Web Accessibility Statement

Smarter Balanced is committed to ensuring digital accessibility as broadly as possible. We are continually improving user experience for everyone and applying relevant accessibility standards with every iteration.

Commitment to Compliance

Beyond our mission-driven approach to accessibility, Smarter Balanced complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 on behalf of our consortium members. Section 508 requires electronic and information technology to be accessible to people with disabilities in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, a globally-recognized and technologically-neutral set of accessibility guidelines for web content.

To this end, Smarter Balanced works toward WCAG 2.1 AA conformance for all electronic and information technology in compliance with Section 508.

Measures to Support Web Accessibility

Smarter Balanced is committed to definitive action to maintain the accessibility of web content, including but not limited to:

Incorporating accessibility as part of our organizational vision and internal policies.
Integrating accessibility into our procurement practices.
Appointing a web accessibility lead.
Providing continual accessibility training and professional development for staff and content creators.
Employing formal accessibility quality assurance methods.
Including accessibility throughout technology procurement, design, development, and iterative processes.

Browser Compatibility, Assistive Technology Support, and Technical Specifications

Smarter Balanced websites and applications may be incompatible with Internet Explorer and other browsers older than 3 major versions. These browsers may encounter issues with accessibility. Please use current versions of actively maintained browsers for the best experience.

Smarter Balanced websites and applications are designed to be compatible with current assistive technologies, such as screen readers. Sites are tested for accessibility using screen reader software, including but not limited to NVDA, as well as keyboard navigation.

The accessibility of Smarter Balanced websites and applications relies on the following technologies to work with the particular combination of web browser and any assistive technologies or plugins installed on users' computers:

HTML
WAI-ARIA
CSS
JavaScript

These technologies are relied upon for conformance with the accessibility standards used.

Site Status, Limitations, and Alternatives

We work toward WCAG 2.1 AA conformance of our websites and web applications. The information below describes the status of each website, including known issues that we are working to address. We will regularly update this information to reflect the current state of Smarter Balanced web accessibility. Please contact us if you notice any additional issues.

Smarter Balanced Main Website

Tools for Teachers

SmarterToolsForTeachers.org

Known limitations for Tools for Teachers:

Some video attachments conform to WCAG 2.1 Level A rather than Level AA for audio description: Smarter Balanced-produced videos conform to WCAG 2.1 AA and adequately describe in audio all text and graphics presented visually. However, audio descriptions are not available for some videos created by educators that have been uploaded to supplement instructional resources. In these cases, media alternatives are provided in place of audio descriptions. We are working to ensure that new videos are created to meet requirements for audio descriptions.
Some educator-created resources include links to external websites or videos: These external links are not controlled, maintained, or regulated by Smarter Balanced. As such, Smarter Balanced is not responsible for the accessibility of those websites or videos. If you encounter accessibility issues with these links, please let us know, and we will evaluate the use of the link for the resource.

Note: We have worked to ensure the accessibility of all documents (i.e., PDF, DOC, etc.) attached to resources. However, if you encounter an inaccessible or partially accessible document, please contact us to request document remediation.

Smarter Content Explorer

Sample Items Website

Interim Assessment Item Portal

Starting Smarter

Smarter Reporting

Smarter Annotated Response Tool

Feedback

If you encounter any issues with accessibility in any Smarter Balanced site interface or in the content contained within any Smarter Balanced site, including attached documents, please email us at accessibility@smarterbalanced.org to open a support ticket. We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within 3 business days and propose a solution within 10 business days.