Policy Title:  Accessibility in Electronic and Information Technology Design

Policy Number:  7.2
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Purpose:

This Accessibility Policy (this Policy) outlines the College’s accessibility practices related to Institutional Resources. The College complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and other federal, state, and local laws regarding disabilities and is committed to maintaining an inclusive community by striving to provide accessible electronic information, communication, and technology.

Definitions:

Capitalized terms not defined in this Policy have the meaning set forth in the Board Policy 7.0 Information Security.

  1. Accessible

Means a person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective and equally integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use. The person with a disability must be able to obtain the information as fully, equally, and independently as a person without a disability, according to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

  1. Digital Content

Includes anything on College websites and within the learning management system, Student Information System, including, but not limited to, audio, video, images, tables, forms, documents (in any format, including, .docx and .pdf), registration forms, surveys, and HTML.

  1. Effective Alternative Access

Means equally effective alternate access to the same information or services offered by an IT Resource that does not meet the College’s accessibility standards.

  1. Web-based Application

Means a web-based program created to carry out or facilitate a task on a computing device.

Scope:

This Policy applies to all Digital Content or services that are acquired, developed, distributed, used, purchased, or implemented by or for the College and used within the context of teaching, learning, research, service, employment, and other official functions of the College. This includes any web pages, Web-based Applications, electronic documents, and multimedia. It also includes any third-party applications used to create and/or disseminate digital content (i.e., web-based content creation, textbook supplemental materials, or mobile applications).

Policy:

Ensuring accessibility of Digital Content is a shared responsibility for all members of the College community who create, obtain, share, utilize, and publish Digital Content. Each member of the College community (i.e., Personnel, students, Contractors, etc.) who obtains, designs, develops, recommends, procures, or manages Digital Content, Web-based Applications, or other technology-based resources is subject to and has responsibilities under this Policy.

Accessibility Standards:

The accessibility of online content and functionality will be measured according to the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 (w3.org)

Effective Alternative Access:

  • Consistent with applicable laws, the College will follow WCAG 2.1 Level AA for all web-based electronic information, communication, and technology unless doing so (1) fundamentally alters a program, service, or activity; or (2) creates an undue administrative or financial burden.
  • For all aspects of this Policy for which the College determines an undue administrative or financial burden exists, or that require a fundamental alteration of a program or service or activity, the College will provide affected individuals with Effective Alternative Access.
  • In providing Effective Alternative Access, EWC will take actions that do not impose any undue administrative or financial burden on the College and that do not require a fundamental alteration of any program or service or activity. Further, in providing Effective Alternative Access, the College will ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals with disabilities receive the same benefits or services as their nondisabled peers.
  • Effective Alternative Access alternatives are not required to produce the identical result or level of achievement for persons with disabilities, but they must afford persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same level of achievement, in the most integrated setting appropriate to the person’s needs.

Procurement/Purchases:

The College will have purchasing protocols in place to ensure that Web-based Applications, Digital Content, and other electronic products and solutions including, but not limited to, software, operating systems, video, and multimedia meet or exceed the above accessibility standards. The College recommends that all requests for proposals and contracts with vendors include language that outlines this requirement and provides stipulations for how the vendor is expected to demonstrate compliance.

Training:

The EWC President shall designate the CIO to ensure all Personnel and Contractors have received training on the requirements of this Policy.

 

References:

682Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. (ADA)

Sections 504, 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794 § et seq.

Requirements for Accessible Electronic and Information Technology (E&IT) Design

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/frontpage/pro-students/issues/dis-issue06.htm

 

Revision History

Original Adoption Date: 11/09/21

Revision Date(s): 12/12/23

Date Reviewed, no change: