Higher Education

TASSCC 2024: Is Accessibility an Obligation or Opportunity?

By Sanjay Nasta | July 5, 2024 | |

Are you attending the TASSCC 2024? Don’t miss our CTO, Hiram Kuykendall, and Tammy Gardiner, CISA – Executive Director of Digital Accessibility at the University of Houston System. They will present on “Is Accessibility an Obligation or Opportunity,” discussing the transformative shift from a reactive to a proactive approach in digital accessibility. This evolution not only addresses compliance with legal standards but also actively seeks to improve support for students and faculty with[…]

8 Key Elements for Creating a Culture of Accessibility

By Sanjay Nasta | February 3, 2022 | |

Jeff Kline is the author of Strategic IT Accessibility: Enabling the Organization and is a recognized subject matter expert in key areas of IT accessibility that includes policy, rulemaking, process integration, procurement, and risk mitigation. He formerly served as Program Director of Statewide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility at the Texas Department of Information Resources. Jeff consults on IT accessibility policy matters for federal and state agencies, educational institutions,[…]

Why Every Product Needs a VPAT

By Sanjay Nasta | February 27, 2023 | |

In today’s purchasing market, accessibility is an increasingly important factor for companies looking to sell their products and services to government agencies, universities, and other organizations that care about accessibility. Many organizations now require a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) during the purchasing process to assess the accessibility of a product or service and determine if it meets their accessibility requirements. A VPAT is a document that provides detailed information on the accessibility of a product[…]

Why Accessibility Matters When Buying Technology (and Other Most Asked Questions)

By Sanjay Nasta | September 6, 2022 | |

We surveyed our CTO Hiram Kuykendall and accessibility policy expert Kathy Keller on some of the often-asked questions we hear from both purchasers and public sector contractors faced with ensuring accessibility during the technology purchasing process. Why Accessibility Matters Josh and Lauren, who have been blind their entire lives, recount their experiences on how living with disabilities influences their everyday lives. They also discuss the significance of web and app[…]

Accessibility Policy Implementation: What You Need to Know

By Sanjay Nasta | March 30, 2022 | |

Kathy Keller is a fierce advocate of disability rights. She has worked on accessibility issues in the public, non-profit and private sectors. She was the Accessibility Coordinator at the Department of Family and Protective Services. Kathy is a “policy wonk” now, but began her career in accessibility in 2001 as a web developer/web administrator at Texas Parks and Wildlife. For 3 years, she was the Accessibility and Disability Rights Coordinator[…]

Determining Accessibility Under the Texas Administrative Code

By Hiram Kuykendall | March 22, 2022 | |

A Primer for Managing Digital Accessibility Requirements in Higher Education Those familiar with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act may know that the law applies to federal agencies. However, given the degree of federal funds that make their way to state programs and public higher education, many states have passed legislation and policies that reference the compliance standards of the federal law and rules for applying at the state level. […]

VPAT: What Technology Vendors Need to Know

By Sanjay Nasta | June 18, 2024 | |

Title II Alert Public sector organizations under ADA Title II jurisdiction must purchase WCAG 2.1 Level AA products starting April 24, 2026. Vendors supplying products and services to states, cities, public institutions of higher education, and other covered entities should take time to assess risk and develop a strategy. Our ADA policy teams are available to discuss your organization’s concerns regarding the new Title II changes. We have created a[…]

Understanding Digital Accessibility in the Procurement Process

By Hiram Kuykendall | September 23, 2020 | |

This post adapted from the article, “Understanding Accessibility in the Procurement Process” originally published in the September 2020 issue of Mealey’s™ Litigation Report: Cyber Tech & E-Commerce. Mealey’s is a subscription-based information provider and a division of LexisNexis. Why Digital Accessibility Matters Public sector entities such as the federal government, state government, and higher education institutions are required by various laws to try and procure products that are usable by[…]

VPAT 2.X, The Evolution of the Accessibility Conformance Report | Part One: An Overview

By Hiram Kuykendall | November 21, 2019 | |

*NOTE: The Information Technology Industry Council has released subsequent minor VPAT revisions, available on the ITIC VPAT® web page. The Current VPAT Version 2.4 was released February 2020. Last reviewed / updated: 4/30/2021 This post adapted from the article, “VPAT 2.X, The Evolution of the Accessibility Conformance Report,” originally published in the November 2019 issue of Mealey’s™ Litigation Report: Cyber Tech & E-Commerce. Mealey’s is a subscription-based information provider and a[…]

Accessibility in the News, Legal Edition: Updates on ADA Title III News and More

By Jack McElaney | March 28, 2023 | |

This “Accessibility in the News, Legal Edition” page offers an ongoing collection of articles primarily related to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) news and analysis. Please bookmark this page to keep up to date on legal developments related to disabilities. Also, if you have a web page focused on disabilities, civil rights, or web development, we would appreciate a link back to this resource. Thank you! ADA News: Updates on[…]