UCTL, RT 203
Tina Vance
t.vance@csuohio.edu
216.875.9624
Mailing Address
UCTL, RT 203
Cleveland State University
2121 Euclid Ave. Cleveland OH, 44115-2214
Campus Location
UCTL, RT 203
Cleveland State University
1860 E.22nd Street Cleveland OH, 44115-2214
Phone: 216-687-5502
Fax: 216-687-9201
uctl@csuohio.edu
Web Content Contact
Contact Name
Paul Karol
216.875.9623
Web Technical Contact
Contact Name
Paul Karol
216.875.9623
Brief Legal Overview, Section 508 and CSU
As an educational institution receiving federal funds, we are subject to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 . We are also subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is in charge of compliance with Section 504 and the U.S. Department of Justice is in charge of compliance with the ADA as it pertains to public accommodations.
Under Section 504 we are required to provide "equal access to information" and under the ADA we are required to provide "effective communication". Until the enactment of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act in December 2000 there were no guidelines or standards to interpret the Section 504 or the ADA information/communications requirements. Although Section 508 technically only applies to procurement contracts with the federal government, the OCR and the Department of Justice have taken the position that since Section 508 standards are minimum technical standards, compliance under the ADA and Section 504 is to be determined by using Section 508 standards.
As to the time for compliance, the answer is NOW. The 508 standards became effective on June 21, 2001 for procurement contracts. The enforcement agencies for ADA and Section 504 are already using them, but maintain they will assess institutions by their "good faith effort" to come into compliance. In plain English, this means work diligently and document your efforts.
The Law: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
Department of Justice Section 508 Home Page
Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards
US General Services Administration Office of Information Technology
Section 508: The Road to Accessibility