On December 4, 2001 the Maryland State Board of Education approved a new regulation (COMAR 13A.05.02.13H) concerning accessible technology-based instructional products. This regulation requires that a "public agency shall ensure that a request for bid, request for proposal, and local public agency guidelines for the selection and evaluation of technology-based instructional products used by students include the requirements governing equivalent access consistent with Subpart B, Technical Standards, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended."

MSDE, in collaboration with the Center for Technology in Education (CTE), has been conducting workshops for teams of staff from local school systems to assist them in implementing this regulation. Click here for resources from these workshops as well as other resources. http://cte.jhu.edu/accessibility.

The technical requirements governing equivalent access in this regulation are based on Subpart B, Technical Standards, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. For more information, explanations, and examples of these technical standards, which were developed by the Access Board, click here. This site includes explanations and examples of the standards.

Online Resources for Electronic Accessibility & Assistive Technologies:  Click here to view websites that provide information on current research, services, products, tools, and resources to assist educators in meeting the learning needs of individuals with disabilities.