Nelnet serves a vast customer base, and we know that our customers have unique needs. 26% of adults in the United States have some type of disability, and these individuals use our products and services in many different ways.
When talking about accessibility, we’re referring to assisting people dealing with any form of disability, from common to uncommon. Whether it’s someone with a broken arm or impaired vision, accessibility lets people do what they need to with nearly the same time and effort as someone without a disability.
To better serve all of our customers, we’ve been dedicated to making our products and services more accessibility compliant for over 30 years. We’re passionate about accessibility because it makes our services easier for people to use, and ties back to our core values in more ways than one.
Providing superior customer experiences.
Our accessibility team includes software engineers, architects, and project managers with extensive experience in web development and document remediation to make products and services accessibility compliant. Our application of accessibility best practices identifies structural and design issues, allowing for rapid and comprehensive remediation to achieve accessibility and meet compliance standards. We’re passionate about achieving accessibility because we want customers to be happy with our easy-to-use services.
Creating an awesome work environment.
To provide accessibility to customers, you need to first establish a culture of accessibility from within. At Nelnet we do that by having accessibility advocates in all levels of our business lines. It’s critical to raise awareness about accessibility needs with all associates — accessibility is everyone’s responsibility. We also offer a variety of accessibility training to all associates, with certain courses required annually. And we employ people with disabilities in a variety of roles. Not only do individuals with disabilities help us fill our talent pool, but they also help teammates become more sensitive to the value of accessibility.
Communicate openly and honestly.
Accessibility is never complete, it must be continuously worked on as a process. Guidelines and standards change, and we strive to ensure our products adhere to Section 508 regulations and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA. Meeting current regulations guarantees that we’re doing our best to meet our customers’ needs, because we’re here to serve everyone.
Keep an eye on your calendar for the 31st Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, and if you want to learn more about Nelnet’s accessibility efforts, read all about them here.
