UTA Legal Docs

IT-PO-05 Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility Policy

I. Title

Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility Policy 

II. Policy

Aligned with The University of Texas at Arlington’s (UTA or University) values and guiding principles, and as required by law, UTA strives to ensure its entire community has effective access to Electronic and Information Resources (EIR). 

The administration of the University’s EIR Accessibility program is delegated to the Electronic and Information Resources Accessibility Coordinator (EIRAC) and is implemented through the operations of the Office of Information Technology (OIT). 

Compliance with the EIR Accessibility program policies, procedures, guidelines and applicable laws and regulations is a shared responsibility for all members of the University community. 

Examples of EIR covered by this policy include, but are not limited to, websites, software, online services, electronic documents, videos, and electronic equipment such as information kiosks, telephones, and digital signs. 

A. Website Technical Accessibility Standards (1 Texas Administrative Code § 206)

As a State of Texas institution of higher education, the University’s web pages must be accessible to people with disabilities. 

All new or changed web pages must be accessible by complying with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) A/AA 2.0 excluding Guideline 1.2 Time Based Media. 

To learn how the University monitors web page accessibility, refer to UTA Procedure IT-PR-05 Electronic Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility. 

UTA Policy IT-PO-04 Web Standards Policy, and UTA Procedure IT-PR-04 Web Standards Procedure, provide additional requirements governing University websites, including domain name registration and hosting requirements. 

B. EIR Technical Accessibility Standards (1 Texas Administrative Code § 213)

EIR used, procured, prescribed, developed, maintained, or changed by UTA must comply with the following standards referenced in 36 C.F.R. § 1194 Appendix C, per 1 Tex. Admin. Code § 213, Subchapter C. As reference, a summary of these standards is listed below. 

A review of the resource by the EIRAC team is required prior to departmental purchase/use to ensure compliance with the Tex. Admin. Code rules shown below. Employees should follow the UTA Procedure IT-PR-05 Electronic & Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility, to submit a resource for review or contact the EIRAC at eirac@uta.edu for assistance. 

If necessary, the EIRAC team will work with the department to document an exception for use of a non-compliant resource. (See Section II. C below for more information regarding exceptions.) 

EIR CategoryTex. Admin. Code
Software Applications and Operating Systems1 Tex. Admin. Code § 213.30
Telecommunications Products1 Tex. Admin. Code 213.31
Video and Multimedia1 Tex. Admin. Code 213.32
Hardware1 Tex. Admin. Code 213.33
Functional Performance Criteria Requirements1 Tex. Admin. Code 213.35
Support Documentation and Services1 Tex. Admin. Code 213.36
Compliance Exceptions and Exemptions1 Tex. Admin. Code 213.37
Procurement1 Tex. Admin. Code § 213.38
Accessibility Training, Technical Assistance and Job Descriptions1 Tex. Admin. Code 213.39
Accessibility Survey and Reporting Requirements1 Tex. Admin. Code § 213.40

C. Plan, Exemptions and Exceptions

The University monitors website compliance for accessibility. Refer to UTA Procedure IT-PR-05 Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility Procedure for details regarding this tool. Contact eirac@uta.edu for user access to the monitoring tool. 

The Department of Information Resources (DIR) for the State of Texas specifies EIR that is exempt from the standards and specifications of all or part of 1 Tex. Admin. Code § 206 and/or 1 Tex. Admin. Code § 213. No other agency or vendor has the authority to claim a resource is exempt from these standards. Visit the DIR’s Accessibility Requirements, Exceptions, and Exemptions webpage for the current list of EIR exempt from these standards. 

The University has developed a process for handling exception requests for all EIR, per 1 Tex. Admin. Code § 206.70 and 1 Tex. Admin. Code § 213.30. Refer to UTA Procedure IT-PR-05 Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility, for exception process details, including corrective action plans or contact eirac@uta.edu. 

D. EIR Accessibility Coordinator (EIRAC) and Accessibility Coordination Team for EIR Remediation (ACTER)

The University President has designated an EIRAC to facilitate institution wide EIR accessibility compliance and practices in support of the University’s accessibility policy, as required by 1 Tex. Admin. Code § 213.41. 

