Spotlight: Maine Community College System
Brushfire Media recently completed a complete overhaul of { The Maine Community College System web site }. This exciting project allowed us to bring our web accessibility expertise to bear on a large and complex web site.
Complete Overhaul
As part of the rebranding of the Maine Technical College System as the Maine Community College System, MCCS needed to address its aging web presence. Not only did the site need to be brought into alignment with updated branding assets, the content needed to be focused, and the coding needed to be updated to conform to current recommended practices.
MCCS wanted to optimize web accessibility, meeting { Section 508 } guidelines for accessibility while improving useability for all visitors. Additionally, MCCS needed to streamline site management to ease the drain on human resources.
Providing Solutions
Working with a freelance graphic designer and MCCS
staff, we focused the MCCS
message and content, updating the site architecture and visual design to improve useability and increase
the impact of the MCCS message.
To address web accessibility and ease of site management, we brought the site code into alignment with { World Wide Web Consortium } guidelines for standards compliance. By creating a table-free layout using advanced Cascading Style Sheet standards and through careful consideration of the { Section 508 } requirements, we were able to meet all Priority 1 and Priority 2 accessibility checkpoints, as well as most Priority 3 checkpoints. Additionally, we provided a printer-specific style sheet, thereby allowing us to optimize print output of each page without needing to provide "printer-friendly pages."
By working closely with our client, we were able to integrate MCCS's goals into a successful web site. Karen Hamilton, Publications and Marketing Coordinator for the Maine Community College System wrote:
Among other things, the new site includes significant upgrades to the structure and look of the site that will help ensure our users have a much more productive and positive experience when visiting us online. The site looks professional, collegiate and works well in conjunction with our print and other materials. Helping us meet ADA [Section 508] accessibility guidelines was also no easy feat and I appreciate all the research you undertook to make sure the site is compliant.
Let Us Provide Solutions For You
Please contact us at 207.221.6122 or { info@brushfiremedia.com } to discuss your project and see how we can help you reach your goals.