The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Information and Technology (OIT) is taking digital accessibility beyond compliance by working side-by-side with disabled Veterans in the design and development of VA’s digital tools. We subscribe to a bedrock belief that accessibility means inclusivity, and that’s enacted through a central pillar of Our Vision for a Digital Transformation, which aims to achieve “delightful end-user experiences.” …
Disabled Veterans provide an abundance of insight on the design of digital tools on the modernized VA.gov. This helps us fulfill our mission.
“We have an obligation to make sure that everything we make works for all Veterans,” says OCTO Accessibility Strategist Martha Wilkes. “Veterans are such a giving, mission-driven set of people already. So, when they participate in our user research sessions, they help us make the software better for them. They really feel a sense of additional mission of helping fellow Veterans who also may have disabilities.”
By thinking about accessibility beyond 508 compliance, VA designers and Veterans benefit. Designers learn from Veteran assistive technology users and build that knowledge into digital products that change lives… Read the full article here.
