U. of Montana Reaches Deal With U.S. on Accessible-Technology Policies

The University of Montana at Missoula has reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to develop new accessibility policies and to train employees about disability issues, The Missoulian reported.

The agreement stems from a student’s 2012 complaint that the university had discriminated against students with disabilities by using inaccessible information technology, such as assignments on the university’s learning-management system, documents posted on websites, clickers used in classrooms, and other materials.

The university said in its announcement of the agreement that a draft accessibility policy was already in place.

Royce C. Engstrom, the university’s president, said in a written statement that the institution was “committed to making sure that all students have access to education, and in today’s world that includes access to technology.”