Five Practical Steps You Can Take To Ensure You’re Ready for Recent Changes to Title II

[MarisaBluestone]

Digital accessibility benefits all users. For many, this is well known, but for some it may be news: closed captioning on videos, contrast options on websites, and customized fonts (among other features) all stem from accessibility needs but benefit a broad audience. This alone is a wonderful reason to make accessibility a priority every day, but that’s not always the case. Thankfully, accessibility has long been supported by legislative efforts as well.

Recent changes to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are quickly bringing accessibility back in the spotlight and prompting universities and the education-oriented businesses that support them to reassess their digital accessibility strategies. 

The update from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) requires state and local governments, including public colleges and universities, to make their websites and mobile applications accessible to people with disabilities. In broad terms, this means complying with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA standards. In practical terms, it may mean that colleges and universities, administrators and faculty may need to make some changes to comply within the next two to three years.

Accessibility has been important to Macmillan Learning for quite some time, earning the company global recognition and certifications. We recognize that it is an ongoing journey to creating a world in which every learner succeeds, no matter their background or abilities. But  each company and institution is on their own accessibility journey, and may be in a different stage of compliance or development. So to help colleges navigate these changes, we’ve outlined some key practical steps to ensure efficiency and compliance with the new rules.

1. Conduct an Accessibility Audit

Conducting an accessibility audit is a big task and can take a lot of resources. While ideally the first step in addressing the new regulations is to perform a comprehensive audit of all digital content including websites, mobile apps, and digital course materials, that’s not always feasible with staffing and financial restrictions. If resourcing is an issue, start by focusing on your college’s public-facing website pages, like admissions, course catalogs, and student services. 

Develop a schedule for auditing that gives you a steady but reasonable pace to uncover and resolve issues. Plan to focus some attention on your Learning Management Systems (LMS) and digital learning systems to be sure they are compliant. To do this, reach out to your partners, like Macmillan Learning, and ask where they are on their own accessibility journey and what their roadmap looks like for compliance. And of course, you’ll need to review digital course content, including syllabi, lecture notes, multimedia resources and any interactive tools or forms. Templates, like an accessible syllabus template, can help move the needle by giving every faculty member the tools they need to contribute.

The audit should identify areas that fall short of WCAG 2.1, Level AA standards. It's always helpful to brush up on the standards (detailed information about them can be found on the W3C website.)

2. Develop a Compliance Plan

Once the audit is complete, the next step is to create a detailed compliance plan. Start by identifying high-priority areas for immediate action, particularly those with the most significant impact on users. Look for areas which prevent access to certain users or areas that are accessed frequently and could rapidly lead to frustration. While these can be more complex problems to solve, they will help you on the way to create a viable pathway for all students and instructors using the sites you’re reviewing. Pair these with the ‘low hanging fruit’ or ‘quick wins’ to ensure you and your colleagues have the satisfaction of seeing progress.

The plan should set realistic timelines for achieving compliance, bearing in mind the DOJ’s two-year deadline for large entities and three years for smaller ones. Then assign clear responsibilities to specific individuals or teams, ensuring accountability throughout the process. If you’re not sure where to start with assigning responsibility, there are plenty of resources available including this model from the W3C.

3. Training. Because accessibility should be a team effort. 

Training your staff in accessibility best practices helps ensure not only that your existing digital content is compliant for the DOJ’s upcoming deadlines, but remains compliant as new content is created. To do this, ensure that everyone involved in content creation and management is well-versed in accessibility standards. 

A broad introduction to what accessibility is and who it impacts is a great start. This can be self paced, allowing staff to work through the material as it fits into their schedule but is most effective when it concludes with the staff member making a commitment to accessibility in their every day practice. 

After that, consider role specific training. This includes training web developers and IT teams on WCAG 2.1, Level AA standards and how to implement them in web and app development. Instructional designers and faculty should be trained on how to create accessible course materials, including text alternatives, captions for videos, and keyboard accessibility. While this is done automatically within platforms like Achieve, some products (especially OER) do not have much of the required functionality. These trainings can also help ensure that when new digital products or spaces are created that they are built with accessibility and the required standards in mind. Be sure to regularly update training to reflect the latest best practices and technological advancements in accessibility.

4. Use accessible tools and platforms 

Adopting tools and platforms designed with accessibility in mind is crucial for maintaining compliance. For your LMS, choose platforms that support accessibility features and offer robust tools for creating accessible content. Any content creation tools should include software that has built-in accessibility checks to ensure documents and multimedia are accessible from the start. 

Use digital learning platforms that don’t just comply with standards, but that focus on usability and experience. Ask if they are testing with users with disabilities and incorporating that feedback and if they have a support plan for students that have trouble with accessing their content, no matter how compliant it is.

At Macmillan Learning we make regular updates to Achieve, our digital learning platform, to make it more friendly for users with disabilities. We run user experience interviews with students with disabilities, connect to disability support offices through conferences as well as our Macmillan Learning Accessibility Advisory Board, and provide customized support to students and instructors that contact us.

Additionally, for the fifth consecutive year, we were recognized as Global Certified Accessible by Benetech. This means that we provide “born accessible” digital learning options that ensure that every student, no matter their ability, has the same access to information. Benetech certified our conformance to the accessible EPUB creation guidelines, which are based on WCAG 2.2 AA standards, exceeding what the DOJ requires for compliance.

5. Monitor and update continuously

Accessibility is not a one-time task but a journey -- one that requires an ongoing commitment. To maintain compliance, continuously monitor your web content, course materials, and mobile apps for accessibility issues. Also, while you can make every effort to be compliant, there may be something you miss or a way you can improve. It’s helpful to establish channels for students and other stakeholders to report any accessibility issues they run into, and use this feedback to make improvements. 

The changes to Title II of the ADA present both challenges and opportunities for colleges. By following these practical steps—conducting audits, developing a compliance plan, training staff, utilizing accessible tools, engaging experts, and maintaining continuous monitoring—institutions can ensure they meet regulatory requirements while enhancing the educational experience for all students. Taking these proactive steps not only helps avoid potential legal challenges but also demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity and equal access, aligning with the broader mission of education. Learn more about Macmillan Learning’s accessibility journey, standards and more.