Third-party web applications offer a variety of features that web content managers find attractive and easy-to-use, but they may not meet Cornell University’s accessibility requirements. Annually reviewing these third-party applications falls to the Web Accessibility team, including interns like Amani Alqaisi.

“ColorComply is an accessibility checker tool I developed in JavaScript for validating color contrast based on WCAG 2.0 and WCAG 2.1 standards. It supports shorthand color codes and can check specific WCAG levels or custom contrast ratios. This tool allows me to ensure our websites meet the required accessibility standards, thereby improving readability for users with visual impairments,” said Alqaisi, who is pursuing dual degrees in Computer Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis and Computer Science at Grinnell College.

During her internship, Alqaisi honed her skills in JavaScript and AWS programming tools and leveraged software like Siteimprove and WAVE to complete WCAG checklists for multiple Cornell websites, ensuring they met accessibility standards and provided a more accessible web experience for their end-users.

“My two main projects, ColorComply and the PartyRock tool WebAccess Enhancer, required extensive research, collaboration, and iterative development,” she said.

The internship not only strengthened Amani’s technical skills but also highlighted the importance of accessibility in technology. Her dedication to creating inclusive web environments underscores the value of accessibility-focused initiatives within tech communities.

“Despite the challenges posed by remote work, everyone was incredibly supportive and collaborative. The team’s commitment to making the web more accessible was truly inspiring. I was also pleasantly surprised by the openness to new ideas and the willingness to provide feedback, which significantly enhanced my learning experience,” said Alqaisi.

She discovered the summer opportunity through Cornell’s Alliance for Diversity and Inclusion (ADI) Student Intern Program and plans to leverage the skills she developed in her goal of creating inclusive web environments.