Subject: | Settlements Reached in Seven States, One Territory to Ensure Website Accessibility for People with Disabilities |
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Date: | Wed, 29 Jun 2016 15:51:46 -0700 |
From: | Paul Grossman <[log in to unmask]> |
To: | Paul Grossman <[log in to unmask]> |
From
Scott Lissner:
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 [log in to unmask]
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 (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 and Title
II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
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 | Juneau
Agreement
· GU
- Guam Department of Education (10-16-1098), Guam
Department of Education Letter | Guam
Department of Education Agreement
· MT
- Montana School for the Deaf and Blind (10-16-1160), Montana
Letter | Montana
Agreement
· NM
- Santa Fe Public Schools (08-16-1189), Santa
Fe Letter | Santa
Fe Agreement
· NV
- Washoe County School District (10-16-1134), Washoe
Letter | Washoe
Agreement
· NV
- The Davidson Academy of Nevada (10-16-1133), Davidson
Letter | Davidson
Agreement
· NV
- Nevada Department of Education (10-16-1101), Nevada
Department of Education Letter | Nevada
Department of Education Agreement
· OR
- Oregon Department of Education (10-16-1102), Oregon
Department of Education Letter | Oregon
Department of Education Agreement
· UT
- Granite School District (08-16-1232), Granite
Letter | Granite
Agreement
· WA
- Bellingham School District (10-16-1108), Bellingham
Letter | Bellingham
Agreement
· WA
- Washington Office of Superintendent of Public
Instruction (10-16-1103), Washington
Superintendent Letter | Washington
Superintendent Agreement
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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