Making Your Course Content Accessible by Design 

Making Your Course Content Accessible by Design 

A significant shift in digital standards arrives this April. Public higher education institutions must now ensure all web content and mobile apps meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. This federal mandate under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act increases the level of accessibility required for digital content, including course materials. 

The deadline of April 24, 2026, applies to many institutions, requiring that digital course materials be accessible as soon as they are available to students. This includes syllabi, lecture slides, video captions, and third-party tools. When building course materials, incorporating a few key practices can make a difference. Use real text instead of scanned images in PDFs so screen readers can function. Organize documents with proper heading levels rather than just bolding text for emphasis. This is required for screen reader navigation. Add descriptive “ALT Tags”to images and ensure all videos have accurate, synchronized captions. Of course, materials already created will need to be reviewed and made accessible. 

The underlying goal is consistent with our Total Commitment to Student Success.  Removing barriers before students even encounter them.  

For more details on the technical standards and timelines, you can review this FAQ from the Department of Justice.