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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>U.S. Department of Education Launches New Website Accessibility <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Technical Assistance Initiative<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#030A13'>The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) today announced it is launching a new technical assistance initiative to assist schools, districts, state education agencies, libraries, colleges and universities in making their websites and online programs accessible to individuals with disabilities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#030A13'>Through webinars, OCR will provide information technology professionals with vital information on website accessibility, including tips for making their online programs accessible. The initiative announced today, on Global Accessibility Awareness Day, builds on OCR’s history of providing technical assistance on this issue to hundreds of stakeholders. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#030A13'>"As more educational opportunities are delivered online, we need to ensure those programs, services and activities are accessible to everyone," said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, “OCR’s technical assistance will help us continue to forge important partnerships with schools for the benefit of students and parents with disabilities."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#030A13'>OCR will offer the first three webinars on the following dates:<o:p></o:p></span></p><ul type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='color:#030A13;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><strong><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>Webinar I</span></strong><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>: May 29, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. EDT<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:#030A13;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><strong><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>Webinar II</span></strong><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>: June 5, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. EDT<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:#030A13;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><strong><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>Webinar III</span></strong><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>: June 12, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. EDT<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#030A13'>If you are interested in participating in any of these webinars, please send your request to <a href="mailto:OCRWebAccessTA@ed.gov">OCRWebAccessTA@ed.gov</a>; include your name, preferred webinar and contact information. You are encouraged to invite your vendors to attend these webinars.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#030A13'>Information regarding the scheduling and registration for additional webinars is available on the Department’s website at <a href="https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/iwcs.html">https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/iwcs.html</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><a href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-launches-new-website-accessibility-technical-assistance-initiative">https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-launches-new-website-accessibility-technical-assistance-initiative</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>