Tarleton OITS Web Accessibility Standard

Tarleton Office of Innovative Technology Solutions (OITS)
Web Accessibility Standard

Effective: February 11, 2020

Revised: June 16, 2026

Procedure Summary

All web pages and content promoting Tarleton State University’s (Tarleton or university) mission on the Tarleton domain shall be accessible by all users. As required by Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) Regulation 29.01.04, Accessibility of Digital Resources, Tarleton shall comply with applicable federal and state laws, which include, but are not limited to:

All web pages and web content containing official university information that are built, updated or revised after the effective date of this policy must comply with these standards.

Tarleton information resources are strategic assets which, as property of the State of Texas, must be managed as valuable state resources in accordance with Texas Gov’t Code Chapter 2054. This standard applies to electronic information created, sent, received, or stored on information resources owned, leased, administered, or otherwise under the custody and control of Tarleton.

The purpose of this standard is to establish minimum accessibility standards for official university web pages and content intended for the public. As a government agency, Tarleton recognizes that our information is largely considered to be in the public domain. The university is committed to making its official web pages and content accessible for all users. In accordance with TAC Chapter 202 ‐ Information Security Standards, each department and/or resource owner may elect not to implement some or all of the risk mitigation measures provided in this standard based on information security risk management decisions and business functions. Such risk management decisions must be documented and reported to the designated information security officer.

Please see the Tarleton Digital Accessibility webpage and/or consult the Tarleton Web Operations team for additional information and requirements.

Procedures and Responsibilities

RESPONSIBILITIES
- The following responsibilities are pursuant to Title 1, Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §206.70:
- Web Accessibility Coordinator Responsibilities
  - Develop and maintain a plan for achieving accessibility including metrics to measure progress in plan implementation;
  - Monitor compliance in achieving accessibility through reports provided by automated 508 validation software;
  - Provide consultation and training on web accessibility standards, pursuant to Title 1, TAC §213.39;
  - Coordinate with the Tarleton Office of Innovative Technology Solutions (OITS) ITS Security Team and the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) Digital Accessibility Office (DAO) staff, or designee, in reviewing and recommending an exception for web accessibility. The president or designee shall approve or disapprove the exception request, pursuant to Title 1, TAC §213.37.
- Web Site Owner Responsibilities
  - Must be aware of accessibility standards, and be proactive in providing accessible web pages and content.
  - Ensure that all new or redesigned web pages/content comply with the requirements of Title 1, TAC 206 and this standard, unless an exception is approved through the Exception Request Process, pursuant to Texas Gov’t Code §2054.460.
HOMEPAGE REQUIREMENTS
- The Tarleton homepage must include an “Accessibility” link, or a “Site Policies” link to a web page that contains the university’s accessibility policy; site validation standard (i.e., § 508); contact information for the university’s Web Accessibility Coordinator; and a link to the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities Web site, pursuant to Title 1, TAC Rule §206.70.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
- For web accessibility, please consult the Tarleton Web Operations staff for any additional assistance regarding web accessibility and Tarleton webpages/social media post requirements and/or the Web Accessibility Coordinator.
- For digital accessibility requirements, please consult the TAMUS DAO team.

Definitions

508 Validation Tool: A software application that can scan web pages and provide information to assist in determining if the web pages meet the Section 508 standards. These 508 validation tools provide reports that help to ensure websites are accessible to persons with disabilities.

Accessibility: Web design criteria which support access that is not dependent on a single sense or ability, such as vision or hearing.

Information Resources (IR): the standards, equipment, and software that are designed, employed, operated, and maintained to collect, record, process, store, retrieve, display, and transmit information or data.

Information Security Officer (ISO) / Chief Information Security Officer (CISO): responsible for administering the information security functions within the university and reports to the information resources manager (IRM).

Owner of an Information Resource: an entity responsible for a business function and for determining controls and access to information resources supporting that business function.

Web Pages and Content: All HTML documents and supporting documents (e.g., PDF, DOC, PPT) that are available on a web site.

Web Site Owner: An entity (e.g., deans, vice presidents, department heads) responsible for a business function and determining controls and access to web pages and the content that supports that business function.