A recent Chronicle of Higher Education article reminded the industry they likely have a lot of homework to do to ensure their websites are more ready for updated accessibility standards to be enforced come 2026.
Public colleges must meet new technical standards for web content as part of additions to Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act. The standards are outlined in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Levels A and AA. Private institutions that are recipients of Federal financial assistance also must ensure their web content and mobile apps comply with the same WCAG standards in 2026, as stipulated by the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
What needs to be updated
- The way you think about resources delivered digitally
- Videos need audio files and transcripts
- Audio content has minimal background noise and foreground sound is sufficient
- Designs with adequate contrast between text and background
- Mouse actions need keyboard shortcuts
- PDFs
- Content must be able to display in portrait or landscape orientation
- Forms need code to indicate purpose of each field
- Content that appears on click or hover can be consumed
- Keyboard shortcuts that can be typed or spoken, including ability to turn off shortcut
- Notes: 1) See World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) site for a full list, official requirements, and excellent explanations of the goal of each guideline 2) Previous versions of WCAG guidelines included accessible aspects like providing text alternatives (alt text) for non-text content (images). Those guidelines are still in effect.
PDFs are everywhere
PDF remediation deserves special attention in your 2025 planning. These documents are ubiquitous in higher education and often pose significant accessibility challenges. Consider implementing policies that encourage HTML alternatives where possible and establish clear protocols for making necessary PDFs accessible from creation.
At Kennedy & Company, we run into many (MANY) PDFs in use as informational downloads or attachments in degree program marketing, inquiry forms, and communications journey emails when we are conducting CRM audits or marketing strategy and website reviews.
Program information is very often offered as a PDF download. If you use a gated content approach (submit a form in exchange for the document), make sure you offer multiple access methods that are well explained, such as on-page access after form submission and an email that includes the download link.
Issues will be found in all corners of the University web presence
While your instructional design teams have likely been producing learning objects that meet accessibility standards for years, there will inevitably be some aspects of digital learning that will need attention. Resources created for on-campus students also will need updates – have you noticed how many advising sheets and degree plans are in PDF format?
Changing your approach to creating these assets will require education, training, and most of all, resources of time and investment.
Where to put resources
- Identification of issues: Numerous accessibility checker tools exist. Your campus accessibility experts will have tools and advice. Note that automated tools won’t catch everything. Additional manual auditing early in the process will identify areas of concern.
- Remediation plan creation: Prioritize your most heavily trafficked web pages and essential services such as course delivery, academic planning resources, admissions, financial aid, and registration.
- Documentation: Keep records of your plans and improvement efforts. Check in on timelines often. If faced with complaints or audits, this documentation will demonstrate good faith efforts toward compliance.
- Communication: Ensure the efforts are known campuswide. Post updates on plans and resources. Offer a method for stakeholders at all levels to both ask questions and also report accessibility issues they’ve uncovered.
- Training: Every user of the content management system needs updated guidelines and how-tos. Develop role-appropriate training programs for faculty, staff, and student content creators. Focus on practical, achievable steps so that technical details don’t overwhelm contributors.
- New workflows for contributors: What will the process be for a division’s academic advisers to post what have previously been semesterly PDFs for advising worksheets or graduation plans? Who will help the student orgs post schedules of events they typically create in Canva? What course design approaches need to be updated for faculty to add worksheets for download throughout the semester?
- Purchased technology, tools, and apps: Ensure out-of-the-box technology is compliant and provide training and time for in-house developers and implementation team members so customizations are compliant as well. Create an accessibility requirements checklist for vendors for contract renewals.
How you can be a catalyst on your campus
- Raise the concern. Regardless of the level at which your role operates, find ways to make sure others understand the situation.
- Establish a digital accessibility team if you don’t already have one. Consider participants from multiple levels of technical prowess along with the usual suspects from the IT, Web Administration, and Accessibility Services offices. Ensure the team is given the agency to recommend budgets needed, evaluate third-party tools, and have a voice in training approaches.
- Draft a roadmap with prioritized steps for the review and subsequent actions needed. Even if you only do this for the division in which you sit, it can be of help to those your unit supports and serves.
- Ensure cost estimates for the work are realistic and help leadership understand the time it will take to convert key elements into accessible resources, e.g., PDF conversion.
- For those of you far along in this work, be open with other divisions regarding the resources of staff time and lines of effort it has taken
Final thoughts
Many aspects of a compliant website are still not truly accessible to some individuals. Consider “compliant” to be a minimum standard.
Don’t “wait and see” if the regulations face legal challenges before they take effect.
Ask for help. Kennedy & Company can help you think through compliance issues with your financial aid site, net price calculator functionality, marketing websites, CRM tools and communications journeys. Let us know what questions you have.