General Accessibility
- What is digital accessibility?
Digital accessibility means designing and creating digital content — websites, documents, emails, videos, social media — so that people with permanent or temporary disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with it. This includes people who are blind or have low vision, are deaf or hard of hearing, have mobility disabilities, or have cognitive disabilities.
Accessibility primarily ensures that people with disabilities can access content, but it benefits everyone. Captions help students in noisy environments or non-native speakers. Clear headings help everyone scan a document. Descriptive link text helps everyone know where a link goes. Good contrast helps people using mobile devices in bright sunlight.
- Who is responsible for accessibility at SRJC?
Everyone. Every employee who creates or shares digital content is responsible for making it accessible. This includes faculty (syllabi, course materials, presentations), staff (documents, emails, web pages, forms), and student organizations (social media, flyers, event materials). SRJC Board Policy 2.17 establishes this responsibility at the District level.
- What's the difference between accessibility and accommodation?
Accessibility is about proactively designing content so it's usable by everyone from the start. Accommodation is about reactively providing individualized adjustments for a specific person with a disability (e.g., extended test time, sign language interpretation). Accessibility reduces the need for individual accommodations.
- How do I get training?
You're in the right place! You can access self-guided information on accessibility on this site in the Concepts section. Step-by-step guidance for the most commonly used tools is found in the Guides section. Additional training resources can be found in the Other Resources section. And if you need personalized help or have a question, reach out to the appropriate staff specialists listed in the Accessibility Support Team sidebar.
- I've heard about something called the POUR Principles. What are they?
Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust are the four core principles that accessibility requirements are based upon. Learn more about the POUR Principles.
Are There Exceptions to ADA Title II Requirements?
- Archived Web Content
Archived web content is not required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA.
For your content to count as ‘archived,’ the Department of Justice says it must meet four conditions:
- The content was created before April 26, 2027, AND
- The content is kept only for reference, research, or recordkeeping, AND
- The content is kept in a special area for archived content, AND
- The content has not been changed since it was archived.
If any one of these conditions are not met, the content must meet WCAG 2.1 AA.
- Pre-existing Digital Documents (If No Longer in Use)
A digital document is not required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA, if:
- It was made available before April 26, 2027 AND
- It is only kept for research, reference, or recordkeeping.
Any digital documents people use to apply for, gain access to, or take part in your services, programs, or activities must be accessible and meet WCAG 2.1 AA by April 26, 2027.
- Content Posted by a Third Party
Content posted by a third party on an SRJC website or app would not need to meet WCAG 2.1 AA.
A 'third party' is considered a member of the public or someone who is not posting content due to contractual, licensing, or other arrangements with the District.
- Individualized, Password-Protected Documents
A document is not required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA , if:
- The document is a word processing, presentation, PDF, or spreadsheet file, AND
- The document is about a specific person, property or account, AND
- The document is password-protected or otherwise secured.
Important: If a person with a disability requests an accessible version of the document, it must be remediated.
- Preexisting Social Media Posts
Social media posts made before April 26, 2027 are not required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA.