Accessibility

Website Accessibility Policy

With regard to the NDIT-EduTech websites and their official web presences, NDIT-EduTech is committed to compliance with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 and Title II, so that visitors with disabilities are able to independently acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same benefits and services within the same timeframe as those without disabilities, with substantially equivalent ease of use; and that they are not excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination in any NDIT-EduTech  programs, services, and activities delivered online.

All existing web content produced by NDIT-EduTech and new, updated, and existing web content provided by third-party developers, must conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA standards, or updated equivalents, by no later than January 18, 2018. NDIT-EduTech bears no responsibility for accessibility of resources of schools, organizations or entities to which they provide services, however they reserve the right to make accessibility a requirement for grant or service eligibility in cases where funding sources may carry those requirements.

The NDIT-EduTech Director, or their designate, is responsible for periodically reviewing and evaluating new material that is published by NDIT-EduTech staff and uploaded to the website for accessibility. The NDIT-EduTech Director, or their designate, shall assist any staff with publishing or uploading accessible material should assistance be needed.

The NDIT-EduTech Director, or their designate, is responsible for reviewing all areas of the NDIT-EduTech websites and evaluating its accessibility on a periodic basis, and at least once per quarter. Non-conforming webpages will be identified and corrected in a timely manner.

Web Accessibility Grievance Policy and Procedure 

A member of the public who wishes to submit a complaint or grievance regarding a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 or Title II related to the accessibility of any official NDIT-EduTech web presence may communicate directly to the NDIT-EduTech Director, or their designate. The initial complaint or grievance should be made using the approved grievance form (see below) however, a verbal complaint or grievance may be made. If a non-written complaint is made, it will be transcribed and provided back to the complainant for verification before action is initiated.

Once NDIT-EduTech has been notified of inaccessible content, whether through notification of grievance, or some other means, access to the needed information shall be provided as soon as possible to the reporting party. With appropriate exceptions for privacy and security, the complainant should not have to wait for the investigation of the complaint to be concluded before receiving the information that he/she was unsuccessful in accessing.

Complaints or grievances should be submitted in writing, via email, or by completing the approved grievance form (see below). To file a complaint or grievance regarding the inaccessibility of the NDIT-EduTech public website content, the complainant should submit a description of the problem, including:

1. Complainant’s Name;
2. Complainant’s Address;
3. Date of the complaint;
4. Description of the problem encountered;
5. Clear and accurate description of the Web address or location of the problem page;
6. Solution desired; and
7. Contact information in case more details are needed (email and phone number.)

The complaint or grievance must be investigated by the NDIT-EduTech Director, or another individual designated for this task. The complainant must be contacted no later than five (5) working days following the date the website accessibility coordinator receives the information. The procedures to be followed are:

1. An investigation of the complaint must be completed within fifteen (15) working days. Extension of the timeline may be approved only by the NDIT-EduTech Director.
2. The investigator shall prepare a written report of the findings and conclusions within five (5) working days of the completion of the investigation.
3. The investigator shall contact the complainant upon conclusion of the investigation to discuss the findings and conclusions and actions to be taken as a result of the investigation.
4. A record of each complaint and grievance made pursuant to this policy must be maintained by the ND Educational Technology Council. The record shall include a copy of the complaint or grievance filed, report of findings from the investigation, and the disposition of the matter.