Accessible Technology Initiative

ATI

In order to ensure all students have equal access to education free from discrimination, a requirement defined in federal law as well as by the CSU’s Executive Order 1111, San Diego State University (SDSU) is taking actions that significantly and expediently improve our capabilities and performance in delivering equally effective access to all students, including those with disabilities.

The CSU Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI), established in 2006, identifies three priority areas for campuses to deliver accessible websites and instructional materials, and procure technologies that meet accessibility requirements. Use the links in the menu above for more information and resources for faculty/staff addressing accessibility issues.

Our Strategy to Accelerate ATI Implementation at SDSU

Successful implementation of ATI at SDSU requires campus wide participation and strategic planning. SDSU's implementation approach is driven by the following principles:
  1. In collaboration with appropriate campus partners, distribute information about inclusive technology in campus-wide communications, create a repository of accessible technology resources, and promote universal design and accessibility topics in student, faculty, and staff orientations.
  2. In collaboration with appropriate campus partners, establish a regular accessible technology training program for employees who design, develop, and support campus websites.
  3. In collaboration with appropriate campus partners, establish a recommended accessible technology training program for employees who create and produce instructional materials and digital content.
  4. Provide stable funding to facilitate regular attendance of relevant staff to industry-leading accessible technology conferences such as the annual event hosted by California State University Northridge (CSUN).
  1. Create a central accessibility site for everything ATI at SDSU including campus commitment, policies and procedures, accessibility standards, communication and training plans, and user support services.
  2. Establish a base-funded, Accessible Technology group consisting of three full-time positions (as outlined below) with the charge to oversee and support accessible technology for the campus within the IT Division.
  3. Create the base-funded role of Accessible Technology Coordinator to provide leadership, advocacy, and oversight of the campus accessible technology portfolio including IT Procurement review and approval process.
  4. Create the base-funded role of Accessible Technology Content Specialist to perform document and content remediation, and user training and support.
  5. Create the base-funded role of Accessible Technology Operations Specialist to perform website scanning, manual evaluation, and user training and support.
  1. Investigate industry-leading, enterprise-grade accessible technology platforms that prioritize ease of use, flexible and actionable reporting insights, and the ability to automate workflows.
  2. Reconsider the current campus commitment to the Compliance Sheriff web scanning platform and investigate alternate platforms in the CSU and University of California (UC) systems such as SiteImprove with the goal of improving participation, reporting, and automation of the current web scanning process.
  3. Investigate the addition of Ally for Web as a digital content scanning platform. Ally for Web's emphasis on scanning and reporting on digital content posted to websites (text, PDF, video, audio, Office) complements traditional web scanning platforms' emphasis on structural analysis of websites.
  4. Investigate the possibility of automating the IT Procurement/Security Review and Approval process and associated software required.
  5. Provide stable funding for student assistants to support the efforts of a central Accessible Technology group.
  1. Establish website publishing and digital content policies, approved by campus leadership, that sets expectations and requirements for all websites and digital content created in support of the SDSU mission.
  2. Establish a governance group of campus stakeholders, with rotating membership, to develop, maintain, and promote websites and digital content policies and guidelines.
  3. Establish a remediation and repair procedure for non-compliant websites and digital content that clearly explains compliance issues, provides resources and guidance for repair, and communicates campus-mandated consequences, such as site removal, for non-compliance.
  4. Investigate improvements to the current website scanning process, such as use of automation for smarter, targeted notifications, and integration with a ticket and workflow system for better tracking and reporting.
  1. Allocate budget to accelerate ATI implementation at SDSU including training and support.
  2. Identify ATI tasks associated with responsible individuals and add to their campus job descriptions and/or job titles.
  3. Document ATI implementation and progress made through ongoing monitoring processes and follow ups.
  4. Identify a repository to store documentation and success data for supporting evidence.
  5. Update accessibility site to reflect current policy and procedures, training and support, frequently asked questions and contact information.

San Diego State University is committed to promoting a culture of inclusive technology and meeting our accessibility obligations and compliance to ensure a high quality education for all.

For questions related to SDSU ATI, contact [email protected].