Digital Accessibility Maturity Model (DAMM)
AbilityNet's Digital Accessibility Maturity Model (DAMM) is a highly effective framework to help you embed digital accessibility in business as usual.
It uses our tried and tested approach to create a roadmap for your digital accessibility strategy, including:
- where you are now;
- where you want to get to;
- achievable actions to get you there.
Download the toolkit for free from this page and use it yourself, or request assistance with the process.
What happens after you complete the DAMM?
Many organisations start by using the Digital Accessibility Maturity Model themselves to understand where they are and what matters most.
Lots of organsitions that use the model to build their first roadmap and then build on this over time. We encourage you to adapt it to suit your needs.
You can also decide to bring us in to help with your next steps:
- Sense‑check their findings;
- Prioritise what will have the biggest impact;
- Use our trusted expert status to build stakeholder buy‑in;
- Turn their plans into a realistic, funded roadmap;
- Address technical issues raised in the review process.
There’s no right or wrong approach — it depends on your confidence, capacity and internal buy‑in.
Self‑serve DAMM (free) — choose this if:
- You want to try the methodology and build your own roadmap
- You’re comfortable facilitating discussions internally;
- You need a starting point, not a full plan;
- You need to build a case for bringing in external help.
Download the toolkit and use the instructions to build your first roadmap.
Consultant‑led support — choose this if:
- You need our help to create senior stakeholder alignment;
- You’re unsure how to prioritise competing demands;
- You want confidence you’re focusing on the right things;
- You have uncovered specific issues that need expert support.
Talk to us about consultancy support
Our consultants have worked with organisations of all sizes and from all sectors.
When you contact us we will review your position and suggest next steps.
HE and FE Maturity Model
We also have a specialist AbilityNet Higher Education (HE) and Further Education developed in partnership with Alistair McNaught Consultancy (FE) Accessibility Maturity Model for universities and other educational establishments.
This includes a review of your student experience and more details about the production of accessible learning resources.
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Download our DAMM Toolkit
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Frequently asked questions about the AbilityNet Digital Accessibility Maturity Model (DAMM)
What is the Digital Accessibility Maturity Model?
The Digital Accessibility Maturity Model (DAMM) is a free toolkit that helps organisations understand how well accessibility is embedded across their digital services and ways of working.
It looks beyond individual websites or apps to assess leadership, skills, processes and procurement, helping you see where you are now and what to prioritise next.
Is the Digital Accessibility Maturity Model free?
Yes. The DAMM toolkit is completely free to download and use.
Many organisations run the process themselves using the guidance provided. There is no obligation to use AbilityNet’s paid services.
Do we need accessibility specialists to use the DAMM?
No. The DAMM is designed to be useful for organisations at any stage of their accessibility journey.
You do not need specialist accessibility expertise to use the toolkit. It is designed to support structured conversations, highlight gaps and prompt the right questions across teams.
What happens after we complete the DAMM?
That depends on your organisation and your internal capability.
Some teams use the DAMM to agree priorities, plan improvements and track progress internally. Others decide they want support to sense‑check findings, turn insight into a practical strategy, or engage senior stakeholders.
Do we have to work with AbilityNet after using the DAMM?
No. There is no requirement to involve AbilityNet.
The DAMM is designed to stand on its own. If you do choose to involve us, our role is to build on your work and support your decisions, not replace what you have already done.
How is the DAMM different from an accessibility audit?
The DAMM focuses on organisational maturity — how well accessibility is embedded into everyday decision‑making and delivery.
Accessibility audits focus on specific digital products and technical compliance. Many organisations use both approaches at different stages of their accessibility journey.
When is it useful to get support with the DAMM?
Some organisations look for support when they are unsure how to prioritise DAMM findings, need alignment across departments, or want confidence that they are focusing on the right actions.
In these cases, accessibility strategy and consultancy support can help turn DAMM insight into a clear, achievable roadmap.
Is the DAMM suitable for all sectors?
Yes. The DAMM is used by organisations across the public sector, education, charities and regulated industries.
For higher and further education organisations, there is also a dedicated HE and FE Accessibility Maturity Model designed for that context.