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Accessibility Statement

Statement of Commitment

Concorde Career College is committed to providing equal access to digital resources, technology, and communication platforms for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors, including individuals with disabilities. Accessibility is central to our mission of preparing students for careers in health care and ensuring equitable opportunity for academic and professional success.

This commitment is guided by:

  • Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Prohibits discrimination and requires state and local educational institutions to provide equal access to programs, services, and activities, including digital content.
  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act: Requires that no qualified individual with a disability be excluded or denied benefits from federally funded educational programs, including Concorde Career College.
  • Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act: Governs technology and information communication technology (ICT) procurement and development when federal funds are involved.
  • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, Level AA: Serves as the technical standard to measure accessibility across all Concorde digital assets.

By adopting WCAG 2.2 AA, Concorde ensures alignment with legal obligations, modern accessibility practices, and the evolving needs of learners and staff.
 

Purpose

This policy establishes the framework for ensuring that all Concorde Career College digital assets and content are accessible to individuals with disabilities. The policy sets forth governance, responsibilities, standards, and procedures to ensure compliance with federal law and conformance with WCAG 2.2 AA.
 

Scope

This policy applies to:

  • All public-facing and internal Concorde Career College websites, learning management systems, and mobile applications.
  • Digital course content, multimedia, and instructional materials.
  • Official documents, including PDF and Word files, distributed by the institution.
  • Social media and marketing content posted on official Concorde accounts.
  • Third-party platforms, tools, and services procured for academic or administrative purposes.

Covered assets include:

  • www.concorde.edu
  • www.Go.concorde.edu
  • Digital public-facing Documents

 

Governance & Responsibilities

Accessibility Coordinator

  • Oversees the implementation and monitoring of this policy.
  • Ensures WCAG 2.2 AA conformance across all covered digital assets.
  • Coordinates accessibility assessments and reports.
  • Provides training and support to faculty, staff, and students.
  • Collaborates with IT, Marketing, Legal, and Procurement to integrate accessibility into processes.
  • Reviews and updates this policy annually.

Technical Lead (IT)

  • Ensures that websites, mobile applications, and platforms meet WCAG 2.2 AA technical requirements.
  • Implements accessible coding practices and reviews vendor products for technical compliance.
  • Provides training and technical support on development-related accessibility practices.

Content Manager (Marketing/Academic Support)

  • Ensures that text, images, videos, documents, and multimedia content conform to WCAG 2.2 AA.
  • Reviews social media content for accessibility.
  • Provides training on accessible content creation.

Compliance Officer (Legal)

  • Ensures ongoing compliance with Title II of the ADA, Section 504, and Section 508.
  • Advises on legal obligations, deadlines, and exemptions.
  • Reviews accessibility statements, feedback mechanisms, and policy updates.

Faculty, Staff, and Contractors

  • Responsible for creating, posting, and maintaining accessible content.
  • Must participate in required accessibility training.

 

Standards

Concorde Career College adopts the following standards:

  • WCAG 2.2 Level AA: Required for all websites, apps, content, and documents.
  • ADA Title II: Governs accessibility of programs, services, and communications.
  • Section 504: Ensures non-discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funding.
  • Section 508: Guides procurement and development of federally funded ICT.

These standards are not optional. They form the minimum baseline for accessibility compliance and will govern Concorde’s accessibility obligations.
 

Procurement

To ensure accessibility is integrated into all purchased products and services:

  • Vendors must provide an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR/VPAT®) based on WCAG 2.2 AA.
  • Reports must be independently validated by reputable accessibility service providers.
  • Automated or overlay-only solutions will not be accepted as evidence of conformance.
  • Accessibility will be included in procurement criteria, contracts, and vendor evaluations.

 

Training

  • All employees, faculty, staff, and contractors must complete accessibility training annually or receive guidance from our consultant, Perspective Tester.
  • Individuals responsible for creating, editing, or uploading content must complete advanced accessibility training on a biannual basis or receive guidance from our consultant, Perspective Tester.
  • Training must include WCAG 2.2 AA standards, inclusive design practices, and legal obligations under ADA, Section 504, and Section 508.
  • Perspective Tester provides this training and/or guidance

 

Monitoring and Review

Accessibility is an ongoing process. Concorde Career College will:

  • Conduct rolling, monthly third-party accessibility audits of major platforms, websites, and apps.
  • Require monthly reviews of new or updated digital content.
  • Test using multiple methods, including screen reader testing, keyboard navigation, color contrast analysis, and code review.
  • Track accessibility progress.
  • Review and update this policy annually, or as required by changes to law or standards.
  • Accessibility violations identified as “Critical” or “High” in severity will be remediated upon the next development cycle (these are conducted each month so within 30 days of discovery). Violations identified as “Medium” or “Low” in severity will be remediated within 90 days of discovery.

 

Feedback and Support

Concorde Career College will provide clear channels for students, staff, and the public to report accessibility issues:

  • Dedicated email [Insert address]
  • Phone line [Insert number]

All accessibility-related requests will receive acknowledgment within 48 hours and resolution or update within a reasonable timeframe. Issues requiring legal review will be escalated to the Compliance Officer.
 

Continuous Improvement

Concorde recognizes that accessibility is not a one-time project but an ongoing institutional responsibility. The college will:

  • Track compliance deadlines under ADA Title II web accessibility rule.
  • Align updates with evolving WCAG standards.
  • Incorporate student and faculty feedback into accessibility improvements.
  • Allocate resources annually to ensure accessibility objectives are met.

 

Policy Review & Effectiveness

This policy takes effect on [Enter effective date]. It will be reviewed annually by the Accessibility Coordinator, in collaboration with IT, Marketing, Legal, and Academic Affairs. Updates will be published internally and communicated to relevant stakeholders.
 

Vendor Selection for Accessibility Services

When procuring digital accessibility vendors (e.g., for audits, remediation, user testing, or training), Concorde Career College will use the following policy to ensure quality, compliance, and accountability:

  1. Standards Alignment
    • Vendors must demonstrate expertise in WCAG 2.2 Level AA and relevant U.S. accessibility laws, including ADA Title II, Section 504, and Section 508.
    • Vendors must use manual testing methods in combination with automated tools; reliance on automation alone is insufficient.
  2. Independence & Credibility
    • Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs/VPATs®) must be issued by independent third-party providers with a proven track record in accessibility.
    • Vendors that market or recommend overlay widgets or “quick fix” automated tools will not be considered.
  3. Evaluation Criteria
    • Expertise & Experience: Demonstrated experience conducting accessibility work for higher education or comparable institutions.
    • Methodology: Clear testing processes including screen reader testing, keyboard navigation, code review, and usability testing with people with disabilities.
    • Reputation & References: Positive references and case studies that show successful outcomes.
    • Support & Maintenance: Ability to provide ongoing support, training, and remediation assistance.
    • Cost-Effectiveness: Competitive, transparent pricing that aligns with institutional budget.
  4. Deliverables
    • Vendors must provide written reports documenting findings, remediation guidance, and verification of compliance.
    • Deliverables must include clear documentation of evaluation methods and dates.
    • Vendors must be willing to engage in follow-up testing after remediation is complete.
  5. Review & Accountability
    • The Accessibility Coordinator will evaluate vendors based on these criteria before procurement.
    • Final selection will require input from IT (for technical vetting), Marketing (for content considerations), and Compliance Officer (for legal and contractual compliance).
    • Vendors may be reevaluated periodically to ensure continued alignment with evolving standards and institutional needs.

  1. Program length may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course load. Please refer to current course catalog for more information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.

  2. Professional certification is not a requirement for graduation, may not be a requirement for employment nor does it guarantee employment.

  3. Financial aid is available to those who qualify but may not be available for all programs. Concorde does not guarantee financial aid or scholarship awards or amounts.

  4. Clinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.

  5. Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.

  6. Externships are a non-paid in-person learning experience, whose length and location may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee externship placement, graduation, post-externship employment or salary outcomes.

  7. Virtual externships are a virtual learning experience offered through Concorde’s learning management system. Concorde does not guarantee placement, graduation, post-externship employment or salary outcomes.