Sites

Description

Sites lets you create and share web pages and link them to each other as a website.

Announcement

Google Classic Sites is migrating to the New Google Sites.

As previously announced, Classic Google Sites will be terminated by the end of 2021.

Important note: Starting May 15, 2021, website creation in classic Google Sites will no longer be available.

• If you do not have any Classic Google sites, no action is required.
• Site owners needing to migrate to new Sites can reference Timelines and tools for transition from classic to new Google Sites for additional information.
• Visit the Google Sites Help Center to learn how to convert a classic Site to a new Site.
• Additional information provided through this SysNews announcement.

Sites on your mobile device

• To access your Sites from a mobile device use your web browser (sites.google.com).

Accessibility

• There is no limitation on personal use of Sites.
• Overall, Sites is a fairly weak platform for creating accessible, standards-based websites.
• Except for the most basic Sites, which will still have some accessibility problems, you will probably be better served to use another web publishing system.
• Google Workspace user guide to accessibility

Resources

• Use Sites with a screen reader
• Keyboard shortcuts for Sites

Text and Images

These can be made moderately accessible in Sites, as long as certain guidelines are followed.

Headings

• Through the Sites user interface, you can set heading levels between 2 and 4.
• In the HTML view, you can set heading levels between 1 and 6.
• Some headings in the interface are not editable; e.g., site name and page name, both set to level 2.
• By default, there is no Heading 1 on the page.
• No heading is set in the site navigation block.

Plain Text, Links, Lists

All of these items are accessible in Sites.

Images

• When an image is first inserted into a Sites page, you can add alternative text.
• After an image is inserted, you can edit its alternative text only in the HTML view.

Tables

• In the Sites WYSIWYG editor, you
  • can use tables only for layout.
  • cannot add the information needed to make a data table accessible.
• In the HTML view you
  • can change td tags to th tags
  • can add the caption tag.
  • cannot add summary, scope, id, or header attributes.

Inserted Objects

• Inserted objects (e.g., doc, calendar, YouTube video, etc.) will have the same accessibility level within Sites as they would outside of Sites.
• For most of these objects, there will be significant accessibility problems in Sites.

Support links

• Get started with Sites
• Google Workspace Learning Center: Google Sites training and help
• Sites Template Gallery
• Sites Help Center
• Google Workspace Training at NC State (REPORTER)
• Docs Editors Help Center – Forms
• Download your Data
• NC State IT Service Portal

Student consent?

Before using this app to share student information, you may need to obtain your students’ consent as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). See FERPA Forms.

Feedback?

Please give us your suggestions for Google Workspace @ NC State.