When a “conditional use” timeframe or contract is expiring for software that involves UMOnline, ATS contacts UMOnline’s Help Desk to discuss software re-testing needs at least two to three months in advance of the expiration date.
UMOnline's Help Desk lead contacts the vendor to check on accessibility upgrades that may be pending and informs them of UM's need to re-test.
If a testing instance is not already in place on a Sandbox site, UMOnline's Help Desk lead ensures that one is ready to go.
UMOnline notifies ATS when the testing instance is ready and provides any needed login information.
ATS conducts the testing with UMOnline, following the ATS testing protocol.
ATS adds updated testing information to ATS’s Roadmap for the product and shares this information with the CIO.
ATS notifies UMOnline if (conditional) use is granted or denied by the CIO.
Any action related to the contract is completed by the responsible parties and IT notifies any UM employee using the product.
UMOnline's Help Desk lead or UMOnline staff notifies the vendor and informs them about any outstanding accessibility issues.
When time allows, UMOnline maintains communication with the vendor as they 1) make accessibility improvements to their product and/or 2) perform regular upgrades.
If the Bookstore has been involved, UMOnline's Help Desk lead notifies them about the CIO’s decision, cc-ing UMOnline staff on the communication.
UMOnline receives an LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) integration request from an instructor or a third-party vendor (Macmillan, Pearson, etc.) and informs the requester that the accessibility testing process may take approximately two to three months to complete.
UMOnline communicates with the vendor in terms of the components needed for testing and configures the testing instance on the Sandbox.
An instructional designer works with the instructor requesting the LTI integration and adds student-related content (assignments, activities, etc.) to the Sandbox instance.
UMOnline completes the Accessible EIT Review Request form, notifying ATS that the testing instance is ready.
ATS tests the student content on the Sandbox in coordination with UMOnline.
ATS and UNOnline list the existing accessibility features, as well as complete, partial, and minor accessibility barriers for the product.
UMOnline determines if the LTI integration can move forward, according to the requirements in UM’s Accessibility Policy, and notifies the instructor.
UMOnline moves the LTI integration to production, if use is granted.
If conditional use is granted for a limited period of time, UMOnline removes the LTI integration from the LMS when the time expires and notifies the instructor.
According to legal counsel, these same approval steps apply when instructors link to the website of a third-party vendor (Pearson, MacMillan, Cengage, etc.) and require students to complete online activities from the vendor’s website.
Software and hardware accessibility review