Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit

Teach Access provides the Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit to help organizations build internal capacity for producing accessible digital products by developing a knowledgeable and skilled workforce.

The toolkit currently provides Position Description Language and Screening and Interview Questions. Use the following links to download the complete toolkit, or you can download a role-specific toolkit below.

Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit (PDF)Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit (DOCX)

Tools for Hiring Skilled Staff

This page provides sample language you can use in position descriptions to describe responsibilities and qualifications for roles that influence accessibility in digital products. Each role is provided with a downloadable PDF and DOCX file containing the position description language along with screening and interview questions you can use to assess whether candidates meet the accessibility-related qualifications of the position.

We have completed these roles:

Product Owner/Manager
Project Manager
UX/Visual Designer
UX/Interaction Designer
Front-End Developer
Quality Assurance Tester
Instructional Designer
Content Author/Producer
Multimedia Producer
Sourcing/Procurement Officer

And we will be adding the following roles in the coming months:

Content Editor/Publisher
Social Media Editor/Publisher
Information Architect
UX Researcher
Product Support
Legal Counsel

If you have requests, additions, or feedback, please contact us!

Product Owner/Manager

Responsibilities

The Product Owner/Manager defines and manages the production of digital products.
The Product Owner/Manager ensures compliance with digital accessibility regulations and requirements by performing the following duties and responsibilities:
- Apply user-centered and inclusive design practices to product development
- Prioritize accessibility when designing, developing, and managing digital products
- Manage accessibility as a compliance-level concern in product development
- Require support for accessibility in development resources, e.g., frameworks, code libraries, design systems

Qualifications

Required: Applicants for the Product Owner/Manager role are required to have these qualifications:
- Knowledge of digital accessibility and disability inclusion
- Knowledge of regulations related to digital accessibility (e.g., Section 508, ADA)
- Knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA requirements
- Experience producing products that require compliance with non-functional requirements (e.g., security, privacy) including accessibility
- Experience applying user-centered design methods to product development
- Experience advocating for accessibility in digital products (e.g., with leadership, development teams)
Preferred: Applicants with the following qualifications will be preferred:
- Experience engaging with people with disabilities in research and design activities
- Experience using diverse personas to influence product design

Download Product Owner/Manager Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit

Project Manager

Responsibilities

The Project Manager manages product development activities.
The Project Manager ensures compliance with digital accessibility regulations and requirements by performing the following duties and responsibilities:
- Include accessibility activities in project timelines and milestones
- Include accessibility evaluation in product testing (e.g., usability testing, use case tests)
- Support the development team in prioritizing accessibility in product development

Qualifications

Required: Applicants for the Project Manager role are required to have these qualifications:
- Knowledge of digital accessibility and disability inclusion
- Knowledge of regulations related to digital accessibility (e.g., Section 508, ADA)
- Knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA requirements
- Experience managing projects that require compliance with non-functional requirements (e.g., security, privacy) including accessibility
- Experience incorporating accessibility into product development methodologies
Preferred: Applicants with the following qualifications will be preferred:
- Experience engaging with people with disabilities in research and design activities
- Experience managing projects without resorting to an accessibility backlog

Download Project Manager Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit

UX/Visual Designer

Responsibilities

The UX/Visual Designer creates visual designs and communicates visual design requirements.
The UX/Visual Designer ensures compliance with digital accessibility regulations and requirements by performing the following duties and responsibilities:
- Create visual designs with accessibility in mind
- Incorporate accessibility requirements into design documents and specifications
- Partner with colleagues and team members to prioritize accessibility in visual designs

Qualifications

Required: Applicants for the UX/Visual Designer role are required to have these qualifications:
- Knowledge of digital accessibility and disability inclusion
- Knowledge of regulations related to digital accessibility (e.g., Section 508, ADA)
- Knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA requirements
- Experience designing for platform technologies (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript, iOS, Android)
- Experience creating visual designs that meet accessibility guidelines, including use of color and color contrast requirements
- Experience creating layouts that adapt to changes in text size and format, and different viewing modes, such as high-contrast mode
- Experience designing layouts that are accessible and responsive
Preferred: Applicants with the following qualifications will be preferred:
- Experience articulating and incorporating accessibility requirements into visual design documents and specifications

