Web Accessibility Standards and Guidelines

I. Purpose

The purpose of this regulation is to establish requirements for website accessibility and to ensure compliance with state and federal laws regarding equal access to websites and content for individuals with disabilities.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the 1998 amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 508) require that governments eliminate barriers in information technology, and encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. Under Section 5​08 agencies must give individuals with disabilities access to information that is comparable to the access available to others.

II. Scope

This regulation applies to all websites maintained by LACCD and its nine colleges, East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles Harbor College, Los Angeles Mission College, Los Angeles Southwest College, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, Los Angeles Valley College, Los Angeles Pierce College and West Los Angeles College (hereinafter collectively referred to as “District”).

III. Standards​

The District is committed to providing the public, including individuals who use assistive technology, access to web-based information and services by using Section 508 design principles. To the extent that there are inconsistencies between Title II and Section 508 regarding website compliance, the District will comply with the more stringent standards.

  1. Content providers are responsible for posting and maintaining timely and accurate information within their assigned areas of the LACC websites. Each content provider is responsible for abiding by the established website design, image and hyperlink standards to ensure a consistent look and feel across all pages and ease of use for site visitors.
  2. If the District contracts to develop, maintain, or host websites, the applicable District employee who manages the contract will ensure that contractor meets accessibility standards and that accessibility standards are addressed within the contract.
  3. Given the rapid pace of technological change, this regulation does not stipulate a specific set of design principles but strives to ensure that the most current criteria are used by adopting the “Web Standards and Guidelines – LACCD” (hereafter referred to as the “Standards”). The Information Technology Department is responsible for periodically reviewing and updating the Standards. The Standards are available at the District website.

  1. All new District websites created after the effective date of this regulation will comply with this regulation.
  2. Existing District websites will be brought into compliance with the standards as part of any substantive site additions, updates or redesign. Substantive changes include significant changes to navigation structure, redesign of site ‘look and feel’ and addition of new content areas, programs or services.

Websites will include a means of contacting a webmaster or other site administrator for people who need assistance with the accessibility of the posted material.

IV. Limits of This Regulation

Individuals with (or without) disabilities access websites with widely varying sets of capabilities, software, and hardware. While this regulation does provide the ability for individuals with disabilities to access web-based information, this regulation does not include requirements for the production of every known accessibility need, due to known limitations on existing technology. There may be other circumstances, independent of technology that may limit accessibility of District websites.

While every reasonable effort will be made, it is understood that creating accessible formats for large, complex documents (such as reports containing complex tables and graphs), some historical documentation and graphical renderings and photographs maintained by the District may be technologically unfeasible. In this case, the District will provide alternative methods of ensuring accessibility of this material.

V. Resources

Original Issue Date:
Initiated by: ADA Compliance Administrator