The Accessibility Coordination Team for EIR Remediation (ACTER) Committee was formed for the purpose of assisting the EIRAC in achieving compliance with 1 Tex. Admin. Code § 206 and 1 Tex. Admin. Code § 213, UT System Policy UTS 150 Access by Persons with Disabilities to Electronic and Information Resources Procured or Developed by The University of Texas System Administration and The University of Texas System Institutions, and the related UT System Office of General Counsel (OGC) Bulletins. The ACTER Committee reviews exceptions issued for EIR used by the University. 

III. Definitions

  • Accessibility: Refers to barrier-free access to information regardless of disabilities. 
  • ACTER: Accessibility Coordination Team for EIR Remediation, a University-wide committee that assists the EIRAC in achieving compliance with applicable laws. 
  • Department of Information Resources: The Texas state agency responsible for electronic information resources accessibility compliance. 
  • Disability or Disabilities: Used as a legal term, not a medical term. A permanent or temporary physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. 
    • Examples of permanent disabilities may include blindness, deafness, colorblindness, or epilepsy. 
    • Examples of a temporary disability may include having cataracts, a broken hand or short-term impairments following surgery. 
  • Electronic and Information Resources (EIR): Electronic and information resources that include a graphic user interface. 
    • Examples of EIR include, but are not limited to, software, software as a service, on-line resources/services, videos, electronic documents including email, surveys and forms, and electronic equipment. 
  • Section 508: The technical standards issued by the US Access Board implementing Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 794(d). In particular, the standards related to web accessibility (WCAG 2.0 AA) contained in 36 C.F.R. § 1194. 
  • State website: a website that is connected to the Internet and is owned, funded, or operated by or for a state agency or institution of higher education, including key public entry points. 
  • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): Guidelines for making content accessible to individuals with disabilities. 
  • Web Page: Presentation of state website content, including documents and files containing text, graphics, sounds, video, or other content, that is accessed through a web browser. 

IV. Relevant Federal and State Statutes

  • Title 36 C.F.R. Parks, Forests, and Public Property, Chapter XI Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, § 1194 Information and Communication Technology Standards and Guidelines, Appendix C Functional Performance Criteria and Technical Requirements 
  • U.S. Code, Title 29, Chapter 16, Subchapter V, § 794(d) Electronic and Information Technology 
  • U.S Code, Title 42, Chapter 126 Equal Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities, Subchapter II Public Services, Part A Prohibition Against Discrimination and Other Generally Applicable Provisions, §12131 Definitions, et seq. 
  • U.S. Code, Title 42, Chapter 126 Equal Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities, Subchapter III Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities, §12181 Definitions, et seq. 
  • Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 794(d) 
  • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) A/AA 2.0 
  • Texas Administrative Code, Title 1 Administration, Part 10 Department of Information Resources, Chapter 206 State Websites, Subchapter C Institution of Higher Education Websites, § 206.70 Accessibility 
  • Texas Administrative Code, Title 1 Administration, Part 10 Department of Information Resources, Chapter 213 Electronic and Information Resources, Subchapter C Accessibility Standards for Institutions of Higher Education 

V. Relevant UTA and UT System Policies, Procedures and Forms

  • UTA Policy IT-PO-04 Web Standards Policy 
  • UTA Procedure IT-PR-04 Web Standards Procedure 
  • UTA Procedure IT-PR-05 Electronic Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility Procedure 
  • Technology Approval Process Request Form 
  • UT System Policy UTS 150 Access by Persons with Disabilities to Electronic and Information Resources Procured or Developed by The University of Texas System Administration and The University of Texas System Institutions. 
  • UT System Office of General Counsel Bulletin 2006-1 Access by Persons with Disabilities to Electronic and Information Resources Procured by The University of Texas System Administration and The University of Texas System Institutions 
  • UT System Office of General Counsel Bulletin 2009-1 Access by Persons with Disabilities to Electronic and Information Resources Developed by The University of Texas System Administration and The University of Texas System Institutions 

VI. Who Should Know

All employees of the University are responsible for ensuring that the electronic and information resources they develop, procure, use, maintain, change, or prescribe are accessible to people with disabilities or have an approved exception on file with the EIR Accessibility Office. 

VII. UTA Office(s) Responsible for Policy

  • Responsible Officer: EIR Accessibility Coordinator 
  • Sponsoring Department: Office of Information Technology 

VIII. Dates Approved or Amended

January 2, 2023 

IX. Contact Information

All questions regarding this policy should be directed to: EIR Accessibility Coordinator at EIRAC@uta.edu 

Send notifications of errors or changes to: policysite@uta.edu