“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.
A person with a disability must be able to obtain the information as fully, equally, and independently as a person without a disability.
“Accessible Format” is the structure and composition of digital documents and applications that are readable and usable by people with disabilities, using assistive technologies, and/or special configurations for user agents.
These may include but are not limited to:
- Large print
- Recorded audio
- Video captioning
- Braille
“Alternative Access Plan” (AAP) means a documented approach to ensuring that equally effective alternative access is made available for a given ICT product, service, or setting where such ICT is utilized.
“Archived” is ICT information or services that are no longer actively linked to or circulated but may be subject to records retention plans.
“Digital Accessibility” means the measure of how successfully an individual with a disability can locate, access, and understand wanted or needed digital information.
As used in this policy, the terms “Digital Accessibility," “ICT Accessibility,” and “Information and Communications Technology Accessibility” are synonymous.
“Equally Effective Alternative Access” is an accessible alternative method of access that accurately and in a timely manner communicates the same content or information as does the original format or medium, and which is appropriate to an individual’s disability, unless it results in a fundamental alteration in the nature of the service, program or activity or results in an undue burden.
“Essential Functions” means the fundamental job duties of the employment position the individual with a disability holds or desires. The term “essential functions” does not include the marginal functions of the position.
A job function may be considered essential for any of several reasons, including but not limited to the following:
- The function may be essential because the reason the position exists is to perform that function.
- The function may be essential because of the limited number of employees available among whom the performance of that job function can be distributed.
- The function may be highly specialized so that the incumbent in the position is hired for the individual’s expertise or ability to perform the particular function.
“Exception” is an established and approved condition where an ICT that is not fully accessible is allowed for use along with an AAP to ensure equally effective access to the information or service normally provided by the excepted ICT.
“Functionally Accessible” means that a given ICT is usable by an individual with a disability, without regard to specific technical accessibility standards.
“Information and Communications Technology” (ICT) is information technology and other equipment, systems, technologies, or processes, for which the principal function is the creation, manipulation, storage, display, receipt, or transmission of electronic data and information, as well as any associated content.
The term ICT is adopted to broaden the term information technology (IT) and to emphasize the way in which IT is used for interaction and the creation and manipulation of data.
Examples of ICT include but are not limited to:
- Computers and peripheral equipment
- Information kiosks and transaction machines
- Telecommunications equipment
- Customer premises equipment
- Multifunction office machines
- Software
- Applications
- Web sites
- Videos
- Electronic documents, presentations, and emails
“Legacy” means ICT that has been procured, maintained, or utilized prior to October 30, 2018 and is still in active circulation or use.
“Minimum Digital Accessibility Standards” (MDAS) are the legal and technological standards and guidelines that the University utilizes to determine if its ICT is technically and functionally accessible.
“Non-availability” means that a more accessible alternative to an ICT is not available on the market for procurement.
“Required Documentation” is a written explanation of why and to what extent conformance for an ICT would constitute an undue burden on the agency or would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of the ICT.
“Technically Accessible” means that a given ICT is in conformance with ICT technical accessibility standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.x.
“Undue Burden” means the extent to which making ICT fully conform to legally mandated standards would impose significant difficulty or expense, including availability of resources.
“Unit” means a University college or administrative unit.