Accessibility

Accessibility is the practice of making information, activities, and environments sensible, meaningful, and usable for as many people as possible. This page will help you to understand the several key aspects of accessibility, and offer you tools and resources to help you provide accessible services and accommodations at Norco College.

♿Digital Accessibility

Digital accessibility ensures that websites, mobile apps, and software are designed so that people with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments can navigate them. This includes support for assistive technologies like screen readers, speech-to-text, and keyboard-only navigation.

California Community Colleges (CCC) must adhere to federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II regulations, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and California Government Code sections 7405 and 11135. By April 2026, digital content, websites, and apps must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, ensuring accessible, equitable access for students with disabilities.

To ensure that our digital campus remains inclusive and accessible to all, it is essential that all staff and faculty proactively audit their online materials against WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. You can begin this process by using integrated accessibility checkers within your document editors or browser-based evaluation tools to identify immediate barriers, such as missing alternative text or low color contrast. Prioritize structural fixes by using nested heading levels to create a logical reading order and ensuring that all link text is descriptive rather than generic. By taking these steps to scan and remediate PDFs, slide decks, and web content, we remove the technical obstacles that might otherwise prevent students and colleagues with disabilities from fully engaging with our institutional resources.

📋 Quick-Fix Checklist for Level AA Compliance

When reviewing your content, focus on these high-impact areas to meet the most common Level AA requirements:

Text Alternatives: Provide descriptive alt-text for all functional and informative images. If an image is purely decorative, mark it as such so screen readers can skip it.
Contrast Ratios: Ensure a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text against its background. This is crucial for users with low vision or color blindness.
Logical Hierarchy: Use headings (H1, H2, H3) in a sequential order. Never skip a heading level (e.g., jumping from H2 to H4) as this disrupts the navigation for screen reader users.
Descriptive Links: Avoid using "Click Here" or "Read More." Instead, use text that describes the destination, such as "Download the 2026 Faculty Handbook."
Keyboard Navigability: Ensure that all interactive elements (links, buttons, forms) can be accessed and operated using only a keyboard.
No Color-Only Cues: Do not use color as the only way to convey information (e.g., "required fields are in red"). Use an additional indicator like an asterisk or text label.

🛠️ Essential Accessibility Tools

These tools are often provided system-wide or at no cost to Norco College employees to help scan and fix digital content.

Pope Tech (Canvas Accessibility): An integrated tool within Canvas that allows instructors to scan their course pages for accessibility errors and fix them in real-time. It also provides dashboards for department heads to monitor accessibility health.
Equidox: A web-based application specifically for PDF remediation. It simplifies the process of converting inaccessible PDFs into accessible versions or HTML. You can typically request access through the Norco College Disability Resource Center office or the CCC Accessibility Center.
3CMedia Solutions: Provides media storage and, more importantly, automated and manual captioning services for videos used in the classroom.
AIMHub: The AIMHub project is a system that allows colleges to share already-remediated instructional materials, preventing faculty from having to "reinvent the wheel" for common textbooks or OER.

🎓 Training & Professional Development

Whether you prefer self-paced modules or live workshops, these platforms offer CCC-specific guidance.

CCC Accessibility Center: The primary hub for technical assistance. They offer:
- Self-Paced Courses: Role-based training for faculty, web developers, and IT staff.
- How-To Guides: Step-by-step instructions for accessible Word docs, PowerPoints, and Excel sheets.
Vision Resource Center: Access this through your single sign-on (SSO). Search for "Accessibility" to find webinars and modules like "Designing Accessible Course Materials for Every Learner."
ASCCC OERI (Open Educational Resources Initiative): Provides an Accessibility Checklist and a "Basics" course specifically tailored for faculty creating or adopting Open Educational Resources.

🦼Physical Accessibility

Physical accessibility is the design of "built environments" to ensure ease of movement. Common examples include ramps, elevators with braille buttons, wide doorways, and tactile paving for the visually impaired.

Physical Campus Access: Facilities must meet ADA standards for mobility, including accessible parking, ramps, and accessible technology (one-handed keyboards, screen magnification).

🧩Cognitive Accessibility

Cognitive accessibility focuses on clarity and simplicity. It involves using "plain language," consistent navigation, and avoiding sensory overstimulation to help people with learning disabilities or neurodivergence process information.

⚖️Social & Economic Accessibility

Social & economic accessibility reduces barriers related to cost, language, or location to ensure that services (like healthcare or education) are available to everyone.