Accessibility

POLICY:

The Maryland Public Service Commission endorses the Guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) as the standard for World Wide Web accessibility. W3C is composed of over 400 member organizations worldwide (public and private) developing common protocols to promote the evolution of the World Wide Web and ensure its inter-operability. As part of its work, the W3C has developed accessibility guidelines for World Wide Web sites and pages.

The Maryland Public Service Commission has adopted the guidelines established byThe W3C Web Site Content Accessibility Guidelines and will strive for adherence to the following:

  • Web pages published or hosted by the Maryland Public Service Commission should comply with the aforementioned guidelines
  • Upon specific request, information on Web pages is to be made available to any individual needing access to such Web content, by revision or otherwise.
  • Upon specific request, information on Web pages in archive status (for example: pages no longer in use but subject to records retention plans), and containing official records and similar information is to be made available/accessible to any individual needing access to such Web content, by revision or otherwise.
  • A text-only version of an inaccessible Web page may be offered only in cases where extraordinary measures would be necessary to make that Web page compliant. The text-only version of the Web page must contain the same information and equivalent functionality and be updated whenever the inaccessible Web page is updated.
  • For items A., B., C. and D. undue administrative or financial burdens may contribute to a determination that alternative formats be used to provide the information to individuals requiring use of the information.
  • For the Maryland Public Service Commission Web site, accessibility should be documented via a completed W3C Web Site Content Accessibility Checklist
  • A variety of Web browsing software, various workstations, common Internet connections, validation and evaluation tools should be used to test accessibility and usability of the Commission’s Web pages.

For concerns regarding accessibility, please contact: marty.williams@maryland.gov.