Policy Approval Authority | President |
Responsible University Office | Ethics and Compliance Office |
Responsible Officer(s) | Information Technology Accessibility Officer |
Contact Person | Katy Whitelaw |
Primary Audience |
Faculty
Staff Administration |
Status | Active |
Last Review Date | 05-18-2021 |
Policy Category/Categories |
Faculty & Academics
Finance / Risk Management Human Resources / Employment Information Technology Student Affairs |
NIU is committed to providing an accessible, usable, and integrated experience for all people. Therefore, NIU requires that all electronic and information technology (EIT) procured, developed, maintained or used be accessible, as defined in applicable law, so that all members of the NIU community can make the fullest use of its EIT. NIU relies on administrators, faculty and staff to work toward providing equal access to all EIT. When NIU procures, develops, maintains, or uses EIT, it will identify the needs of users with disabilities to determine:
Purchasers, developers and maintainers of EIT at NIU are required to abide by the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act (IITAA), the IITAA 2.0 Standards, and the IITAA 2.0 Techniques for EIT developed, procured, or substantially modified by NIU on or after January 18, 2018.
For EIT procured and developed before January 18, 2018, and not modified after January 18, 2018, NIU is required to use the IITAA 1.0 Standards, IITAA Implementation Guidelines for Web-Based Information and Applications, and the IITAA Procurement Recommendations for compliance with the IITAA. NIU encourages university developers and purchasers of EIT to strive to meet the IITAA 2.0 Standards and Techniques even for EIT developed or purchased before January 18, 2018 where reasonable.
The IITAA defines EIT as “electronic information, software, systems, and equipment used in the creation, manipulation, storage, display, or transmission of data, including internet and intranet systems; software applications; operating systems; video and multimedia; telecommunications products; kiosks; information transaction machines; copiers; printers; and desktop and portable computers.”
EIT at NIU must be accessible to people who are:
Accessible means that a person with disabilities is able to independently use electronic and information technology, in the same time frame as those without disabilities, to:
IITAA Additional Purchasing Resources are also available for consideration.
In developing or maintaining/updating current EIT, DoIT will include accessibility in its Architectural Review. In addition, standards, implementation guidelines, techniques, and procurement recommendations under the IITAA 2.0 must be reviewed and adhered to, where applicable. Those authorities are as follows:
NIU purchasers and/or purchasing departments can seek exceptions to the requirement to make EIT accessible, as defined under applicable law.
The law recognizes these exceptions:
The EIT Accessibility Exception Acknowledgment and Plan for an Equally Effective Alternative forms on file will serve as a record of the fact that the product is an exception to our accessible technology standards.
Policy on Purchasing, Developing, Maintaining and Using Accessible Electronic and Information Technology adopted 1/18/2018
The two policies were combined in May 2021.
Policy Library
815-753-5560
policy-library@niu.edu
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