Web and Digital Content Accessibility Policy

Policy Summary

The George Washington University ("GW" or "university") is committed to supporting an information technology environment that provides individuals with disabilities equal access to Digital Content and functionality, including University Website(s), which support the university’s programs, activities, and services.

To provide individuals with disabilities equal access to the university’s programs, activities, and services, all Digital Content and functionality, including University Website(s), developed, purchased, or used, will either conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines or be made available to users on request in an Equally Effective and Accessible Alternative manner.

Related Regulations

The George Washington University is committed to providing all Digital Content and functionality, including University Website(s), necessary for participating in university programs, services, or activities in an accessible manner to all users, including persons with disabilities pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

Who is Governed by this Policy

• Students
• Staff
• Faculty
• Visitors
• University academic and administrative units and third-party vendors that create, procure, and maintain Digital Content, including University Website(s), and functionality used in the programs, activities, and services of the university

Policy

All existing university Digital Content and functionality, including University Website(s), must meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines unless an Undue Financial or Administrative Burden or Fundamental Alteration is demonstrated. All new Digital Content and functionality developed for the university and all purchases of third-party products with Digital Content and functionality are required to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. All hardware, software, programs, or other information technology procured to support access to university programs, services, or activities also must conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Conformity with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines may create an Undue Financial or Administrative Burden or Fundamental Alteration due to the nature of the content, the purpose of the resource, the lack of accessible solutions, or an unreasonably high administrative or financial cost necessary to make the resource meet that goal. These difficulties do not necessarily relieve university programs or activities from meeting applicable legal obligations to provide reasonable accommodations to users in regard to access to the content and services provided. In the event of an established Undue Financial or Administrative Burden or a Fundamental Alteration, university academic and administrative units and other owners of Digital Content related to university programs, services, and activities must be prepared to provide Equally Effective Alternative Access in a suitable alternative format or manner upon request. An Undue Financial or Administrative Burden and a Fundamental Alteration will be assessed and established by an administrative review facilitated by the Office of Ethics, Compliance, and Risk.

Individuals with reports or questions concerning Digital Content accessibility related to university programs, services, or activities, can contact the Office of Ethics, Compliance, and Risk via email at complygwu [dot] edu (comply[at]gwu[dot]edu) or phone at (202) 994-3386 or submit through the Barrier to Accessibility Report Form. The Office of Ethics, Compliance, and Risk will work with the appropriate university academic and administrative unit or other content owner to provide access to the content in question and resolve the accessibility issue.

When a university academic and administrative unit or other content owner receives notice of a Digital Content accessibility complaint under their control, or content is determined to be inaccessible, the content owner has thirty (30) days to address the issue. If the accessibility issue is not addressed within thirty (30) days of the notice, the university reserves the right to take the content offline until the issue is resolved.

Definitions

Digital Content: Digital content or media is information available for download or distribution on electronic media and includes many forms, from text, audio, and video files, to graphics, animations, and images.

Equally Effective Alternative Access: An alternative format or medium that communicates the same information in as timely and effective a fashion as does the original format or medium.

Fundamental Alteration: A change so significant that it affects the essential nature of the instruction, program, or activity provided.

Undue Financial or Administrative Burden: A significant disruption, expense, or difficulty that may result by the provision of accessible information technology.

University Website(s): Websites and other online and social media platforms that are hosted on university servers or otherwise associated with the George Washington University.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines: A series of standards for digital accessibility developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), including Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1, Conformance Level AA, promotes usability and best practices for web access to individuals with disabilities.

Forms

• Barrier to Accessibility Report Form

Related Information

• Accessibility at GW
• Disability Support Services
• Disability Policy
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
• GW Web Content Policy
• GW Identity Standards & Guidelines
• Website Terms of Use
• Social Media Policy
• GW Editorial Style Guide

Contacts

Contact	Phone Number	Email Address
Office of Ethics, Compliance, and Risk	202-994-3386	complygwu [dot] edu