Introduction:
Limestone University is committed to providing equality of opportunity to persons with disabilities, including equal access to College programs, services and activities provided through information technology (IT). With its rapid proliferation, information technology is increasingly the medium for College programs and services. Consequently, it is becoming increasingly important that accessibility considerations are in the forefront as we design, acquire, or use new information technology. Because of its myriad forms and the numerous individuals throughout the University involved in the design, acquisition, or use of information technology, without a policy and required minimum standards and expectations we are challenged in achieving College-wide adherence to practices that ensure access for persons with disabilities. Therefore, this policy establishes minimum standards and expectations regarding the design, acquisition or use of information technology.
This policy is a living document that will change over time as IT changes. Ample opportunities for education and communication will occur whenever changes to the policy take place.
Policy Statement:
Limestone University commits to ensuring equal access to all College programs, services, and activities provided through information technology (IT). Unless an exemption applies and according to the applicability and timeline specifications below, all colleges, departments, offices, and entities of the will:
Use College web page designs that are consistent with the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG) Level AA.
Disseminate electronic documents and multimedia on web pages that are consistent with this policy.
Applicability:
This policy applies to all IT that is acquired, developed, distributed, used, purchased or implemented by, or for any Limestone University unit and used to provide college programs, services, or activities through websites, or web-based applications, including:
Official web pages and associated web-based applications (see Web Page Requirements & Time Frames below)
Electronic Documents
Any documents created or obtained, and disseminated after the effective date of this policy.
Electronic documents created or obtained prior to effective date of the policy and that are disseminated on a web page must comply according to the time frames specified below for web page requirements.
Multimedia
Any multimedia created or obtained, and disseminated after the effective date of the policy
Multimedia created or obtained prior to the effective date of this policy and that is disseminated on a web page must comply according to the time frames specified below for web page requirements.
Web Page Requirements & Time Frames:
All new and revised web pages, website templates, and website themes published on or after the effective date of this policy must comply with WCAG 2.0 Level AA (additional information located on the Information Technology Accessibility website).
All new and revised web pages must indicate in plain text a method for users having trouble accessing the site to report that inaccessibility. This could be in the form of contact information after the “© 2020" disclaimer statement on the bottom of every Limestone.edu page.
When contacted and offered technical assistance, units with identified high priority legacy pages must cooperate with the Website Services Office to make their web pages consistent with WCAG 2.0 Level AA. Units will be notified if their legacy pages have been deemed high priority and will be provided technical assistance, as needed. High priority pages will be identified by:
The top 20% of web pages most frequently visited as defined by Web Services
Pages required for participation, funding, disability-related services, and other key pages needed by people with disabilities not already in the top 20%
Other pages determined to be of the most importance in providing college services online (core institutional information)
All legacy pages must indicate in plain text a method for users having trouble accessing the site to report that inaccessibility. This could be in the form of contact information after the “© 2020" disclaimer statement on the bottom of every Limestone.edu page.
