Digital Media Accessibility Policy

Muhlenberg College Digital Media Accessibility Policy

Responsible Offices: 

Office of Information Technology: [email protected]

Office of Communications & Marketing: [email protected]

Office of Disability Services: [email protected]

Contents 

 

Policy Statement

This policy establishes standards for the accessibility and usability of web-based and other digital content and services to ensure compliance with applicable local, state and federal regulations and laws

Reason for Policy

Muhlenberg College is committed to ensuring equal access to information, programs, and activities through its technologies, web pages, services and resources for all its constituencies.

Who Should Read this Policy

All College employees who support college business and academic activities through College-branded and affiliated web properties, learning and marketing platforms, mass email, and social media

Resources

Muhlenberg College has identified helpful hints, resources and trainings for faculty, staff and students that will assist in adhering to this policy.

Definitions

  • Assistive Technologies: Assistive Technology includes but is not limited to any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
  • College business and academic activities: College business and academic activities refer to those activities that students, employees, faculty, visitors, and the general public must access in order to effectively participate in a program, service, or activity offered by the College. It also refers to recipients of marketing outreach for Muhlenberg College business purposes as well as to consumers of content on social media and other third-party digital platforms used by and branded under the auspices of the College.
  • Equally Effective: Equally effective means that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals with disabilities receive the same benefits or services as their nondisabled peers. Access is considered equally effective under this policy where it communicates the same information and provides equivalent functions in as timely a fashion as does the web page or resource and affords persons with disabilities equal opportunity to achieve the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same level of achievement, in the most integrated setting appropriate to the person’s needs. Providing equally effective access does not require that the alternate means provides the identical result or level of achievement for persons with and without disabilities.
  • College Committee on Technology and Digital Learning (CCTDL): The CCTDL will coordinate efforts to improve the accessibility of Muhlenberg Information Technology. The CCTDL will be made up of faculty and staff from departments across Muhlenberg College.
  • College Digital Property: Any digital tool operated by or for Muhlenberg College purposes that provides content and/or functionality related to College business or academic activities.
  • Digital Accessibility: The practice of making digital content accessible by applying specific principles to design, production and programming that enable assistive technologies to function properly.

The Policy

All digital content created, designed, or modified by the College, its faculty, staff and its vendors in support of Muhlenberg College business and/or on Muhlenberg College-owned platforms must comply with legal standards established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) [link] and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act [link], which stipulate that Public and private colleges, universities, and other postsecondary institutions must take appropriate steps to ensure that communications with individuals with disabilities are as effective as communications with others, including providing appropriate auxiliary aids and services.

Guides and Standards

  • Social media should conform to the practices outlined by the U.S. General Services Administration in its accessibility toolkit. 
  • Email marketing should conform to the standards set by [link].

Additional Information and Guidance:

Language

Each Muhlenberg College web page must include the following statement, in plain text:

Muhlenberg is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any accessibility issues with Muhlenberg web sites to: [email address] or complete the form linked here [link].

Roles and Responsibilities

Compliance with the law is a shared responsibility. Individuals using digital tools on behalf of the College as well as their vendors, managers and College leadership will maintain these tools’ accessibility to legal standards. Staff and faculty managing vendor relationships are responsible, in consultation with the Business Office, for stipulating compliance with legal standards in contracts for service. Offices managing digital tools and platforms will submit annual updates on their compliance with accessibility law and policy. Periodically, the Offices of Information Technology, Disability Services, and Communications will review or audit tools, platforms, and content for compliance.

Policy Exemptions

Individual web pages published by students, faculty, staff, or non-College organizations that do not conduct College-related business are encouraged to adopt the College’s policy and standards but fall outside the jurisdiction of this policy.

These standards apply to accessibility-related functions. Digital platforms may be subject to additional laws and regulations, such as the CAN-SPAM Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

 

Last Revised: 01/29/2024
Contact Us

Office of Communications & Marketing

Email [email protected] Telephone 484-664-3230
Address Muhlenberg College Communications 2400 Chew Street Allentown, PA 18104