Digital Accessibility Policy

Purpose

William & Mary is committed to providing equal access to information and communication technology (ICT) and digital content in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, as well as other applicable state and federal laws and regulations. The aim of this policy is to ensure equitable access for individuals with disabilities while improving usability in general for all faculty, staff, students, and members of the university community accessing programs, activities, and services through digital means,  

Scope

This policy applies to all Information and Communication Technology (ICT) used, developed, maintained or procured by William & Mary, including the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (the university). 
 
This policy applies to all university-affiliated individuals responsible for creating, managing, or distributing digital content including faculty, students, staff, contractors and vendors.  

Policy Statement

University digital content and information and communication technologies (ICT) must be accessible to individuals with disabilities and in compliance with applicable state and federal laws and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). 

Compliance & Exceptions

While all digital content and ICT should conform to accessibility standards, certain academic or technical constraints may require exceptions. . Any deviation from this policy or the use of different standards requires coordination and approval from Information Technology, Procurement Services, and the Office of Compliance and Equity to remain compliant with the requirements of this policy.   

Failure to comply with this policy may result in non-compliance with federal or state laws and could result in an investigation or action by an external agency. Failure to comply with the requirements of this policy may result in disciplinary action and other corrective measures such as remediation requirements at the expense of the department responsible. 
Questions about this policy can be directed to the Office of Compliance and Equity.  

Authority and Amendment, Implementation 

Information Technology is responsible for interpretation and enforcement of this policy and is permitted to make minor and technical amendments.  

Definition of Terms introduced in this policy

• Accessible (Accessibility): Individuals with disabilities can independently acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services within the same timeframe as individuals without disabilities, with substantially equivalent ease of use.  
• Digital Content: Any media transmitted or displayed through ICT which includes but not limited to websites, streaming audio/video, images, and documents.  
• Disability(ies): A mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.  
  • Major Life Activities: Include, but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working. A major life activity also includes the operation of a major bodily function, including but not limited to, functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions.  
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT): ICT includes any equipment, software, or system used for acquiring, creating, converting, displaying, storing, processing, transmitting, or managing digital content or date. This encompasses, but is not limited to websites and web applications, course materials and learning management systems (LMS), software and mobile applications, online forms and surveys, electronic documents (PDFs, word documents, spreadsheets), multimedia (videos, audio content, images, virtual events), digital hardware interfaces, and social media platforms.  
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): The globally recognized standard for digital accessibility compliance.  
  Additional terms and definitions refer to the Glossary. 

Related Policies & Procedures

• IT’s Digital Accessibility Resources page 

To report concerns about digital accessibility, individuals can:  

• Report a barrier 

Questions? 

Contact the Technology Support Center (TSC)
757-221-4357 (HELP) | support@wm.edu | Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm