Non-Discrimination & Accessibility
Grace Christian University admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, or handicap to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, or national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
In conformity with the pertinent requirements of Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972 enacted by the Congress of the United States, Grace Christian University does not within the context of its religious principles, heritage, mission, or goals discriminate on the basis of sex in the area of employment, admission, educational programs, or other activities.
Grace Christian University complies with all federal and state nondiscrimination laws and is an equal opportunity institution. Grace Christian University reserves the right to maintain student educational and behavioral standards and standards based upon religious considerations consistent with its role and mission.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT ACCESSIBILITY POLICY
Grace Christian University is committed to ensuring that all people with disabilities have access to the same services and content that are available to people without disabilities, including services and content made available through the use of information technology. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance covers access to the Physical Plant, Accommodations, and Accessibility. Our goal for this Accessibility Policy is that a person with a disability will be able to engage in the same interactions, experience the same services, and acquire the same information as a person without a disability, be able to do so in an equally effective manner and with substantially equivalent ease of use. Services and information must be made available at the same time to a person with a disability as to a person without a disability.
ADA Accessibility Policy
- As part of ADA Accessibility, all information communication technology must be accessible so that all students, prospective students, employees, guests, and visitors have equivalent access to information. Examples of information communication technology covered by this policy include university websites, learning management systems, software systems, electronic documents, videos, and other electronic communication.
- Accessibility coaching will be provided on an on-going basis to help train faculty and staff, increase awareness and sensitivity, and produce and manage accessible content.
- All Grace Christian University’s websites are required to meet the accessibility standards set forth by Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AA.
Rationale and Definitions
This policy aligns with Grace Christian University’s goal of cultivating a caring learning community where Jesus Christ is exalted and students are equipped for serving the needs of church and society.
It is important to differentiate between ADA accommodations (Section 504) and accessibility (Section 508):
An accommodation is…
- Provided based on the specific needs of a student with a documented disability
- Determined by an accommodations officer on a case-by-case basis
- Provided for students whose needs require great intervention, such as live American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters or lecture transcripts for live courses
- For circumstances that are difficult to anticipate and foresee
Accessibility is…
- The responsibility of all who create or publish digital content
- Provided for all students, prospective students, employees, guests and visitors with no expectation of an explanation of need
- Expected for disabilities that are easily anticipated
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT ACCESSIBILITY PROCEDURES
Grace Christian University is dedicated to ensuring that the institution complies with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements and that faculty and staff are trained to comply with ADA requirements.
- Grace Christian University will publish an approved ADA Policy which includes overall ADA compliance, physical plant compliance, accommodation, and accessibility.
- Faculty and staff will receive on-going training regarding ADA guidelines and compliance with expectations for accessibility, including but not limited to: Documents, video, audio, Learning Management System (LMS), and other forms of electronic communication.
- Faculty and staff will utilize the Checklist for ADA Accessibility for Web Content.
- Faculty and staff will be provided properly formatted examples of accessibility.
- Faculty will receive training on the use of Screencast-O-Matic technology to create and publish content that is accessible to people with disabilities.
- On-going training modules will be developed for faculty and staff as needed.
- Faculty and staff will have access to Screencast-O-Matic for development of ADA compliant video content.
CONTACT FOR ADA ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORT
- Marketing: VP of Marketing and Enrollment
- Information Technology: Director of Information Technology
- Faculty: ADA Accessibility Coordinator
ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS
Admitted students may request a reasonable accommodation as a result of a qualifying disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) or Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Information on the Academic Accommodation policy and procedure can be found in the Academic Accommodations section of the Academic Catalog (On-Campus, Online and Graduate Online versions). You can find the On-Campus and Online Accommodations Forms in the Accommodations section of the Student Resources webpage.