EIT Accessibility Definitions

The following are useful/important EIT (electronic & information technology) accessibility terms and their definitions:

• Accessible: Able to be used by all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, with or without assistive technology.
• Alternative Text: Also known as "alt text," a word or phrase that can be inserted into an HTML document that tells viewers the nature or content of an image
• Archived Web Content: Web content that: (1) is maintained exclusively for reference, research, or recordkeeping; (2) is not altered or updated after the date of archiving; and (3) is organized and stored in a dedicated area or areas clearly identified as being archived.
• Assistive Technology: Any software or hardware that allows access to information technology for individuals with disabilities. Examples include special input devices (e.g., head or foot mouse, speech recognition), screen-reading software, and screen magnifiers
• Equally Effective Alternative Access: An alternative format or medium that communicates the same information in as timely and effective a fashion as does the original format or medium. For interactive or service pages, equally effective means the end result is accomplished in a comparable time and with comparable effort on the part of the requestor. To provide equally effective alternate access, alternates are not required to produce the identical result or level of achievement for persons with and without disabilities, but must afford persons with disabilities equal opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same level of achievement, in the most integrated setting appropriate to the person's needs.
• Fundamental Alteration: A change so significant that it affects the essential nature of the instruction, program, or activity provided
• Screen Reader Software that allows a computer to identify and convert text to speech
• Undue Administrative or Financial Burdens: A significant disruption, expense, and/or difficulty posed by the provision of accessible information technology. When a department is concerned that the provision of accessible information technology will pose undue financial or administrative burdens, it must proceed according to the procedures in this policy.
• Voluntary Product Accessibility Template: A document that evaluates how accessible a particular product is according to web accessibility. it is a self-disclosing document produced by a vendor which details each aspect of web accessibility requirements and how the product supports each criteria.
• Web Content: The textual, visual, or audio content that is encountered as part of the user experience on websites. For purposes of this policy, web content also includes forms and documents accessible through SUNY Geneseo websites.
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines: A series of standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium, the main international standards organization for the internet, which promotes usability and best practices to ensure web access for individuals with disabilities.