/ Intro
Since 1938, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has been dedicated to creating opportunities for economic and personal independence for people who are blind. As the nation's largest employer of people who are blind through their SKILCRAFT products and AbilityOne Program, NIB needed a digital platform that would exemplify their commitment to accessibility while serving their diverse community. When they needed to transform their digital presence, they partnered with Materiell to create a solution using the highest level of web accessibility standards.
This collaboration delivered more than a website redesign—it produced a platform that demonstrates how true accessibility can coexist with powerful functionality and elegant design.
NIB required a digital platform that would serve as both a public information resource and an accessible content management system for their staff. The solution needed to meet the highest accessibility standards while maintaining high performance and user-friendly design. Critical requirements included making both the front-end and back-end fully accessible for sight-impaired staff, implementing responsive design with responsive accessibility, and creating an intuitive content organization system that would serve their diverse user base. In addition, NIB maintained a skilled IT team, they wanted to focus these resources on core business initiatives rather than website maintenance.
Materiell implemented a comprehensive WordPress solution designed around a hybrid of WCAG 2.0 AA and AAA standards. The development process prioritized accessibility at every level, from simplified post types to carefully constructed backend processes. We collaborated closely with NIB to optimize color contrast while preserving brand integrity, implemented advanced accessibility features including keyboard navigation and screen reader optimization, and created a streamlined content management system that empowered all staff members to contribute effectively. The solution included extensive performance optimization, resulting in homepage load speeds that exceeded Google's benchmarks.
The new platform transformed NIB's digital presence using the highest level of web accessibility standards, all while delivering exceptional performance. The custom content management system enables sight-impaired staff to independently create and manage content, while the simplified architecture and intuitive landing pages make information readily accessible to all users. The migration to Materiell's hosting environment dramatically improved site speed and reliability, while ongoing maintenance ensures consistent, reliable performance and up-to-date accessibility compliance.
