Proposed Policies and Procedures Regarding New Online Content and Functionality By October 31, 2017, the recipient will submit to OCR for its review and approval proposed policies and procedures (“the Plan for New Content”) to ensure that all new, newly-added, or modified online content and functionality will be accessible to people with disabilities as measured by conformance to the Benchmarks for Measuring Accessibility set forth above, except where doing so would impose a fundamental alteration or undue burden.
a) When fundamental alteration or undue burden defenses apply, the Plan for New Content will require the recipient to provide equally effective alternative access. The Plan for New Content will require the recipient, in providing equally effective alternate access, to take any actions that do not result in a fundamental alteration or undue financial and administrative burdens, but nevertheless ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals with disabilities receive the same benefits or services as their nondisabled peers. 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.
b) The Plan for New Content must include sufficient quality assurance procedures, backed by adequate personnel and financial resources, for full implementation. This provision also applies to the recipient’s online content and functionality developed by, maintained by, or offered through a third-party vendor or by using open sources.
c) Within thirty (30) days of receiving OCR’s approval of the Plan for New Content, the recipient will officially adopt, and fully implement the amended policies and procedures.
