Accessibility Policies, Laws and Guidelines

University Policy

Policies

Many colleges and universities have created policies related to accessibility. The University of Colorado issued an administrative policy on digital accessibility on January 1, 2019, approved by the president. APC policy #6011 states:

In addition to complying with the law, CU is ethically committed to communicating information to all individuals in a manner that enables them to achieve their academic and professional goals and aspirations. To maximize CU’s potential to achieve its legal and ethical commitments in the digital environment, the university has established the following policy to complement its digital accessibility program.

To ensure that all faculty, staff, students, and members of the public have equal opportunity, our programs must be designed in such a way that everyone has access, including when access is via technology.

Given the CU's commitment to providing accessible opportunities and environments, it looks to the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (Level AA) as a target for meeting these commitments related to web and IT accessibility.

Resources Related to Laws and Guidelines

Accessibility laws and guidelines are essential references for ensuring that products and services are inclusive and usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. Key resources such as those noted below provide detailed criteria for creating accessible digital content. In Colorado House Bill 21-1110 requires higher education institutions in the state to adopt policies and procedures ensuring that digital communications and information technology are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Review these laws and guidelines to better understand their importance and how they can be applied to ensure accessibility for all users.

In addition, EDUCAUSE, the association for information technology in higher education, has published a document titled IT Accessibility Risk Statements and Evidence in order to help identify accessibility risks that IT leaders should consider in their risk management process.

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