Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide persons with disabilities the same access to and use of the Web site and electronic and information resources for which the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE) is responsible as with persons without disabilities.

Scope

This policy applies to the Web site and all electronic and information resources for which TBAE is responsible.

Policy Statement

TBAE is committed to making its Web site and all electronic and information resources accessible to persons with disabilities by applying principles of accessibility and usability design.

Standards and Specifications

Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §206.50, §206.54, §213.10 through §213.17 and §213.21(b) – §213.21(f) prescribe the standards and specifications to which TBAE and other state agencies must comply in making their Web sites and electronic and information resources accessible to persons with disabilities. TBAE has developed a plan to ensure that its Web site and electronic and information resources comply with the standards and specifications.

Guidelines

TBAE also follows guidelines established by the World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative, as defined in the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, as well as the guidelines in the 1998 Amendment to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d) that are required by Texas state law.

Testing and Validation

TBAE carefully inspects its Web pages and electronic and information resources by testing them with a variety of Section 508 compliance testing tools and other manual procedures to ensure compliance with these requirements.

Exceptions

TAC §213.17 provides for exceptions for compliance with standards and specifications for all new or changed Web pages and content and all electronic and information resources developed, procured or changed on or after September 1, 2006. TBAE may approve an exception if the agency determines that compliance would impose a “significant difficulty or expense.” Alternate methods of accessibility may be used by TBAE as provided for in Section 2054.460, Texas Government Code (PDF, 260K).

Accessibility Coordinator

TBAE has designated an Accessibility Coordinator to monitor the agency’s compliance with this policy. If you use assistive technology and the format of any material on this agency’s Web sites interferes with your ability to access the information, please send an e-mail to the Accessibility Coordinator. Please indicate the nature of your accessibility problem, the format in which you would like to receive the material, the Web address of the requested material and your contact information. TBAE welcomes comments on how to improve its pages for persons with disabilities.

Additional information about accessibility programs in Texas is available from the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities.

Glossary

• Accessible – A Web page that can be used in a variety of ways and that does not depend on a single sense or ability.
• Alternate methods – Different means of providing information, including product documentation, to people with disabilities. Alternate methods may include, but are not limited to, voice, fax, relay service, TTY, Internet posting, captioning, text-to-speech synthesis, and audio description.
• Electronic and information resources – This includes information technology and any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment that is used in the creation, conversion, duplication, or delivery of data or information. The term electronic and information resources includes, but is not limited to, telecommunications products (such as telephones), information kiosks and transaction machines, World Wide Web sites, multimedia, and office equipment such as copiers and fax machines. The term does not include any equipment that contains embedded information technology that is used as an integral part of the product, but the principal function of which is not the acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information. For example, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) equipment such as thermostats or temperature control devices, and medical equipment where information technology is integral to its operation, is not information technology.
• Exception – A justified, documented non-conformance with one or more standards or specifications of Chapter 206 and/or Chapter 213 of Title 1, Texas Administrative Code, which has been approved by the Executive Director of an Agency.
• Usability – The extent to which an application or product is determined to be well-designed with the goals of maximizing user task completion, comprehension, and efficiency.