Accessible EIT is designed to be usable by individuals with disabilities, including those who utilize assistive technologies. EIT may include electronic documents, websites, videos, software applications, hardware devices, etc. Accessible means that individuals with a disability are able to independently acquire the same information, and engage in the same interactions, in the same time frame as non-disabled individuals, with substantially equivalent ease of use.
The UVU tech community, including any faculty, staff, and/or students who purchase technology or create content, is responsible for following accessibility standards. However, efforts are coordinated by our EIT Accessibility Coordinator with the assistance of the ADA Coordinator, the Office of Accessibility Services, the Office of Teaching and Learning, and the University Accessibility Committee.
Check out the Resources or Training sections on the Accessible Tech webpage. You can also contact the EIT Coordinator, [email protected], 801-863-6788 for assistance.
Please contact the EIT Accessibility Coordinator, [email protected], 801-863-6788.
In cases where there is no accessible alternative to mission critical EIT, you must offer an alternative that allows all learners to engage in the same activity and acquire the same information/experience in an equitable manner. In other words, individuals with disabilities are able to independently acquire the same information. engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services within the same time frame as individuals without disabilities, with substantially equivalent ease of use.
If the particular learning objective can not be achieved without the emerging technology, and no accessible alternative is available, you may apply for an exception to accessibility standards. If the exception is approved, the Office of Accessibility Services must be contacted to assist in reasonably accommodating any student unable to fully participate utilizing the emerging technology.
The most important question here, is what is the educational or business need the product is intended to meet. Establish a prioritized list of requirements (Essential, High, Medium, Low). Include accessibility as an essential requirement. Only products that meet accessibility requirements should be considered. If neither product meets accessibility requirements but do meet the other essential requirements, you may apply for an exception to accessibility standards.
Accessibility standards require that instructional materials in alternative format be made available at the same time they are available to all students. The conversion process for alternative format textbooks is time consuming. Even if the textbook can be acquired from the publisher in electronic format, it will likely need to be edited and converted to the accessible format required by the student. Therefore, timely adoption of textbooks is essential for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
In most cases, the following steps are required for textbook conversion:
