Office for Civil Rights Offers Resources on Compliance When Schools Go Online

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) offered two resources addressed at accessibility of online teaching for students with disabilities. The first resource, a short webinar, is designed to help institutions ensure accessibility for students with disabilities when instruction goes fully virtual, including both online learning and website accessibility.

“Services, programs and activities online must be accessible to persons, including persons with disabilities, unless equally effective alternate access is provided in another manner,” noted Kenneth Marcus, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.

The second resource, aimed at aiding schools in complying with all federal civil rights requirements during the coronoavirus pandemic, is a fact sheet on “Addressing the Risk of COVID19 in Schools While Protecting the Civil Rights of Students.”