Accessibility at SBCTC
SBCTC Accessibility Statement
In accordance with federal law and state policy, SBCTC is committed to providing access to its programs and services for people with disabilities, including students, employees, and the general public. This includes information and communication technologies (ICT), and content of this website.
The Washington state community and technical colleges Accessible Technology Policy: Vision, Mission, Policy Statement and Recommendations for Adoption was approved by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges in March 2016. The policy outlines the system-wide commitment to provide equal, effective, and meaningful access to the benefits of technology for individuals with disabilities.
To meet this commitment, we aim to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Conformance Level AA WaTech’s Accessibility Policy Number USER-01-01-S, formally known as Policy 188.
Get Accessibility Help
If you experience a barrier that affects your ability to access SBCTC websites, videos, on-line forms, or other IT, please contact us and report the problem using either of these methods.
Send a detailed message to the SBCTC Webmaster, and it will be sent to a team member who can address your needs. You will receive an email response confirming receipt of your message and information about next steps.
Complete the web form located on this page.
Do you need accessibility support with a specific SBCTC application? We are here to help.
If you have any accessibility challenges with ctcLink or HCX (the mobile version), please let us know by submitting a ticket or sending an email to csoran@sbctc.edu. Include what page you were on, what you were trying to do, what error or issue happened, and what assistive technology you are using. We want to make sure you have an accessibility-friendly experience with ctcLink!
Employees
If you want to keep up with the latest ctcLink accessibility news, you are invited to the monthly ctcLink accessibility forum. You can also check out the accessibility image overview documents that give the details of all the accessibility updates that come with each ctcLink upgrade.
Students
Please email csoran@sbctc.edu if you have any accessibility issues with ctcLink.
If you need any accessibility support with LegacyLink or Legacy Transcripts, submit a ticket with the details of the issue.
Request a Disability Accommodation
To request a disability accommodation, alternative formats, or other disability related help, please email access@sbctc.edu. Your request will be sent to the appropriate staff member. You can also call Monica Olsson at 360-704-3922.
New DOJ Ruling: ADA Title II Background
Public entities often deliver services and programs through websites and mobile apps, which can create barriers for people with disabilities when not designed with accessibility in mind. For example, blind individuals may rely on screen readers to interpret visual information on a website. If a website lacks alternative text to describe the image or form fields are missing appropriate labels, these users cannot access the information available on the site.
In spring of 2024, the Department of Justice passed a landmark ruling updating its rules and regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA.) The ruling includes requirements for web and mobile accessibility and aims to ensure that all people with disabilities have full and equal access to public entities services, programs, and activities available on mobile apps and websites.
Key Components of the Rule
Public entities shall ensure that web content and mobile apps made available directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, are readily accessible and usable by individuals with disabilities.
Public entities shall comply with the technical standard set by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA for web content and mobile apps. Public entities are required to adhere to these standards for all web and mobile content available to the public or used in services, programs, and activities. This technical standard is in alignment with the current WaTech minimum accessibility standards for Washington state.
Web Content: The information and sensory experience communicated to the user by means of a user agent, including code or markup that defines the content’s structure, presentation, and interaction. Examples of web content include text, images, sounds, videos, controls, animations, form fields, and conventional electronic documents.
Conventional Electronic Documents: Web content or content in mobile apps that is in the following electronic file formats: Portable document formats (“PDF”), word processor file formats, presentation file formats, and spreadsheet file formats.
Mobile applications: Software applications downloaded and designed to run on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
In limited situations, some kinds of web and mobile app content may not have to meet the technical standard. The DOJ fact sheet has more details about each of these exceptions and it is important to carefully review each definition and consider if a particular asset qualifies for an exemption from the requirements or not:
- Archived web content: Content not currently used or altered since being archived by a public entity, and kept only for reference, research, or record-keeping purposes.
- Pre-existing conventional electronic documents: Documents available on a website or mobile app before the date of compliance.
- Third-party content: Content posted by third parties, unless the third party is posting due to contractual, licensing, or other arrangements with the public entity.
- Individualized password-protected documents: Password-protected or otherwise secured documents about a specific person, property, or account.
- Preexisting social media posts: Social media posts made before the date of compliance.
Public entities with populations of 50,000 or more persons must comply with the federal regulations by April 24, 2026. All community and technical colleges including the State Board fall under the Apr 24, 2024 deadline.
Preparing for the Rule
Monica Olsson, Policy Associate and Accessible IT Coordinator for SBCTC, is delivering presentations and webinars to CTC commissions and councils to help stakeholders and leaders understand the new ruling, its requirements and standards. Recent presentations include the following groups:
- WACTC-Tech (Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges President’s Technology Subcommittee)
- SBCTC State Board Meeting
- STAC (Strategic Technology Advisory Committee)
- WSSSC (Washington State Student Services Commission)
- IC (Instruction Commission)
- PIC - Public Information Commission
- ITC - Information Technology Commission
- HRMC - Human Resources Management Commission
- eLearning Council
- Library Leadership Council
- Disability Support Services Council
The SBCTC Accessibility team and the Project Management Office have partnered to provide guidance and support to help colleges meet the compliance requirements. All colleges are required to identify an Accessible IT Coordinator and executive leadership is advised to create a campus-wide Web Accessibility Task Force by December 31st, 2024. Please refer to the DOJ Ruling Issue Brief linked below in the Resources section.
To jumpstart these efforts, in 2025, SBCTC will host an Introduction and Overview to the DOJ Ruling webinar. Further guidance, resources, and training opportunities will be announced to the colleges and their designated Accessible IT Coordinators.
Additionally, the State Board is creating an internal Web Accessibility Task Force. This team will provide guidance and training to the agency in order to meet the updated Title II regulations. These efforts will rely on collaboration across all divisions, departments, and will include critical review and improvements to Accessible IT policies and procedures.
To edit:
- Slide Deck from State Board Meeting (file uploaded to site)
- DOJ Ruling Issue Brief (file uploaded to site)
