Why Accessibility Matters
The Department of Justice (DOJ) introduced a significant change to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requiring public entities, including universities, to ensure digital content, including course materials, websites, documents, media, and applications for teaching & learning are accessible to individuals with disabilities by April 2026.
To satisfy this new law, digital materials must meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AAA, which requires content to be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
Digital accessibility is about far more than compliance; it ensures and reflects our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Accessible materials ensures all students have the ability to learn, have what they need to be successful, and enhances the usability of content for all.
Proactively creating accessible content saves time and resources. Designing with accessibility in mind reduces the need for accommodations, as well as the labor required of disabled people to request access needs to participate. Once you learn what accessibility looks like and how to implement it in your work, you can make accessible, equitable content for all from the beginning.