"By the time the April 2026 deadline arrives, institutions will have had nearly two years to update their digital media-the Department of Justice finalized its regulations for Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act in April 2024. The new rules require publicly funded entities to ensure that all web and media content adheres to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, which means every PDF file must be accessible, every video accompanied by captions and audio descriptions, every sound clip paired with a transcript."
"This mammoth task requires that institutions ensure thousands of webpages meet the guidelines, train faculty to make course materials accessible and verify the tech platforms from vendors are compliant. Some colleges started this work years ago. Others are woefully behind: A recent survey by Anthology found that fewer than a quarter of faculty said they considered accessibility when designing course materials, and an Educause poll shows that 40 percent of institutions have just one or two staff members on campus dedicated to technology accessibility."
Publicly funded colleges and universities must ensure all webpages, online course materials and mobile apps are accessible to people with disabilities by April 2026. The Department of Justice finalized Title II regulations in April 2024 requiring adherence to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, including accessible PDFs, captions and audio descriptions for videos, and transcripts for audio. Institutions must also ensure third-party platforms comply. The work includes remediating thousands of webpages, training faculty on accessible course design, and verifying vendor technology. Many campuses lack sufficient staff or faculty awareness, creating significant compliance and legal risks. The DOJ has taken a larger role in enforcing civil rights laws in higher ed.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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