Handle barriers, feedback and alternative access

Respond to the task and route

When someone reports a barrier, ask what they are trying to do and what help would work for them. Start with the task description and request only details needed to respond. Confirm a safe reply route for follow-up, and collect only task-relevant personal information.

The District should confirm which public channels are monitored, who checks them, the backup, the approved response expectations and how reports are routed outside business hours if that matters to the service. Do not publish an unmonitored email or promise a response interval that has not been approved. If the usual contact route itself is inaccessible, staff should use the approved alternate route and tell the Accessibility lead so the channel can be fixed.

Keep sensitive contact details in the approved private system. Public release notes should describe the issue and repair without exposing a requester’s identity or circumstances.

Create a record that enables repair

• Issue ID, discovery date and source, page or file URL, document version, service and affected interaction state.
• Task the person was attempting, barrier observed, impact, deadline and any affected audience or service.
• Reproduction steps and environment if known; mark unknown details rather than blocking intake.
• Assigned content, technical or supplier owner; urgency decision; next action and owner-confirmed target date.
• Assistance offered, requester preference where relevant, privacy handling and communication status.
• Repair, deployment and retest results recorded separately, including reviewer and evidence location.

Prioritize by whether people are blocked, task consequences, time sensitivity, breadth of impact and availability of a safe alternative. Treat scanner severity as one input; assess user impact directly. Escalate high-impact barriers promptly to the service owner and Policy approver.

Provide assistance and verify repairs

While a repair is underway, offer a usable path such as an accessible web version, corrected document, staff-assisted completion or another method. Preserve the essential information, deadlines and opportunity to participate. Confirm that the route works for the immediate task, including with the person when possible.

Track alternative access separately from remediation of the original page or file. Recording an issue does not waive repair. Any formally permitted exception or risk acceptance must follow District authority and process, and include affected scope, rationale, user impact, available alternative, accountable approver and review date.

Close an issue only after repeating the reported task against the deployed fix, recording the result and checking related pages or shared components as appropriate. If the fix is partial, the supplier has only acknowledged a ticket, or the alternative has not been verified, keep the record open. Where the requester asked for follow-up, provide a clear status through the approved channel. See barrier reporting guidance and third-party content checks.

Use a working record

Complete a record when the activity occurs, download it and retain it in the approved team location.

• Accessibility issue and retest
• Accessibility feedback and assistance
• Interim alternative-access plan