Procuring Accessible IT at the University of Washington: Background, Policy, Guidelines, Checklist, Resources Sheryl Burgstahler, Director Accessible Technology Services, UW-IT

Two UW centers: Access Technology Center (ATC) DO-IT Center Founded 1984 Funded by UW for faculty, students, staff DO-IT Center Founded 1992 Supported with federal, state, corporate, private funds Expanded to DO-IT Japan, 2007 and DO-IT Singapore 2016

What is the legal basis? Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its 2008 Amendments State and local laws and policies (e.g., WA Policy #188)

What does “accessible” mean? “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. -DoJ, OCR Resolutions

Approaches to access: Both are important! Assistive technology (AT)/accommodations Universal/inclusive design Both are important!

Most common accommodations for online course content at UW: Creating accessible documents, mainly reformatting PDF files—20,000 pages average each quarter 2014-16 Captioning videos —191 hours costing $34,341 Fall, 2016

Universal design = “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.” The Center for Universal Design www.design.ncsu.edu/cud

UD on a continuum UD on a continuum Interpreter for deaf student Captioned and audio described video Uncaptioned video Captioned video

UD of technology Builds in accessibility features Ensures compatibility with assistive technology

WA Policy #188 – IT Accessibility establishes the expectation for state agencies that people with disabilities have access to and use of information and data and be provided access to the same services and content that is available to persons without disabilities.

What is covered under Policy #188 websites, web applications software electronic documents e-learning multimedia programmable user interfaces …

UW IT accessibility efforts guided by: UW vision to educate a diverse student body and values of diversity, excellence, collaboration, innovation, and respect DoJ and OCR resolutions 2015 EDUCAUSE report “IT Accessibility Risk Statements and Evidence” Policy #188

uw.edu/accessibility Terrill

UW Policy – IT Accessibility The University of Washington (UW) strives to ensure that people with disabilities have access to the same services and content that are available to people without disabilities, including services and content made available through the use of IT. IT procured, developed, maintained, and used by the UW should provide substantially similar functionality, experience, and information access to individuals with disabilities as it provides to others. Examples of IT covered by this policy include web sites, software systems, electronic documents, videos, and electronic equipment such as information kiosks, telephones, and digital signs.

UW’s IT Accessibility Guidelines Purpose Definition Scope Standards—Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA, World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Progress and Plan Resources Resources and Support for IT Accessibility Additional Campus Resources Legal and Policy Requirements

Policy #188 Specific Deadlines By December 31, 2016: Identify an IT accessibility coordinator to be the key contact regarding the IT accessibility plan, support complaint resolution and post policy and processes By June, 2017: post plan to ensure new procured and developed IT is accessible and existing IT will be made accessible develop list of prioritized non-accessible IT, alternatives for access, and actions being taken

UW Leadership IT Accessibility Coordinator IT Accessibility Team (ATS) IT Accessibility Task Force IT Accessibility Liaisons

Key aspects of UW approach, 1/2 Promote accessibility within context of UD, civil rights, and inclusive campus culture Build on current policies and procedures Model IT accessibility compliance after IT security compliance efforts Undertake efforts that are both reactive and proactive; both top-down and bottom-up Create annual reports regarding IT accessibility Continually enhance uw.edu/accessibility with checklist, how-to processes, plans, progress, resources

Key aspects of UW approach, 2/2 Increase training; consultation; captioning parties, capacity building institutes, Global Accessibility Awareness Day activities and other events Support multiple user groups Proactively test existing websites, PDFs and train staff to remediate Offer incentives (e.g., video captioning and PDF remediation pilots; Lynda courses) Conduct state-wide Capacity-Building Institutes, and support state online Community of Practice

Procurement of accessible IT Requirement to purchase accessible IT No central enforcement Procedure: Solicit accessibility information (independent 3rd party, completed UW checklist, VPAT Validate accessibility info received Include accessibility assurances in contracts

Resources Accessible Technology Services’ Access Technology Center of AT Accessible Technology Services’ consultants Accessible Technology website uw.edu/accessibiity accessibleIT and Accessibleweb discussion lists IT Accessibility Capacity Building Institutes IT Accessibility Liaisons

Q&A and discussion