ACCESSIBILITY OF ELECTRONIC INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

The College is committed to maintaining an inclusive community by striving to provide accessible Electronic Information, Communication, and Technology.

Procedure 2120A

ACCESSIBILITY OF ELECTRONIC INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

The College will take into consideration the standards and guidelines outlined in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 when using Web-based Electronic Information, Communication and Technology by adhering to WebAIM’s 508 Accessibility Checklist, Levels A and AA. Specific applications of this standard include, but are not limited to:

• Web: All websites, web-pages and web-based software published or hosted by the College or used to conduct College business (including remotely hosted sites and software).
• Instructional Materials: All electronic instructional materials, optional and required: syllabi, textbooks, presentations and handouts delivered within the College’s learning management system, via email or via another electronic means for face-to-face classes as well as online courses, instructional videos, online collaborative writing, web-conferencing, blogging, etc.
• Documents: All College produced, maintained or distributed electronic documents: word processing documents, PDFs, presentations, publications and spreadsheets that are scanned, uploaded, posted or otherwise published or distributed electronically.
• Electronic Media: All electronic multimedia resources used by the College for instruction, communication, marketing, promotion or other academic or business purposes.
• Software, Hardware and IT Systems: All software, hardware and IT systems used for academic purposes, administrative and business purposes, and customer service: learning management, content management, library systems, email, human resources administration, financial systems, course or event registration, freeware, shareware, enterprise systems and online or remotely hosted software.
• Electronic Forms: Any form used in an electronic format for College business.
• Procurement/Purchases: The College will make an effort to purchase electronic products and solutions including, but not limited to, software, operating systems, Web-based applications, video and multimedia that 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.

Technology Procurement
Prior to procurement of all Information and Communication Technology (ICT), departments shall make an effort to acquire technology that is accessible to people with visual, hearing and cognitive disabilities.

The following steps are required before procuring technology:

1. The purchaser must request 508 Standard support documentation from manufacturers of the software or hardware to be purchased. Support documentation should include a list of accessibility and compatibility features.
2. If the manufacturer is not able to provide 508 Standard support documentation, the purchaser must consider alternative technology.
3. In the event that an alternative technology is not commercially available, and the program is integral to the course or academic program, the purchaser should submit an explanation of the reason for 508 Standard non-compliance.
4. The 508 Standard support documentation shall be submitted to the Accessibility Specialist prior to implementation.

Exceptions

1. The technology is at a workstation of an employee who is not an individual with a disability, so long as the product is accessible to a public audience.
2. An accessible form would impose an undue burden on the College, such that compliance efforts would result in “significant difficulty or expense” after consideration of all resources available to the component or program.
3. A compliant product or service is not available; or meeting the applicable provisions would require the College to alter its requirements to the point where the procured ICT would not meet the College’s needs.
4. Compliance would require fundamental alteration in the nature of a product or its components.

Training
Formal training specific to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 will be provided annually. Employees are responsible for compliance with Section 508.

https://webaim.org/standards/wcag/checklist

Adopted December 13, 2018