Key Digital Accessibility Compliance Areas
How the DOJ Ruling Affects UVA Accessibility
The DOJ’s Title II ADA ruling affects public colleges and universities in several key ways, primarily by requiring greater digital accessibility and ensuring that programs, services, and activities are fully accessible to individuals with disabilities. Here is a breakdown of the main impacts on campuses:
Digital Accessibility Requirements
- UVA must ensure their websites, mobile apps, and digital content meets WCAG 2.1 AA.
- This applies to admissions portals, official social media accounts, websites, course materials, library resources, research, student services, Workday trainings, software, and electronic documentation.
- We must remediate inaccessible content and provide alternative access when necessary.
- Begin creating WCAG 2.1 compliant content from the beginning to reduce future remediation efforts of inaccessible content (with a preference for WCAG 2.2 Level AA whenever possible).
Key Digital Compliance Areas
Course Materials & Learning Management Systems (LMS)
- Online courses, syllabi, and instructional materials must be accessible.
View the Faculty Intro page and accompanying Pillar Pages to get started.
Resources on Video and Audio Accessibility
Resources to make website content accessible- LMS platforms (like Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle) must support screen readers, keyboard navigation, and captioning and transcription of videos.
For additional help contact the ITS Learning Services team or the Center for Teaching Excellence and check out our 7 key pillars.
- Third-party content (e.g., publisher-provided resources, videos, PDFs) must also be compliant.
View the Faculty Intro page and accompanying Pillar Pages to get started.
Multimedia & Video Content
- Captions and transcripts are required for all prerecorded and live-streamed video content.
Faculty Captioning Pillar
Full list of UVA captioning and Transcript requirements
Full list of approved UVA captioning Vendors
Captioning and transcript FAQ’s- Audio descriptions are required for videos when visual content is essential to understanding the material.
Contact the Digital Accessibility Coordinator for assistance in identifying if your video needs audio descriptions Full list of approved UVA Audio Description Vendors
- Classroom and Faculty
Applies to class lectures, recorded lessons, promotional materials, social media, embedded website videos, and public broadcasts.
Faculty Captioning Pillar
Student Services & Online Forms
- Online Platforms
Online platforms for registration, financial aid, counseling, career services, and student portals, etc. must be accessible.
- Interactive Forms (Electronic PDFs, etc.)
Includes interactive elements like forms (electronic and PDF’s), chatbots, and virtual advising tools.
Making PDFs accessible with Equidox
University Events & Communications
- Public Events
Public event pages, ticketing systems, and announcements must be accessible.
- Electronic Communications
Emails, newsletters, and other digital communications should be in accessible formats by default.
Check out the Universities Accessible Programs & Events page for more information.
Procurement
Public colleges and universities must ensure that all digital tools, software, and third-party services procured meet ADA Title II requirements and conform to WCAG 2.1 AA standards. For an assessment of a product or review of a VPAT/ACR contact the Digital Accessibility Coordinator. This includes:
- Vendor Contracts
Institutions should include accessibility requirements in all RFPs (Requests for Proposals) and contracts. UVA Procurement has implemented new Accessibility language for contracts. Please contact your procurement officer to view the new language and to understand what is required.
- Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs/ACRs)
Vendors should provide a VPAT or accessibility conformance report (ACR) to demonstrate compliance.
Complete the Product Accessibility Review Form to have your product reviewed.
- Third Party Content & Services
Any external learning platforms, testing software, event management tools, or student service applications must be accessible. Complete the Product Accessibility Review Form to have your product reviewed.
- Ongoing Monitoring
When your product is up for renewal in contract another review of the accessibility of the product should be conducted. Complete the Product Accessibility Review Form to have your product reviewed.
Social Media
We must ensure our social media content is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Key requirements include:
- Alternative Text for Images
All images, infographics, and memes must have descriptive alt text. Learn how to create Alternative Text
- Video Accessibility
All videos must include captions, and audio descriptions should be provided when necessary and if supported.
Video and Audio Requirements
Video Alternatives- Hashtag Formatting
Use camel case (e.g., #GoHoosNotGohoos) so screen readers can read hashtags correctly.
- Accessible Links
Use descriptive link text and avoid generic phrases like "Click here."
Learn How to Create Accessible Links- Content Testing
Regularly test social media posts using screen readers and accessibility tools to ensure usability.
Explore how to make your social media accessible at UVA and Social Media Specific Accessibility Resources.