Accessible Technology

Laws & Regulations

 

Major Legislation

  1. Section 508 of the 1986 amendment to the 1973 Workforce Rehabilitation Act, as amended in Workforce Investment Act of 1998

  2. Refreshed in 2017 to incorporate the WCAG 2.0 Guidelines. See Overview of Proposed Refresh of the Section 508 Standards and Section 255 Guidelines for Information and Communication Technology

  3. Federal government and those receiving federal funds must procure, use, and maintain accessible electronic and information technology.

  4. Contains specific, enforceable standards for electronic and information technology.

  5. Resources: WebAIM, 508 Update, Access Board Section 508 Web Standards Guide

  6. California Government Code 11135 (d2)

    1. California state law SB105, signed into law in September of 2002, noted that anyone receiving state funds must also comply with Section 508. These 508 requirements have been incorporated into Government Code section 11135, which is the basic state nondiscrimination statute enforced by the Chancellor's Office. SB 105 removes any grey area that may have existed in the interpretation of Section 508 with respect to its jurisdiction over the California systems of higher education.

  7. Title 5 of the California Education Code

    1. 55205. Definitions and Application. (adopted July 2002 - replaces 55370)

    2. Distance education means instruction in which the instructor and student are separated by distance and interact through the assistance of communication technology. All distance education is subject to the general requirements of this chapter as well as the specific requirements of this article. In addition, instruction provided as distance education is subject to the requirements that may be imposed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12100 et seq.) and section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, (29 U.S.C. § 794d).

Related Legislation

  1. Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act

    1. Mandates equal access to services and programs offered by organizations receiving federal funding.

    2. Requires providing appropriate accommodations, per request, that effect a level playing field.

  2. ADA (1990): Has a broader scope than 504 with similar objectives.

 California Community College Guidelines

California Community Colleges Distance Education Accessibility Guidelines January 2011

SMC Board Policy and Administrative Regulations

  1. Board Policy 2410: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability

  2. AR 2512: Accessibility Standards for Electronic and Information Technology - Section 508