Web Accessibility Policy
Kalamazoo Valley Community College requires that web content is equally accessible for all users. Kalamazoo Valley is committed to diversity, inclusivity and accessibility for all technology-related content. This policy institutes the standards for the accessibility of web-based information and services considered necessary to meet Kalamazoo Valley's goals and ensure compliance with federal disability laws. This policy applies to all Kalamazoo Valley web pages.
All web pages published by the college must adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards. Using this standard will help ensure Kalamazoo Valley will meet Section 504 compliance of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and subsequent amendments. Archived web content must be made accessible upon request for any individual needing access to this information.
The college has a Web Accessibility Coordinator who oversees the Web Accessibility Team to ensure all college websites are compliant with the accepted standards. The team will include members from The Office for Student Access, Faculty Success Center, Information Technologies, Office Support Services, Marketing and Faculty. The Web Accessibility Coordinator and Web Accessibility Team will work with the current Universal Design Committee to achieve and maintain the accessibility standards for Kalamazoo Valley.
The college will continue to use third-party tools such as Site Improve to monitor our site for compliance. We will continue to explore the use of new software tools to use as they become available.
Complaints regarding accessibility of Kalamazoo Valley web pages should be directed to the Web Accessibility Coordinator. Upon validation of the complaint, the Web Accessibility Coordinator and Web Accessibility Team will work to remediate the pages which include the removal of the pages from the site until such pages are in compliance with this policy.
Kalamazoo Valley's Information Technology and Financial/Business Services staff will continue to require third-party software companies to provide Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) prior to purchase for evaluating the accessibility of their particular product in accordance with Section 508 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility standards. The VPAT is a self-disclosing document produced by the vendor which details each aspect of the Section 508 requirements and how the product supports each criteria. The Web Accessibility Coordinator and Web Accessibility Team will audit the third party software and online content for compliance.
Training
Annual training will be conducted for employees whose role includes responsibility for creating and monitoring online content. For new employees with these responsibilities, the training will be part of the onboarding process. This process will include training on the Web Accessibility Policy and use of the accessibility audit tools. Auditing tools will email reports weekly to the Web Accessibility Coordinator on website statistics and accessibility compliance.
Accessibility Audit
Kalamazoo Valley's Web Accessibility Coordinator will conduct a semi-annual audit to ensure the college's web content is meeting the WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards. All problems identified will be documented. The Web Accessibility Team will assist all internal content providers to create accessible content. With the help of the Web Accessibility Team, these identified problems will be remediated in a timely manner or the non-compliant content will be removed.
The Web Accessibility Coordinator will work to remediate any third-party software or online content-compliance issues. Failure to comply from a contracted services provider could lead to termination of the contracted service.
Contact Information
Should you have any concerns with accessibility of online content for Kalamazoo Valley's websites, contact the Web Accessibility Coordinator, Mike Thompson, mthompson@kvcc.edu 6767 W O Avenue, Room 2190, 269-488-4323.