The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) received 6,390 complaints related to disability discrimination over the 2022 fiscal year — the highest number of complaints in five years.
The OCR provides raw data regarding complaints, but does not provide detailed information about the nature of those complaints. However, in comments reported by The New York Times, Catherine Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights, described the increase in complaints as encouraging.
“It reflects the confidence in the Office for Civil Rights as a place to seek redress,” Lhamon said. “At the same time, the scope and volume of harm that we’re asking our babies to navigate is astronomical.”
Why Disability Discrimination Complaints Are Rising
Students and their families may file complaints with the OCR for any alleged discrimination. This might include physical barriers (such as missing wheelchair ramps), inaccessible learning materials, harassment, and poor responses to reports of discrimination.
But many of the previously reported complaints against public schools and higher education institutions have cited issues with virtual learning. When U.S. schools closed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many institutions struggled to provide accessible materials for all students — particularly those with disabilities affecting their hearing, vision, or cognition.
Examples of Digital Accessibility Barriers in E-Learning
In 2020, automated tests performed by the Bureau of Internet Accessibility’s a11y® analysis platform found that 12 of the nation’s most highly-rated elementary schools had detectable web accessibility barriers.
That analysis focused on web accessibility. Electronic learning (e-learning) platforms may be considerably more complex than school websites — and the potential for accessibility barriers is much greater.
Some examples of e-learning barriers include:
This isn’t a complete list of all potential accessibility issues. Educators and administrators should ensure that all digital content follows the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the international standard for digital accessibility.
Digital Accessibility Requirements for Public and Private Schools
For both public and private schools, WCAG isn’t optional. Educational facilities must provide accessible content to comply with various non-discrimination laws:
To avoid OCR demand letters, schools should take a proactive approach
Digital accessibility isn’t optional for schools — but it’s not a burden, either.
When learning materials and school websites are designed with an inclusive mindset, every student benefits. An estimated 25% of the U.S. population has some form of disability, and by following WCAG, educators can give every student the resources they need for exceptional performance.
Rather than addressing accessibility barriers individually, we recommend a thorough, proactive approach:
At the Bureau of Internet Accessibility, our goal is to make the internet more inclusive for everyone — and to help educators develop an accessibility-first mindset.
To start building a sustainable plan for digital compliance, send us a message to connect with a subject matter expert.
This content was originally published here.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.