Electrnic and Infrmatin Resurces Accessibility Cmpliance Plan Intrductin The University f Nrth Texas at Dallas (UNTD) is cmmitted t prviding a wrk envirnment that affrds equal access and pprtunity t therwise qualified individuals with disabilities, in cmpliance with federal and state law. Cnsistent with this cmmitment, UNTD strives t prvide electrnic and infrmatin resurces ( EIRS ) that are accessible t all members f the University cmmunity and that meet the requirements f the Texas Department f Infrmatin Resurces. Accessibility rules established by the Texas Department f Infrmatin Resurces (TxDIR) were develped t ensure that emplyees with disabilities have access t and the use f resurces cmparable t the access and use available t emplyees withut disabilities. In additin, members f the public with disabilities wh are seeking infrmatin r ther services frm UNTD shuld als receive access t and the use f electrnic and infrmatin resurces cmparable t the access and use prvided t members f the public withut disabilities. In accrdance with these rules (see Texas Administrative Cde Title 1, Part 10, Chapter 213 ( TAC 213 ), UNTD develped the EIR Accessibility Cmpliance Plan which is designed t assist UNTD departments with meeting the rules fr develping, prcuring, maintaining and using electrnic resurces in rder t meet accessibility requirements. Definitin f Electrnic and Infrmatin Resurces Electrnic and infrmatin resurces are defined as fllws: Infrmatin Technlgy and any equipment r intercnnected system r subsystem f equipment, that is used in the creatin, cnversin, duplicatin, r delivery f data r infrmatin. Telecmmunicatins prducts (such as telephnes), infrmatin kisks and transactin machines, Wrld Wide Web sites, multimedia, and ffice equipment such as cpiers and fax machines. Electrnic and infrmatin resurces d nt include any equipment that cntains embedded infrmatin technlgy that is used as an integral part f the prduct, but the principal functin f which is nt the acquisitin, strage, manipulatin, management, mvement, cntrl, display, switching, interchange, transmissin, r receptin f data r infrmatin. Fr example, HVAC (heating, ventilatin, and air cnditining) equipment such as thermstats r temperature cntrl devices, and medical equipment where infrmatin technlgy is integral t its peratin, and are nt infrmatin technlgy 1
Respnsibilities fr Cmplying with EIR Accessibility Rules Departments r individuals are required t cmply with DIR accessibility rules and with UNTD plicy and prcedures related t the develpment, prcurement, maintenance r use f electrnic and infrmatin resurces. UNTD has appinted an EIR Accessibility Crdinatr t versee supprt and maintenance f the EIRS plicy and plan, as well as t crdinate training n cmpliance with the Electrnic and Infrmatin Resurces Accessibility Plicy (UNTD plicy number pending apprval and numbering). The EIR Accessibility Crdinatr is the Directr f Management and Risk Services in Infrmatin Technlgy Shared Services. The Accessibility Crdinatr als reviews exceptin r exemptin requests related t acquisitin f electrnic and infrmatin resurces. Purchasing and Payment Services mnitrs cmpliance with accessibility rules, UNTD plicy and prcurement prcedures in regard t purchases made under purchasing cntract, purchase rders r P- cards. Prcedures fr Cmplying with EIR Accessibility Standards When purchasing electrnic and infrmatin resurces, departments shuld: 1. Check TAC 213 t determine whether the resurces being purchased fall under the prvisin f that cde. 2. If the resurces are deemed t be EIRS and are being acquired thrugh an RFP r require a cntract, cntact Purchasing and Payment Services t get their guidance n inserting clauses in the RFP and/r cntract requiring the vendr t cmply with TAC 213. If the resurces are being acquired thrugh a standard purchase rder r by purchasing card transactin, determine by either testing the item(s) being purchased r thrugh dcumentatin prvided by the vendr whether they are cmpliant with TAC 213. Standards fr Electrnic and Infrmatin Resurces All electrnic and infrmatin resurces that are develped, prcured, r changed thrugh a prcured services cntract, and all electrnic and infrmatin resurces services prvided thrugh hsted r managed services cntracts, must cmply with accessibility requirements. Belw is a list f electrnic and infrmatin resurces that are specified as having t meet accessibility criteria. Sftware Applicatins and Operating Systems Telecmmunicatins Prducts Vide and Multimedia Prducts Self Cntained, Clsed Prducts Desktp and Prtable Cmputers 2