Download UX/Visual Designer Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit

UX/Interaction Designer

Responsibilities

The UX/Interaction Designer creates user experience and interaction designs and communicates requirements.
The UX/Interaction Designer ensures compliance with digital accessibility regulations and requirements by performing the following duties and responsibilities:
- Create user experience and interaction designs with accessibility in mind
- Incorporate accessibility requirements into design documents and specifications
- Partner with colleagues and team members to prioritize accessibility in user experience and interaction design

Qualifications

Required: Applicants for the UX/Interaction Designer role are required to have these qualifications:
- Knowledge of digital accessibility and disability inclusion
- Knowledge of regulations related to digital accessibility (e.g., Section 508, ADA)
- Knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA requirements
- Experience creating user experience and interaction designs that meet accessibility guidelines
- Experience designing for platform technologies (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript, iOS, Android)
- Experience designing inclusive flows that take into account keyboard interaction, non-visual user interaction, use of color and contrast, and multimedia interactions
Preferred: Applicants with the following qualifications will be preferred:
- Experience articulating and incorporating accessibility requirements into user experience and interaction design documents and specifications
- Experience conducting usability tests that include participants with disabilities

Download UX/Interaction Designer Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit

Front-End Developer

Responsibilities

The Front-End Developer builds digital products.
The Front-End Developer ensures compliance with digital accessibility regulations and requirements by performing the following duties and responsibilities:
- Build digital products with accessibility in mind
- Incorporate accessibility features into digital content and resources
- Partner with colleagues and team members to prioritize accessibility in digital content and resources

Qualifications

Required: Applicants for the Front-End Developer role are required to have these qualifications:
- Knowledge of digital accessibility and disability inclusion
- Knowledge of regulations related to digital accessibility (e.g., Section 508, ADA)
- Knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA requirements
- Experience designing for platform technologies (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript, iOS, Android)
- Experience applying WAI-ARIA authoring guidelines and best practices
- Experience optimizing for the accessibility features of the platform (HTML, iOS, Android)
- Experience developing digital products that comply with accessibility standards
Preferred: Applicants with the following qualifications will be preferred:
- Experience incorporating accessibility tests into the development process
- Experience building digital products where compliance with accessibility standards is part of “definition of done”

Front-End Developer Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit

Quality Assurance Tester

Responsibilities

The Quality Assurance Tester evaluates digital products to ensure compliance with quality standards and requirements.
The Quality Assurance Tester ensures compliance with digital accessibility regulations and requirements by performing the following duties and responsibilities:
- Perform accessibility tests using evaluation tools, manual testing, and assistive technologies
- Record results of accessibility tests

Qualifications

Required: Applicants for the Quality Assurance Tester role are required to have these qualifications:
- Knowledge of digital accessibility and disability inclusion
- Knowledge of regulations related to digital accessibility (e.g., Section 508, ADA)
- Knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA requirements
- Knowledge of web technologies (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
- Experience using accessibility evaluation tools and frameworks (e.g., WAVE, Developer Tools, Accessibility Inspector)
- Experience using assistive technologies (e.g., VoiceOver, JAWS, Dragon Naturally Speaking, ZoomText)
Preferred: Applicants with the following qualifications will be preferred:
- Professional training in using assistive technologies
- Experience conducting usability tests that include participants with disabilities

Quality Assurance Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit

Instructional Designer

Responsibilities

The Instructional Designer creates, produces, and publishes digital instructional resources.
The Instructional Designer ensures compliance with digital accessibility regulations and requirements by performing the following duties and responsibilities:
- Create instructional resources with accessibility in mind
- Create alternatives for multimedia content, such as captions and audio descriptions
- Use platforms and tools that support accessibility
- Partner with colleagues and team members to prioritize accessibility in course production

Qualifications

Required: Applicants for the Instructional Designer role are required to have these qualifications:
- Knowledge of digital accessibility and disability inclusion
- Knowledge of regulations related to digital accessibility (e.g., Section 508, ADA)
- Knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA requirements
- Experience producing instructional resources that are in compliance with accessibility standards
Preferred: Applicants with the following qualifications will be preferred:
- Experience applying best practices in universal design for learning to creating instructional digital resources

Instructional Designer Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit

Content Author/Producer

Responsibilities

The Content Author/Producer creates, produces, and publishes primarily text-based content.
The Content Author/Producer ensures compliance with digital accessibility regulations and requirements by performing the following duties and responsibilities:
- Incorporate content accessibility requirements (semantic structure, meaningful links) into content authoring workflows
- Create content with accessibility in mind
- Create alternatives for media content, such as image descriptions and figure captions
- Use content authoring and publishing platforms that support accessibility
- Partner with colleagues and team members to prioritize accessibility in content production

Qualifications

Required: Applicants for the Content Author/Producer role are required to have these qualifications:
- Knowledge of digital accessibility and disability inclusion
- Knowledge of the Plain Writing Act of 2010 and other regulations related to content accessibility
- Knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA requirements related to content authoring and production
- Experience creating accessible content using plain language and clear and structured content, and providing alternatives as needed
- Experience creating content that reflects diversity and inclusion
Preferred: Applicants with the following qualifications will be preferred:
- Experience creating content that follows Plain Language Guidelines
- Experience incorporating production of alternatives (e.g., captions, image descriptions) into content authoring workflows
- Experience incorporating accessibility into content authoring resource, such as style guides

Content Author/Producer Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit

Multimedia Producer

Responsibilities

The Multimedia Author/Producer creates, produces, and publishes digital audio, visual, and video content.
The Multimedia Author/Producer ensures compliance with digital accessibility regulations and requirements by performing the following duties and responsibilities:
- Incorporate media accessibility requirements and techniques (captioning, audio descriptions, use of color, contrast) into production workflows
- Create multimedia content with accessibility in mind
- Create alternatives for multimedia content, such as captions and audio descriptions
- Use multimedia publishing platforms that support accessibility
- Partner with colleagues and team members to prioritize accessibility in multimedia production

Qualifications

Required: Applicants for the Media Author/Producer role are required to have these qualifications:
- Knowledge of digital accessibility and disability inclusion
- Knowledge of CVAA and other regulations related to media accessibility
- Knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA requirements related to multimedia production
- Experience creating effective audio descriptions, alternative text descriptions for images, media transcripts, and other accessible content
- Experience creating media content that reflects diversity and inclusion
Preferred: Applicants with the following qualifications will be preferred:
- Experience with self-described video production best practices
- Experience adapting scripts for media transcripts
- Experience writing and producing audio descriptions
- Experience incorporating production of alternatives (e.g., captions, audio description) into production workflows

Multimedia Producer Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit

Sourcing/Procurement Officer

Responsibilities

The Sourcing/Procurement Officer identifies third-party resources (professional services, technology systems and tools, content) for use in providing digital products and ensures compliance with requirements.
The Sourcing/Procurement Officer ensures compliance with digital accessibility regulations and requirements by performing the following duties and responsibilities:
- Incorporate accessibility requirements into bids and contracts
- Evaluate capacity of proposed resources to meet accessibility requirements
- Define accessibility requirements and responsibilities in contracts
- Monitor compliance with contractual requirements related to accessibility
- Partner with colleagues and team members to prioritize accessibility in sourcing and procuring resources

Qualifications

Required: Applicants for the Sourcing/Procurement Officer role are required to have these qualifications:
- Knowledge of digital accessibility and disability inclusion
- Knowledge of the ICT Standards and Guidelines and other regulations related to digital accessibility (e.g., ADA, EN 301 549)
- Knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA requirements
- Experience ensuring compliance with non-functional requirements (e.g., security, privacy) for technology procurement and professional services
- Experience including accessibility requirements when sourcing and procuring technology resources
Preferred: Applicants with the following qualifications will be preferred:
- Experience evaluating and responding to accessibility compliance reports, such as VPATs
- Experience using sourcing and procurement resources, such as the Accessible ICT Procurement Toolkit
- Experience working with 3rd parties to improve support for digital accessibility (e.g., through product accessibility roadmaps)

Sourcing/Procurement Officer Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit

Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit by Teach Access is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Interview questions adapted from the Accessibility Interview Questions open source resource.