[Athen] FW: Settlements Reached in Seven States,
One Territory to Ensure Website Accessibility for People with
Disabilities
Gaeir Dietrich
gdietrich at htctu.net
Wed Jun 29 17:44:14 PDT 2016
FYI
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Communications & Outreach, Press Office
400 Maryland Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2016
Contact: Press Office
(202) 401-1576 or press at ed.gov
Settlements Reached in Seven States, One Territory to Ensure Website
Accessibility for People with Disabilities
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html> (OCR) today
announced that it has reached settlements with education organizations in
seven states and one territory to ensure website accessibility for people
with disabilities.
OCR had received complaints involving each of the organizations, resulting
in investigations. But before OCR had completed its probes, each of the 11
parties expressed interest in resolving their cases voluntarily, resulting
in the agreements announced today. The settlements involved: Juneau,
Alaska, School District; the Guam Department of Education; Montana School
for the Deaf and Blind; Santa Fe, New Mexico, Public Schools; Washoe County,
Nevada, School District; The Davidson Academy of Nevada; Nevada Department
of Education; Oregon Department of Education; Granite, Utah, School
District; Bellingham, Washington, School District; and the Washington Office
of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
"As schools, school districts, states, and territories turn to the internet
as a way to provide relevant and up-to-date information to their audiences
in a cost-effective manner, they must make sure they are not inadvertently
excluding people with disabilities from their online programs, services, and
activities," said Catherine E. Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights.
"I applaud each of these signatories who have committed to ensuring that
their websites are accessible to people with disabilities."
The agreements cover issues raised under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973
<http://www2.ed.gov/policy/rights/guid/ocr/disabilityoverview.html> and
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
<https://www.ada.gov/> to online services and programs.
OCR investigations found that on all 11 websites important images were
missing text descriptions, called "alt tags," that describe the images to
blind and low-vision users who use special software. Common problems
affecting many of the websites included:
. Some important content of the website could only be accessed by
people who can use a computer mouse, which meant that content was not
available to those who are blind, many who have low-vision, and those with
disabilities affecting fine motor control;
. Parts of the website used color combinations that made text
difficult or impossible for people with low vision to see; and
. Videos were not accurately captioned, so they were inaccessible to
people who are deaf.
The 11 education groups voluntarily committed to make their websites
accessible through a range of actions, which require OCR review and approval
at key stages, including:
. Affirming their commitment to ensuring that people with
disabilities have opportunities equal to those of others to enjoy the
recipients' programs, services, and activities, including those delivered
online;
. Selecting an auditor who has the requisite knowledge and
experience to audit content and functionality and identify barriers to
access on the existing website for people with disabilities;
. Conducting a thorough audit of existing online content and
functionality;
. Adopting policies and procedures to ensure that all new, newly
added or modified online content and functionality will be accessible to
people with disabilities;
. Making all new website content and functionality accessible to
people with disabilities;
. Developing a corrective action plan to prioritize the removal of
online barriers;
. Posting a notice to persons with disabilities about how to request
access to online information or functionality that is currently
inaccessible; and
. Providing website accessibility training to all appropriate
personnel.
Following are links to the resolution letters and resolution agreements for
each organization.
. AK - Juneau School District (case 10-16-1109), Juneau Letter
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161109
-a.pdf> | Juneau Agreement
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161109
-b.pdf>
. GU - Guam Department of Education (10-16-1098), Guam Department of
Education Letter
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161098
-a.pdf> | Guam Department of Education Agreement
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161098
-b.pdf>
. MT - Montana School for the Deaf and Blind (10-16-1160), Montana
Letter
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161160
-a.pdf> | Montana Agreement
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161160
-b.pdf>
. NM - Santa Fe Public Schools (08-16-1189), Santa Fe Letter
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/08161189
-a.pdf> | Santa Fe Agreement
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/08161189
-b.pdf>
. NV - Washoe County School District (10-16-1134), Washoe Letter
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161134
-a.pdf> | Washoe Agreement
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161134
-b.pdf>
. NV - The Davidson Academy of Nevada (10-16-1133), Davidson Letter
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161133
-a.pdf> | Davidson Agreement
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161133
-b.pdf>
. NV - Nevada Department of Education (10-16-1101), Nevada
Department of Education Letter
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161101
-a.pdf> | Nevada Department of Education Agreement
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161101
-b.pdf>
. OR - Oregon Department of Education (10-16-1102), Oregon
Department of Education Letter
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161102
-a.pdf> | Oregon Department of Education Agreement
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161102
-b.pdf>
. UT - Granite School District (08-16-1232), Granite Letter
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/08161232
-a.pdf> | Granite Agreement
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/08161232
-b.pdf>
. WA - Bellingham School District (10-16-1108), Bellingham Letter
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161108
-a.pdf> | Bellingham Agreement
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161108
-b.pdf>
. WA - Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
(10-16-1103), Washington Superintendent Letter
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161103
-a.pdf> | Washington Superintendent Agreement
<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/more/10161103
-b.pdf>
OCR's mission is to ensure equal access to education and promote educational
excellence throughout the nation through the vigorous enforcement of civil
rights. OCR is responsible for enforcing federal civil rights laws that
prohibit discrimination by educational institutions on the bases of
disability, race, color, national origin, sex, and age, as well as the Boy
Scouts of America Equal Access Act of 2001.
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