Accessibility | Information Technology | University of Pittsburgh
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Accessibility

The University is committed to ensuring that all students at Pitt have the opportunity to succeed. The Office of Disability Resources and Services coordinates the offering of appropriate accommodations to students with disabilities. Pitt Information Technology recognizes that technology services play a key role in assisting students with disabilities. To that end, we provide a range of technology resources to Pitt students.

Student Computing Labs

At the request of Disability Resources and Services, Pitt IT provides the following accessibility software in our seven Student Computing Labs:

  • JAWS screen reading software for Windows
  • Kurzweil 3000 provides assistance for students with learning disabilities (like dyslexia) and ESL students; includes research and process writing tools, an MP3 encoder to create audio files, bilingual dictionaries and translation support, and study skills support tools
  • Windows 10 Magnifier and Narrator

All Student Computing Labs are on ground level or can be reached by elevator. There are ADA-compliant desks in all of the Student Computing Labs, and the mobile computing counters have ADA-compliant sections with lower counter space.

Web Resources

The University’s Student Information System (PeopleSoft) offers an “Accessibility Layout” option for use with screen readers. Page elements (fields, links, buttons, etc.) are presented linearly to assistive software. A separate layout option supports assistive technologies without altering the page design. To enable accessibility mode in the Student Information System (PeopleSoft):

  1. Log in to My Pitt (my.pitt.edu).
  2. Search for Student Center in the Search box, and click its icon to launch the PeopleSoft Student Center.
  3. Click the Actions button (three vertical dots) in the top banner of the Student Center page and select My Preferences. 
  4. Under the General Options section, choose "Screen reader mode on" from the Accessibility Layout drop-down menu.
  5. Click Save.

The content on Pitt Information Technology's website (technology.pitt.edu) is created and managed with accessibility in mind.

  • Whenever possible, we use HTML pages for our help sheets, instead of PDFs, which increases the overall accessibility of that content.
  • “How to” instructions do not rely on images to present information. Text descriptions convey any important information that is contained in the images themselves. 
  • We scan our website regularly to identify accessibility issues (for example, missing <alt> tags) and work to correct them.

University Resources

  • The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is committed to Digital Accessibility, with the mission of creating a digital environment that students, faculty, and staff can all freely, independently, and easily access. 
  • Disability Resources and Services provides disability specialists, accessible shuttle service, a detailed map of accessible entrances on campus, assistive technology resources, and a wealth of other services to the University community. 
  • The Center for Instructional Development and Distance Education provides a number of accessibility resources to support faculty instruction. 
  • A Braille embosser is available on the ground floor of Hillman Library that renders text as braille cells using the popular Duxburry type-to-braille conversion program.
  • The Petersen Events Center offers a downloadable Accessibility Guide for those attending events.

External Resources