The U.S. Department of Justice recently made changes to title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the requirement for governmental entities to comply with the ADA. These updates clarify our obligation to make all digital content—including, but not limited to, online course content and mobile applications—readily usable by and accessible to individuals with disabilities. The university has a deep history of leadership in accessibility, and we now have an opportunity to set the standard for inclusive digital practices.

Digital accessibility ensures that all online content, tools, and platforms are usable for our university community. This includes compliance with standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, ensuring content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users. Creating accessible digital content allows us to foster an inclusive environment for students, faculty, staff, and the broader community, including those with disabilities.

The university has until April 2026 to reach compliance, according to the timeline set forth by the DOJ.

All university staff, faculty, and instructors who produce or manage digital content are responsible for ensuring its accessibility.

Any digital content that the university creates, publishes, or shares broadly must be accessible. This includes:

• Webpages.
• PDFs, PowerPoints, and other documents.
• Online course materials.
• Videos.
• Images (with alt text).
• Apps and software platforms.
• Mass email communications.
• Social media content.

All digital content that is used to apply for, gain access to, or participate in services, programs, and activities of the university must be accessible. There are exceptions for content that falls outside of this use, such as archived content; however, such content would need to be made accessible upon request. Social media content posted prior to June 24, 2024, does not need to be made accessible.

Creating accessible materials from scratch only takes little extra time once you know the basics. Remediating existing content varies — simple updates, like adding alt text or formatting a syllabus, might take just a few minutes, while more complex adjustments may take longer. The key is knowing the basics; with practice, accessibility becomes a natural part of your workflow.

No, access to accessible media is not an accommodation. Accessible design supports the right to information for all, while accommodations address specific needs around how someone uses technology. Accessible media ensures that everyone, including individuals with disabilities, can independently access information and resources without needing to request special arrangements. This is different from accommodations, which adjust how individuals interact with technology or environments, such as extended test times or providing assistive devices.

Students must ensure that any digital content they create for university business is accessible. This might include work done in a university-affiliated job or internship. However, students are not required to make academic coursework or personal content accessible.

We will be putting resources in place and offering skill building opportunities to allow instructors and staff to feel comfortable creating accessible materials, recognizing inaccessible materials, and performing basic accessibility remediation. We are not asking them to become digital accessibility subject matter experts.

An upcoming, dedicated website for digital accessibility will house resources such as training materials, guidelines, and accessibility checklists.

We will offer regular workshops and training sessions on digital accessibility best practices, including creating accessible course materials, documents, and web content. Self-paced online training and resources will also be available.

Instructors must ensure that all course materials are accessible. This includes lecture slides, reading materials, videos, and assignments. Captioning videos, providing transcripts, and using accessible document formats are key components of compliance. There are some course materials that should be made accessible based upon individual need, rather than by default. A decision tree to help determine when course materials fall into this latter category will be coming soon.

Yes. Third-party tools, apps, or content (such as videos, software, or websites) will need to be fully accessible.

Yes. Updates to ADA Title II requires governmental entities to make their digital content accessible. Remember: Access to accessible digital content is not an accommodation.

No. The primary content must be accessible unless prevented by technical or legal constraints outside of the university’s control.