As part of our commitment to help individuals around the world master the digital skills needed to work, learn, and participate fully in daily life, Northstar is committed to ensuring our learning resources and assessments are as accessible as possible for all users. Northstar digital literacy assessments and interactive Northstar Online Learning (NSOL) modules aim to support the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 and the ICT Accessibility 508 Standards. Please view our VPAT/508 Compliance report for further details.
We have been intentional about building Northstar to optimize accessibility and usability for our users. Closed captioning is available in all assessments and NSOL modules, and resources are developed to be screen-reader compliant. Our expectation is that subscribing Northstar locations will work to provide other accommodations as requested and possible for test takers per the Northstar Test Taker Code of Conduct.
We have drafted Protocols for Increased Accessibility for Learners Using Screen Readers. This guide supports instructors and proctors to create the most accessible experience possible for learners who are blind or have low vision, where current functionality of the assessments and/or Northstar Online Learning may not already provide a fully accessible user experience.
These protocols serve as guidelines to maintain the validity and reliability of the assessments, while allowing learners to have a more successful and authentic experience using a screen reader such as JAWS.
The Northstar team would like to thank our Northstar site partner Vibrant Works for their input and support in creating these guidelines and for their detailed user testing for screen reader and screen magnifiers use.
Recently, Northstar has been implementing a Revisions Project to revise Northstar Assessments and NSOL Modules for the Basic Computer Skills, Internet Basics and Using Email topics to incorporate feedback from site partners, users, and performance data to enhance accessibility for individuals accessing Northstar using screen readers.
You can read more about this project here: https://www.digitalliteracyassessment.org/news/2024/09/northstar-revisions-project
At Northstar Digital Literacy, we are committed to providing accessible digital literacy assessments and learning resources. We strive to ensure that our content is usable and accessible across a range of devices and assistive technologies.
While we continually work to improve accessibility, some features or resources may not yet fully comply with all accessibility standards. If you experience any barriers while using our assessments or learning materials, or if you require assistance with any aspect of our platform, please contact us at support@digitalliteracyassessment.org. We are dedicated to ensuring equal access and appreciate your feedback. Please understand, we are a small staff, so changes and edits may take some time.
MS Excel assessment and module are not WCAG compliant due to emulator limitations. Other emulations on our website may contain variations of the corresponding native software's accessibility experience, due in part to the nature of web-based interactions.
This list will be periodically updated as items are updated and feedback is shared.