1. Promoting the Development, Procurement, and Use of Accessible Technologies in the US
Sheryl Burgstahler, Director
Dan Comden, Access Technology Center Manager
Accessible Technology Services, UW-IT

2. Legal basis for IT accessibility
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Americans with Disabilities Act of and its 2008 Amendments
State laws, policies (e.g., WA Policy #188)

3. What does “accessible” IT 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

4. Approaches to access: Accommodations Universal/inclusive design
Both are important!

5. 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

6. UW’s Leadership IT Accessibility Coordinator
IT Accessibility Team (ATS)
IT Accessibility Task Force
IT Accessibility Liaisons

7. Terrill

8. UW’s IT Accessibility Guidelines
Purpose
Scope
Standards
Getting Started
Resources
Resources and Support for IT Accessibility
Additional Campus Resources
Legal and Policy Requirements
[accompanied by a checklist and tutorial]

9. 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, e.g. procurement
Model IT accessibility compliance after IT security compliance efforts
Undertake efforts that are
both reactive and proactive;
both top-down and bottom-up

10. Key aspects of UW approach, 2/2
Continually enhance website with checklists, how-to processes, plans, progress, resources
Offer training
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