Infrmatin, Dcumentatin and Supprt Functinal Perfrmance Criteria fr EIR (1) At least ne mde f peratin and infrmatin retrieval that des nt require user visin shall be prvided, r supprt fr assistive technlgy used by peple wh are blind r visually impaired shall be prvided. (2) At least ne mde f peratin and infrmatin retrieval that des nt require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be prvided in audi and enlarged print utput wrking tgether r independently, r supprt fr assistive technlgy used by peple wh are visually impaired shall be prvided. (3) At least ne mde f peratin and infrmatin retrieval that des nt require user hearing shall be prvided, r supprt fr assistive technlgy used by peple wh are deaf r hard f hearing shall be prvided. (4) Where audi infrmatin is imprtant fr the use f a prduct, at least ne mde f peratin and infrmatin retrieval shall be prvided in an enhanced auditry fashin, r supprt fr assistive hearing devices shall be prvided. (5) At least ne mde f peratin and infrmatin retrieval that des nt require user speech shall be prvided, r supprt fr assistive technlgy used by peple with disabilities shall be prvided. (6) At least ne mde f peratin and infrmatin retrieval that des nt require fine mtr cntrl r simultaneus actins and that is perable with limited reach and strength shall be prvided. Purchasing frm Vendrs The Texas Department f Infrmatin Resurces has established master cntracts with vendrs wh are apprved t d business with UNTD. Departments may purchase resurces frm these vendrs in accrdance with EIRS. Resurces include sftware, hardware, printers, data strage and technlgy services. Nte: Vendrs are required t prvide infrmatin t the Texas Department f Infrmatin Resurces that ensures that they are cmpliant with EIRS rules. Exemptins/Exceptins Departments may seek exceptins fr meeting accessibility requirements if the rule impses significant difficulty r expense t UNTD. Examples f such exceptins are sle surce sftware that is critical t the peratin f a department r a research prject and that desn t meet accessibility standards, r a special- purpse (e.g., hardened laptp cmputer) that cannt be mdified t make it accessible. Exceptin requests must include the fllwing: A plan fr alternative means f access fr persns with disabilities Justificatin fr the exceptin including relevant cst avidance estimates 3
Exceptin requests must cmply with the requirements fr meeting an exceptin and must be sent t the EIRS Accessibility Crdinatr, wh will review the request and frward it t the President with a recmmendatin regarding adptin. Examples f Alternative Access Devices Prduct dcumentatin Vice Fax Teletypewriter Internet psting Captining Text- t- speech synthesis Audi descriptins Training The EIRS Accessibility Crdinatr will develp a training prgram t educate the UNTD cmmunity abut the need fr cmpliance with accessibility requirements as well the prcedures t fllw t adhere t thse requirements. Reference Infrmatin UNTD Plicy awaiting plicy number fr UNTD UNTD Electrnic and Infrmatin Resurces Accessibility Plicy #: t be determined Electrnic and Infrmatin Resurces Accessibility Standards Texas Administrative Cde, Title 1, Chapter 213 TAC 213.31-41: Electrnic and Infrmatin Resurces Accessibility Standards fr Institutins f Higher Educatin Web Sites Texas Administrative Cde, Title 1, Chapter 206 TAC 206.70-75: Institutin f Higher Educatin Web Sites Other Resurces Buy Accessible Wizard http://www.sectin508.gv/bawizard_tutrial/bawizard_framewrk.html The Buy Accessible Wizard is a tl that helps Federal Gvernment fficials wh acquire E&IT prducts r services make decisins that result in cmpliance with Sectin 508. It will create and maintain recrds fr use in slicitatin and demnstrating due diligence in cmpliance. 4
The Wizard helps yu acquire Electrnic and Infrmatin Technlgy (E&IT) prduct r service deliverables that best meet the standards f Sectin 508 fr accessibility by users with disabilities. It is a Web- based applicatin, available thrugh the Internet. Accessibility Tls See Tls lcated n the Statewide EIR Accessibility website develped by the Texas Department f Infrmatin Resurces Questins regarding the EIRS plan shuld be directed t EIRS Accessibility Crdinatr: Charltte Russell Directr f Management and Risk Services Infrmatin Technlgy Shared Services eirc@untsystem.edu 5