The University of Minnesota is committed to providing equal access to information technology.
The University will:
- Use web page design standards that improve accessibility for all, including those with disabilities. Standards will be implemented in phases.
- Use hardware and software products that promote disability access. Emphasis will be on acquisitions occurring after the effective date of the policy.
- Design and implement work environments that accommodate all users.
Special Situations
Undue Burden and Non-availability
The following circumstances may qualify as exemptions from this policy:
- Extreme difficulty or expense (Undue Burden)
- Hardware and software tools specific to a research or development process in which no member of the research or development team requires accessibility accommodations.
- Hardware or software for which no equivalent accessible option is available (non-availability).
Following design standards, acquiring appropriate hardware and software, and improving the technical environment helps the University to:
- Sustain and improve access and services to students, staff, faculty and visitors with disabilities.
- Make all University of Minnesota Web pages, information and services accessible to the widest possible audience - including users of old, adaptive, alternate, or emerging technologies.
Implementing this policy will help ensure that all individuals have access to information technology associated with administration and services, courses of instruction, departmental programs, and University-sponsored activities.
There are no forms for this policy.
- Emerging Technologies
- New and developing hardware and software technologies used to store, receive, transmit or otherwise process information.
- Legacy Web Pages
- Web pages created prior to the effective date of this policy.
- Undue Burden
- Undue burden means significant difficulty or expense. In determining whether an action would result in an undue burden, an agency shall consider all agency resources available to the agency or components for which the product is being developed, procured, maintained, or used.
- Web Accessibility Initiative
- The WAI, in coordination with organizations around the world, pursues accessibility of the Web through five primary areas of work: technology, guidelines, tools, education and outreach, and research and development. This initiative is a subset of W3C.
- World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
- The W3C is an international industry consortium of approximately 500 organizations. W3C was created to establish web standards and lead the Web to its full potential by developing common protocols that promote its evolution and ensure its interoperability.
- Disability Services
- Promote awareness of policy. Respond to requests for assistance from units and individuals. Monitor progress of implementation.
- Java and Web Services
- Provide consulting services to units making changes to accommodate this policy.
- Office of Information Technology
- Establish equipment specifications for accessibility and make those specifications available to the University community.
- Purchasing Services
- Establish procedures to assure that University specifications for technology purchases include specifications for accessibility when relevant.
- University Units
- Indicate on purchasing requisitions that technology accessibility issues are relevant.
- Web Developers
- Follow established U Standards when creating and revising U web pages.
- Web Development
- Provide consulting services to units making changes to accommodate this policy.
See the FAQ section of the Accessibility of Information Technology web site.
- Regents Policy Disability Services
- Accessibility of Information Technology web site
- University Web Accessibility Standards-Comparison Table
- World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
- World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
- USA, Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998,
Section 508
Requires Federal agencies, or members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal agency, to use electronic and information technology, that allows employees with disabilities to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the employees without disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.
Section 508 is a procurement law covering hardware and software.
- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Accessibility Requirements
Entities to Title II or III of the ADA must provide effective communication to individuals with disabilities, and covered entities that use the Internet to provide information regarding their programs, goods or services must be prepared to offer those communications through accessible means.
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States shall, solely by reason of his or her handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
- Establishes principle of programmatic access to federally-funded programs. Does not directly address the internet, Web, or information technology, but lays foundation for accessibility to the services ("programs") of federally-funded programs.
- Policy 2.5.2 Internal Access to University Information
- Policy 2.5.1 Public Access to University Information
- Policy 2.9.1 Publishing Information on the World Wide Web
- Amended:
- May 2002 - Clarified Purchasing Services responsibility in Responsibilities section.
- Amended:
- March 2002 - Policy is now effective, not proposed. Policy statement and reason, definitions, special situations and procedure have all been revised. Deadlines for implementation of this policy have been extended three months. Reference to "granting exemptions" and "without placing an undue burden" was removed from the Policy Reason. This material is addressed in Special Situations.
- Effective:
- March 2002
-
To obtain a copy of a historical policy,
e-mail the U Policy Librarian at policy@umn.edu or call 612-624-4372.
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