Significant progress has been made on the 20-month accessibility programme commissioned by the Sovereign Tech Fund for the Joomla! Project. The project has now moved from preparation to active delivery, with the project management team in place and the first milestone nearing completion.
The programme was announced earlier this year and has since made significant strides thanks to the hard work of the dedicated team. The Joomla Accessibility Programme aims to improve accessibility across the project, including its software, templates, documentation, development processes, testing, and community practices.
Cynthia Shelly, a digital accessibility expert, and Robert Deutz, a long-time Joomla contributor, have been appointed as Project Managers for the programme. Shelly will oversee accessibility, reporting, and coordination with contractors, while Deutz will handle project coordination, community communication, and contractor support.
A Selection Committee has also been established to evaluate proposals and award milestones throughout the programme. The committee, made up of members from the Joomla community, ensures a fair and transparent selection process.
The first milestone, which aims to establish a baseline for future improvements, is nearing completion. It includes accessibility audits, testing protocols, and the identification of key areas for improvement. These results will inform the work of subsequent milestones and provide a measurable criteria for evaluating progress.
Moving forward, the programme will continue to launch additional milestones and work towards improving accessibility throughout the Joomla project. The project will provide updates as milestones progress and will make results and deliverables available to the community.
The Joomla Accessibility Programme is a 20-month initiative and investment by the Sovereign Tech Agency. The Sovereign Tech Agency, financed by the German Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation, is the first government organization in Europe tasked with strengthening critical digital infrastructure.
Joomla, a free and open-source content management system, is used around the world to create websites, intranets, web applications, and digital experiences. The project is supported and promoted by Open Source Matters (OSM), a non-profit organization that provides the framework for the Joomla project and its global community.
The Joomla Accessibility Programme is an important investment in the future of Joomla and its commitment to providing an accessible content management system for users, site builders, developers, and administrators around the world.
