What is Digital Accessibility?

Digital accessibility is the practice of designing and developing digital content, applications, and services that are usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. Creating accessible content helps us all to better understand and interact with the content, learning resources, and platforms we use in our courses. Common examples of digital accessibility that many of us use include:

• turning on captions as we watch video content in noisy environments or where audio would disturb others
• using document headings to orient ourselves as we read
• turning on the text read-aloud feature or using a screen-reader for documents when commuting or multitasking.

Applying digital accessibility increases positive outcomes for students as well as faculty and instructors: 

• Access First. Excellence Follows. 

• Improved learning experience for all students 

• Less re-working of course materials in future due to better compatibility across learning tools and future tech changes. 

Creating more inclusive and accessible documents is often as fast (and as easy) as clicking a toolbar button or using an equivalent keyboard shortcut. The Department of Justice's Final Rule on Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act goes into effect in April 2026 and requires that all digital tools and content—instructional content, Canvas, webpages, apps, documents—be accessible for all. 

What’s My Role?

All faculty and instructors need to:

• Provide accessible syllabi, readings, handouts, and class materials (e.g., documents, PowerPoint, PDFs, spreadsheets, videos, audio, images, etc.)
• Provide accessible content and activities in Canvas (e.g. Pages, Assignments, Discussions)
• Use learning technologies that are licensed and supported by the University.

Faculty and instructors also need to consider the accessibility of other digital content, including websites they own or manage, or digital material used in research (e.g., surveys, calls for participation) and publication.

How do I get started?

Step 1: Explore and Learn

• Prune outdated and non-essential course material from your Canvas courses. Less material means less to remediate.  
• Familiarize yourself with our targets: the Seven Pillars of Digital Accessibility. You’ll discover you may already be implementing some Pillars! 
• Engage with learning and support opportunities 

Step 2: Try and Apply

Try 1-2 Pillars every couple of weeks. We can try-and-apply a skill in a course at our own pace.                        

• Start Small: Apply 2-3 Pillars as you create new digital content.   
• Find and Fix: Run UDOIT in Canvas to find and fix the inaccessible content labeled “High Impact” first. Once we identify a common error pattern, we also know how to avoid that error in the future! 
• Share success with your departmental colleagues to identify efficient accessibility solutions. 
• Check the accessibility of Library-owned content that you plan to use in your courses. Follow Library guidance for accessibility of course materials.
• Prepare Captioning: Use the Captioning Pillar page to turn-on/add captions to your audio/video materials or put in a request for captioning support.

Step 3: Implement and Sustain

• Prune & Import: As you prepare your Canvas course sites, import only the materials you will definitely use in your courses. Fewer to fix! 
• Find and Fix: Use UDOIT in Canvas to check your status on our 7 target pillars of accessibility. 
• Progress over perfection: Apply your new accessibility skills to content in your courses.

Check the Accessibility of Content (UDOIT and Microsoft tools)

• Use Microsoft’s built-in accessibility checker during and after creating Word documents, PowerPoints, and spreadsheets. Make Documents Accessible (Microsoft)
• Use Canvas’ accessibility checker to identify and resolve issues in your course content. How do I use the Accessibility Checker in the Rich Content Editor (Canvas)
• Use UDoIt accessibility support tools within Canvas to identify and resolve issues
  • UDOIT guides for UVACanvas
  • UDOIT for Canvas User Guide
  • UDOIT (Video) Training Series

Specialized How To's

• Improve Email Accessibility (video)
• Accessibility Best Practices with Excel Spreadsheets (read)
• Web Development Accessibility Tutorials if developing and managing website content