Administrative Organization

01:10:00 Digital Accessibility

The purpose of this policy is to set forth the laws, standards, and requirements the College must follow to ensure digital accessibility and to ensure continuous alignment with evolving accessibility best practices.
Scope - This policy applies to all digital platforms, systems, and communications created, maintained, or distributed by Chattanooga State Community College. This includes, but is not limited to, public‑facing and internal websites, web applications, mobile applications, instructional platforms, digital documents, multimedia content, email communications, and all other electronic information and communication technologies (EICT).
Definitions - The following are general definitions of terms used in this policy.
1. Accessible: 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.
2. Information and Communication Technology (ICT): the category of files, services, platforms, communication services, etc. that accessibility applies.
3. Universal Design (UD): a framework to improve and optimize the design of environments, products, and content so they can be used by the widest range of people without the need for adaptation.
4. WCAG 2.1 A & AA: WCAG 2.0 stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1. It is W3C’s web accessibility standards. Level A & AA are used for higher education institutions in Tennessee.
5. WCAG2ICT: WCAG2ICT stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 Information and Communication Technology. This document describes how to apply the principles, guidelines and success criteria to non-web information and communication technologies.
6. EPUB 3.0 Accessibility: EPUB ebook accessibility guidelines.
7. PDF/UA aligned with WCAG 2.1 A & AA: PDF accessibility guidelines aligned with WCAG 2.1 A & AA.
8. Compliance: Conformance with WCAG 2.1 AA and beyond to ensure accessiblity.
Accessibility Laws and Standards
1. Federal Law
  1. Section 504
  2. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
2. Tennessee Law
  1. House Bill 1857 (2013-2014)
3. Standards
Requirements of a Public Institution
1. As a public college, Chattanooga State Community College adheres to section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. ChattState is required to adhere to the 2014 TN HB1857 accessibility law. These laws specify the means by which the institution ensures compliance with these laws. If a future federal or state law applicable to the institution provides greater protections to persons with disabilities than WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA, this standard will be interpreted as requiring compliance with the provisions set forth in the law and any updated accessibility guidelines references therein.
Mission Statement
1. To provide persons with disabilities the opportunity to use instructional and informational materials and technologies that allow them to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as persons without disabilities in an equally effective and equally integrated manner and with substantially equivalent ease of use.
Requirements
1. Digital Accessibility Responsibility
  1. All employees are responsible for the accessibility of digital content they create and/or procure.
2. All colleges, departments and central units are responsible for ensuring access for students to their digital content and applications in accordance with current accessibility standards and universal design. This standard establishes minimum requirements for the accessibility of Electronic Information, Communication, and Technology necessary to meet the college’s goals and ensure compliance with applicable law. Departments are encouraged to periodically review legacy materials and update them for accessibility when content is revised, reused, or refreshed.
3. Specific applications are as follows, but not limited to:
  1. Websites
  2. Instructional materials, in house and vendor provided
  3. Documents
  4. Electronic media
  5. College Presentations
  6. Software, Hardware, IT Systems, Communication, Digital Content
Universal Design
1. Content and products should promote universal design and access, reducing the need for individual accommodations and ensuring seamless usability.
Digital Accessibility Issue Reporting
1. Institutional Effectiveness, Research & Planning is responsible for establishing and maintaining reporting mechanisms
2. Upon receipt of a report, the Director of Digital Accessibility, in coordination with the relevant division Vice President or their delegee, has the authority to evaluate the content and will mandate a timeline for remediation or removal of offending content.
Accessibility Training
1. The online accessibility training is required to be completed yearly by all employees at Chattanooga State Community College who participate in the process of creating or purchasing digital content.
2. New employee orientation must include accessibility training requirements.
In-House Information Technology and Communication (ICT)
1. All digital communication internally and externally as a representative of ChattState should be created with accessibility principles in mind. This includes email body, instant messaging, attachments, links, etc.
2. All digital content, services, and platforms created by ChattState employees have to be created with accessibility as part of the process.
Purchasing, Vendor Contracts, and Renewals
1. Accessibility documentation must be requested from all vendors before any third-party ICT product can be considered for purchase.
  1. When applicable, digital products should be reviewed or tested with common assistive technology to help identify potential barriers before adoption.
2. All contracts and renewals go through the Purchase of Contracted Products Process (see attached Document A flow chart).
  1. Vendors should provide accessibility documentation (e.g., a VPAT and accessibility statement) whenever available to support procurement review.
3. Alternate Access Plans are required for all third-party ICT that has any standards marked as partially supports or does not support by vendor.
Content for Teaching
1. Content created by instructors must be created using current accessibility standards.
  1. Any inaccessible content must have an alternative Access Plan with required signatures.
    1. Alternative Access Plans are usually temporary measures and do not exempt content or tools from eventual accessibility compliance. When created for material created for material in house there is required to be a realistic timeline for remediation.
  2. Instructions and principles for creating accessible content are included in the required Accessibility Training Course.
  3. Vendor content must go through the Use of Vendor Content Process (see the attached Document A flow chart) for non-contract procurement.
Not Technically Feasible Exemptions (Completed Alternative Access Plan Required)
1. Third-party ICT note: This category of exemption applies in very rare, and due diligence must be observed towards trying to collect documentation for accessibility documentation review.
  1. Requestor researches and confirms there are no acceptable accessible products available.
2. Internal ICT creation: This category of exemption applies in very rarely, and due diligence must be observed towards the creation of accessible ICT by the responsible ChattState employee.
3. Hardware and software exceptions are as follows:
  1. Tools specific to a research or development process in which no member of the research or development team requires accessibility accommodations. The lead investigator must document that, upon inquiry, no members of the research or development team identified themselves as requiring an accommodation.
  2. No equivalent accessible option is available (non-availability). All colleges, departments, central units, and project leads are responsible for documenting the following efforts in verifying compliance with this exception.
  3. Alternative products with similar required functionality that do not provide additional accessibility are identified.
  4. Alternative products that are accessible but do not meet functionality requirements are identified.
  5. Products required by an accrediting agency.
Forms/Instructions
1. Current forms hosted on TBR Accessibility Initiative webpage.
2. Accessibility Instructional Materials and Technology database (available through Tigerweb > Tigertools Faculty/Staff tile > Accessibility Instructional Materials and Technology link.
Policy Review Cycle
1. This policy will be reviewed at least annually, and updated sooner if federal or state accessibility standards, WCAG guidelines, or system‑level directives change.
Contacts
1. Vice President, IERP
2. Vice President, Academic Affairs
3. Director, Digital Accessibility, IERP
4. Director, CAADS
5. Director, Functional Solutions
6. Director, Purchasing
7. Contracts Officer

Submitted to Policy Review Committee on March 2, 2026

Submitted to Policy Review Board on April 13, 2026

Approved by Policy Review Board on April 29, 2026

Previous Version

Submitted to Policy Review Committee: 2019.02.18

Submitted to Policy Review Board: 2019.04.08

Approved by Policy Review Board: 2019.04.24 as Academic Affairs Policy 02:13:05, Digital Accessibility

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Administrative Organization

01:10:00 Digital Accessibility