Our Commitment to Accessibility
The Open Economics Project (OEP) is committed to making economics education accessible to everyone, regardless of disability, background, location, or circumstance.
Accessibility is central to our mission of removing barriers to economic knowledge. We believe that educational opportunity should not depend on a person's ability to navigate a particular website, interpret a visual diagram, or access a specific learning format.
Through our digital learning platform, open educational publications, essay competitions, grassroots workshops, and community partnerships, we strive to create inclusive learning experiences that serve the widest possible audience.
We recognize that accessibility is an ongoing responsibility, and we are committed to improving our resources as our organization grows.
1. Accessibility Standards
OEP uses the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA as a target for the accessibility of our website and digital educational resources.
These internationally recognized guidelines inform our approach to making content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for people with different abilities and assistive technologies.
While we work toward this standard, we do not currently claim that every page, feature, or educational resource fully conforms to WCAG 2.2 Level AA.
Our accessibility practices will continue to develop alongside our website, educational content, and organizational programs.
2. Website Accessibility
We aim to make our digital learning environment usable by as many people as possible.
Our approach includes:
- Keyboard navigation: Supporting navigation and interaction without requiring a mouse.
- Clear structure: Using semantic page elements, organized headings, and labeled controls.
- Visible focus indicators: Helping keyboard users identify their current position on a page.
- Responsive layouts: Supporting access across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
- Readable content: Prioritizing legible typography, clear language, and appropriate visual contrast.
- Assistive technology compatibility: Working toward compatibility with screen readers and other accessibility tools.
- Accessible interactions: Improving the usability of forms, assessments, and interactive learning features.
Our website continues to evolve, and accessibility testing and improvements are part of that development process.
3. Accessible Educational Materials
Economics education frequently involves graphs, mathematical expressions, tables, and other visual representations.
We recognize that these materials can create barriers when information is communicated only through images or complex visual layouts.
As we develop and publish educational resources, we aim to:
- Provide meaningful text descriptions for graphs, charts, and illustrations.
- Present important information in text rather than relying exclusively on visual elements.
- Use clear headings, structured documents, and readable formatting.
- Improve accessibility across our digital textbooks, practice assessments, and downloadable resources.
- Provide alternative formats or explanations where reasonably feasible.
- Consider accessibility when translating, adapting, and openly licensing educational materials.
We also recognize that older publications, third-party resources, and materials produced in different formats may not offer the same level of accessibility.
4. Accessibility Across Our Programs
OEP's commitment to accessibility extends beyond its website.
Through essay competitions, workshops, ambassador initiatives, library partnerships, and community outreach, we aim to reduce barriers to participation wherever reasonably possible.
Depending on the program and available resources, this may include providing accessible instructions, considering reasonable accommodation requests, offering alternative methods of participation, or working with partner organizations to improve accessibility.
For events or programs administered by independent partner organizations, accessibility arrangements may vary. We encourage participants to contact OEP or the relevant organizer in advance to discuss their needs.
5. Known Limitations and Continuous Improvement
Although accessibility is an important part of our development process, some features and resources may not yet be fully accessible.
Areas requiring continued attention may include:
- Interactive economic graphs and visualizations.
- Mathematical notation and complex assessment interfaces.
- Downloadable textbooks and educational publications.
- Third-party integrations and externally hosted resources.
- New or experimental learning features.
We aim to identify and address accessibility barriers as our resources and capabilities develop.
Accessibility improvements may involve design changes, technical updates, revised content, testing, and user feedback.
We prioritize improvements based on their impact on users, feasibility, and available organizational resources.
6. Accessibility Feedback and Assistance
We welcome feedback from learners, educators, volunteers, and other members of our community.
If you encounter an accessibility barrier, have difficulty accessing a resource, or need an alternative format, please contact us.
Email: accessibility@openecon.org
When possible, please include the page or resource involved, a description of the difficulty, and any alternative format or assistance that would be helpful.
You do not need to disclose a medical diagnosis or other unnecessary sensitive personal information when requesting accessibility assistance.
We will review accessibility inquiries and make reasonable efforts to respond and provide assistance or an alternative solution where feasible.
7. Our Ongoing Commitment
Accessibility is not a one-time achievement. It is an ongoing process of listening, learning, and improving.
As The Open Economics Project expands its educational resources, technologies, and community programs, we intend to incorporate accessibility considerations into the way we design, develop, and distribute learning opportunities.
Our goal is to make economics education not only freely available, but meaningfully accessible to the people who seek it.
The Open Economics Project Atlanta, Georgia, United States Website: https://openecon.org Accessibility inquiries: accessibility@openecon.org