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Digital Accessibility

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1.0 Policy

It is Caltech's Policy to ensure that its digital content and platforms are equally accessible to students, faculty, staff, and all individuals with disability. For the purposes of this Policy, digital accessibility means that "a person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective and equally integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use."[1] To that end, Caltech's digital content and platforms that provide programs, services, and activities must conform with The World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, Level AA (or the latest version of WCAG), or otherwise be accessible to individuals with disabilities. When digital content or platforms cannot conform to this standard because conformance is not technically feasible or would create a fundamental alteration to the programs, services, or activities delivered, Caltech will work to provide a reasonable and accessible alternative for individuals with disabilities.

Under this Policy, digital content and platforms may include, but are not limited to, websites, web applications, mobile applications, electronic multimedia, software and operating systems, online course materials, and digital data and documents, such as audio, video, and images. New and emerging technologies that deliver programs, services, and activities also fall under the scope of this Policy.

2.0 Responsibilities

All individuals who design, create, and maintain digital content and platforms that provide Caltech programs, services, and activities are responsible for ensuring the accessibility of their content and platforms.

Caltech personnel responsible for purchasing or procuring third-party digital content and platforms that provide, or support Caltech programs, services, and activities shall ensure these third-party providers have the technical capability to meet Caltech's digital accessibility standards. Third-party platforms include social media platforms, cloud-based services, and word processing software, such as Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF files.

3.0 Policy Review

The rate of change in technology is high. Digital accessibility is also dynamic. To ensure that the Policy remains current to the technology environment, this Policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure it accounts for new technology and standards.

4.0 Resources

5.0 Right to File Complaint with Outside Agency

Employees and applicants may also file a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Civil Rights Department, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, or the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. Students may file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights at (415) 486-5555 (or [email protected]) or (800) 421-3481 (or [email protected]). Complaints may also be directed to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education at https://bppe.ca.gov.

[1] U.S. Department of Education's Resolution Agreement, South Carolina Technical College System OCR Compliance Review No. 11-11-6002

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last updated September 2025