SRJC ACCESSIBILITY POLICY

Board policy 2.17 and Board policy 2.17P

2.17 It is the policy of the Sonoma County Junior College District to conform to federal accessibility regulations, appropriately tailored to the specific circumstances of the District, in the procurement, development, maintenance, and/or implementation of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The District will maintain procedures to promote adherence to these regulations to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to the benefits and services of the District.

2.17P 3. All District employees who are responsible for information and communications technology produced, maintained, distributed, purchased and/or used by the SRJC community are required to ensure that accessibility standards for individuals with disabilities are met by said technology. District staff and resources shall be available to educate and support employees working towards meeting ICT accessibility regulations.

2.17P 3.3. All District employees who create content published on District websites, Learning Management Systems and any other online platforms must ensure that such content is accessible and conforms to the current WCAG standards. Assistance and guidelines will be provided by the Instructional Accessibility Specialist and the Coordinator of Online Accessibility. The District will deliver regular accessibility training.

EXEMPTION PROCESS

There is an exemption process when remediating for accessibility compliance, if it will fundamentally alter the nature of the instructional activity.

2.17P 3.3. In the case of instructional online content, if after good faith effort to make such content accessible, it is determined that the required changes would fundamentally alter the nature of the instructional activity, consideration may be given for an Accessibility Exception. Requests for an Accessibility Exception will be considered on a case-by-case basis, based on the nature of the instructional content and the scope of the accessibility limitations.

A faculty member may submit an Accessibility Exception Request Form, which will be routed to the DSPS Coordinator and the Instructional Accessibility Specialist, who will then convene an Accessibility Exception Review Panel.

Accessibility Exception Review Panel:

The panel will be convened to determine whether the course shall receive an Accessibility Exception. The Instructional Accessibility Specialist, in conjunction with the DSPS Coordinator, will establish an Accessibility Exception Review Panel consisting of the following members (or designees):

• Faculty member from Instructional Area with content area expertise
• Department Chair or designee
• The DSPS Coordinator
• Director of Distance Education
• Instructional Accessibility Specialist

Additional members may be added in order to ensure a meaningful review process. The faculty member initiating the request will not be a member of the panel.

The panel will consider whether making the course accessible will fundamentally alter the nature of the course, and will strive to reach consensus regarding the granting of an Accessibility Exception. If, after thorough discussion, consensus cannot be reached, the decision will be made by majority vote.

The panel will provide prompt written notice of their decision to the faculty member and supervising administrator. When a course receives the exception, information advising that a component of the course may be inaccessible will be documented and made publicly available, with a notation that any questions or concerns should be directed to the DSPS Coordinator.

DISTANCE EDUCATION RESPONSIBILITIES

The Distance Education department has been tasked with reviewing all online and hybrid courses for accessibility compliance. Support for online accessibility compliance will be provided by the Distance Education Department, largely from the Instructional Accessibility Specialist. Support also may be provided by the Coordinator of Online Accessibility in the IT Department.

2.17P 4. Accessibility Reviews will be scheduled for all Distance Education courses being taught for the first time by a particular instructor. In addition, the District will perform an Accessibility Review for all Distance Education courses at least every six years. This review will include all class material required or realistically necessary for completion of a class, and all Distance Education class materials hosted at SRJC.

AFA Contract, Article 32.05 A. The District will provide the necessary support for online course accessibility compliance.