Accessibility Support
As an instructor, you must ensure that the online content you provide is consistent with the law and the University's commitment to digital accessibility. Our 色色啦x Accessibility Specialists provide guidance, recommend solutions, and can help you implement and oversee emerging technologies that ensure compliance and champion accessibility.
Our support services include:
- Developing goals and strategic planning support for accessibility initiatives
- Accessibility consultations and content evaluations for department or individual courses
- Evaluating and providing recommendations related to proposed accessible student-facing technologies and their use
- Coordinating and facilitating trainings and resources for staff and faculty on the effective use of emerging accessibility technologies
- Media captioning and transcription services
- Conversion and remediation of digital content into accessible and alternative formats
To Report an Accessibility issue, please complete the Digital Accessibility Concern Form. If you or your department would like additional support related to digital accessibility, contact the 色色啦x Accessibility Team.
Accessibility Guides and Videos
For all other accessibility-related help guide articles, please visit our page on go色色啦.
Product Review
All those who purchase digital products to be used at 色色啦 Michigan University are asked to go through the product review process, which comprehensively assesses all products for security and accessibility compliance. Part of the accessibility review process is the examination of the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template or Accessibility Conformance Report. The template/report is then scored for compliance using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA.
There are occasions when products are given a conditional passing, and an Equally Effective Alternative Access Plan (EEAAP) is created. An EEAAP is a valuable resource that an institution can use if it is necessary to buy, develop, or use a technology that is not fully accessible. For example, it may be used if the vendor鈥檚 Accessible Conformance Report (ACR), or Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) has been reviewed and at least one of the following statements is true:
- the vendor does鈥痭ot鈥痟ave an ACR or VPAT and barriers are unknown.
- the VPAT documentation is incomplete.
- the vendor indicates guidelines that the product does not support or partially supports in the ACR or VPAT.
- product review testing indicates there are barriers in the product.
The Equally Effective Alternative Access Plan describes how to provide alternate access to the same information or services offered by a not fully accessible technology. Having an EEAAP in place for technologies that are not fully accessible will help ensure that all students will have fair and equal access in a timely manner as required by law. These plans should be developed with the assistance of the accessibility compliance specialist and maintained by the unit that is accountable for the technology. An EEAAP is not a substitute for accessibility, so whenever possible, accessible technologies should be purchased by the University.
EEAAPs should answer the following questions:
Siteimprove
The Siteimprove software is used to crawl through our 色色啦 website and look for pages that do not conform to the WCAG 2.1 AA criteria. Siteimprove generates a monthly report, which is then distributed so edits and remediation may be performed. Siteimprove users also have access to its extensive training library to gain more knowledge about creating accessible documents, websites, and other digital information. To request access to Siteimprove, please complete the form below. If you have questions contact Gwen Bostic, gwen.bostic@wmich.edu.