Accessibility

Having Trouble?

Tell us about the accessibility barrier you are experiencing.

Wondering Who to Contact?

Please refer to Questions About Accessibility at COD (opens PDF).

Commitment to Accessibility

College of the Desert is committed to making its web site and all the information available online accessible to individuals of any ability. We recognize the importance and benefits of using technology to enhance student learning, especially as it helps students, faculty and staff communicate more effectively. Our goal is to make the services and information on our website accessible to everyone.

What Does Accessibility Mean?

College of the Desert creates digital information so that individuals using assistive technology and individuals with disabilities can access the same information as everyone else. Everything on our web site is designed to comply with California Government Code 7405 and College of the Desert Administrative Procedure 3725 so that information and services on our web site meet the accessibility requirements of Section 508 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794d, U.S.C. 255) and the WCAG 2.0 AA standards.

College of the Desert is providing resources for our staff, faculty, students and the community to ensure that they are following effective practices and the law by providing accessible digital information. We understand that web sites and services are constantly changing, as is the support for assistive computer technologies. This is why we welcome your feedback for improving the usability and accessibility of our web site and services.

About PDFs

Some older documents on our web site may not work well with assistive technology. If you are a person with a disability who would like to access the contents of a document on this web site that is not working with the technology you use, please contact us so we can provide you with the information in a format that you can use.

Students

College of the Desert students with disabilities are encouraged to take advantage of the services provided by the Disabled Students Programs and Services.

Reporting an Issue

College of the Desert tests various assistive technologies and web browsers to ensure a positive user experience. However, some assistive technology and web browser combinations may work better than others. If you cannot access content or use a feature due to a disability, please report the issue to:

For additional information about reporting concerns, please review the Web Accessibility Complaint and Resolution Process (opens PDF).

Helpful Feedback

When you contact us, it would be helpful if you could include:

  • What you were trying to do

  • What technologies you may have been using (computer, software)

  • The barrier or issue you encountered

  • The web address where you experienced the issue

  • A screenshot

For more information about giving us feedback, please see Contacting Organizations about Inaccessible Websites from the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). They have tips about what information you might want to share so we can make improvements.

Keyboard Commands

Web browsers support different keyboard commands for navigation and interaction without requiring the use of a mouse. The following table includes common keyboard commands:

Action Windows Keys Mac OS Keys
Go back a page Alt + left arrow Command + left arrow
Go forward a page Alt + right arrow Command + left arrow
Increase text size Control + plus sign Command + plus sign
Decrease text size Control + minus sign Command + minus sign
Restore text to default Control + 0 (zero) Command + 0 (zero)
Move to next form field Tab Tab
Move to previous form field Shift + tab Shift + tab
Close the window Control + w Command + w

Additional Keyboard Commands for Specific Web Browsers

For more information about keyboard commands, please review these resources: