accessibility compliance score for banking websites was 41.00 %.  
 

Solution Statement :

 We performed testing on public sector websites and school portals and reported over 150 accessibility violations which impacted compliance scores. Our development team fixed those issues, thereby ensuring an inclusive user experience for individuals with disabilities, including those with blindness, low vision, locomotor disability, and intellectual disability. 

Our actions included:

• Improving Color Contrast: Enhance the contrast between text and background elements to meet accessibility standards, ensuring readability for users with visual impairments. 
• Clear Link Styling: Implement distinct visual cues for links to improve their visibility and enable users to easily identify interactive elements within the content. 
• Consistent Tab Order: Adjust the tabbing sequence to align with the logical flow of the webpage, facilitating smooth navigation for keyboard users. 
• Enhanced Keyboard Accessibility: Modify interactive controls to make them accessible and operable via keyboard commands, providing an inclusive browsing experience for all users, including those relying on keyboard navigation. 

These improvements have revolutionized public sector websites and educational portals, resulting in more inclusive and user-friendly online environments. By removing barriers, we actively promoted engagement for people with impairments, ensuring equal access to government services and educational resources. These enhancements have created welcoming environments, enabling seamless and enjoyable experiences for all users of the platforms. 
 

Methods and Tools: