Carnegie Mellon University
Office of the CIO  ›  Digital Accessibility Office  ›  Policy Guidance

Policy Guidelines

Definitions

Electronic and information technology (EIT) includes information resources such as web pages, websites, and databases, electronic files and computer-based applications that allow software and users to interact, and services employing information technology and telecommunications equipment.


Accessible - For purposes of this policy, EIT is considered to be accessible when a person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective and equally integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use.


University Programs and Activities - Any program or activity that is offered or organized  by a university administrative or academic department or where the university has substantial control over the program or activity.

More Information

Read the full Digital Accessibility Policy.

Questions should be directed to the Digital Accessibility Office at digital-access@cmu.edu or 412-268-2638.

Application

Electronic and information technology (EIT) must adhere to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. EIT may include but is not limited to:

  • Websites and applications
  • Multimedia content (including videos, animations, and recorded audio)
  • Course content and training materials
  • Electronic publications and e-books
  • Documents (including text documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, online collaborative documents, etc.)
  • Email (including newsletters and marketing materials)
  • Mobile applications
  • Software applications and systems

Standards and Best Practices

All public-facing websites and web-based applications used for current CMU programs and activities must conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA Success Criteria .
 
All internal websites and web-based applications, as well as public-facing websites for past or inactive programs and activities, are expected to conform with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 AA ). These principles, guidelines, and success criteria are our core technical standards for digital accessibility. The Digital Accessibility Office has discretion to approve alternative accessibility standards for specific EIT, such as Section 508 accessibility standards, WebAIM’s Principles of Accessible Design, and WCAG 2.0 AA.

It is recommended that non-web information and communications technologies (ICT) adhere to the Guidance on Applying WCAG 2.0 to Non-Web Information and Communications Technologies (WCAG2ICT). 

Documents, including course content, should adhere to these best practices. 
 
Digital accessibility must be considered in the procurement process for all widely used digital products.

Remediation of Existing EIT

All new EIT, as well as all EIT used for academic instruction, is expected to adhere to standards, as described above, and to the best practices outlined on this website on the date of first use or publication. 
 
As existing EIT is modified, it should be tested and brought up to current standards before reuse or republication.  
 
All EIT is subject to reasonable accommodation requests. If remediation is required to meet an accommodation, a timeline will be given with the request. If a reasonable accommodation need cannot be met in a timely manner due to the scope of needed remediation, the user needing the reasonable accommodation will be provided with an alternative and effective means of accessing the information and services provided by the EIT.