Dear Highline Community:

We want to take this opportunity to affirm our continued commitment to supporting the disabled community here at Highline.

Many of the federal institutions and programs that support the disabled community are at risk. Among these are programs and laws that support and ensure equitable access in education and employment for individuals with disabilities.

Highline College is committed to fostering a culture of inclusiveness and equity when supporting our disabled students and employees. Some key elements of this commitment include:

• Access Services, providing individualized accommodations, resources, and support services to ensure students with disabilities have equal access to educational opportunities and can fully participate in all aspects of campus life.
• Our Accessible Technology Policy, adopted in 2017, which requires that we provide equitable access to all technology and electronic content produced and used by the college.
• Section 304 of the faculty contract (HCEA-HC AGREEMENT 2022-2025 (PDF link)), adopted in 2022, providing specific requirements and timelines for classroom materials.
• Our Accessibility website with a growing library of information on accessibility initiatives at Highline College.
• The recently launched Accessibility Liaisons initiative, providing accessibility training to staff and faculty volunteers across campus who can then work within their departments to promote and improve accessibility across campus.
• Our Achieve Comprehensive Transition Certificate programs, designed specifically for students with intellectual disabilities, one of the first and longest running college programs for people with intellectual disabilities in the country.
• Our Community and Employment Services program, currently serving over 150 students with disabilities to achieve their career goals.

The federal ADA Title II rules for accessible technology are still in effect. As a state agency Highline College is bound by the Washington State Technology Policy USER-01 (formerly Policy 188).

Our commitment remains strong in support of our disabled students, employees, and the wider community. This is inclusive of the many intersections of identities and lived experiences that can affect an individual’s access to equitable and accessible services.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Accessibility, please reach out to the Accessible Technology Committee at at@highline.edu or Access Services at access@highline.edu. You may also send questions or feedback through the Joint Information Center Input Form.

In community,

Highline College Executive Cabinet, Accessible Technology Committee, and the Joint Information Center

(sent to all faculty, staff, students, and the Highline College Board of Trustees)