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Teach Online: Accessibility

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OSCQR 17-28OSCQR logo
OSCQR 34-37

With recent clarification to Title II ADA regulations, any digital content and tools will need to be accessible by April 2026.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act require that all learners be able to fully participate in all of the services, programs, and activities of US education institutions. This includes any digital/online course materials, resources, content you may use in your instruction. While your learning management system (LMS) likely has built-in web accessibility features and functionality, and may have tools to help you check, or ensure the accessibility of your digital content within the LMS, it is important that you ensure and maintain the accessibility of any online content you use or create for your online instruction, regardless of where it is located.

Check with your campus-based help resources for policies, procedures, and guidelines for ensuring web accessibility compliance.

Tips to Improve the Accessibility of Your Online Content

  1. Use heading styles or tags to reflect the actual organization of the page for those using screen readers.
  2. Use high-contrast colors, such as dark text on a light background, to make online content easier to read. Use bold /italic for emphasis, rather than color alone.
  3. Use simple and descriptive alt-text for images to make online content accessible to people using screen readers.
  4. Enable captions or include a transcript for any audio or video content. Use live-caption features for synchronous meetings.
  5. Create accessible PDFs to ensure that the online content is accessible via screen readers.
  6. Create accessible tables to ensure that the online content is accessible via screen readers.
  7. Use descriptive labels and text for hyperlinks (such as SUNY Online website, not just “click here!”) for linked documents and resources. This makes for a cleaner reading experience for those viewing or listening with a screen reader.
  8. Use accessibility checkers to help you identify areas in your digital content that need to be addressed. Start out with an accessible template for documents or presentations, rather than using blank pages/slides. It is always easier to ensure accessibility as you go, rather than leaving it all for the end. Adobe Acrobat Pro and Microsoft software (PowerPoint and Word) have built-in accessibility checkers.
  9. Use UDL principles in your course design to support the diversity of all learners in your course.
  10. Utilize the OSCQR rubric: OSCQR provides a number of web accessibility standards that have been developed based on the recommendations of SUNY’s Office of General Counsel in their 2013 memo, “Accessibility Considerations in the wake of SUNY’s Online Initiatives.” The rubric has been reviewed by members of the FACT2 Accessibility Task Force, the SUNY Coordinator of Disability, Diversity, and Nontraditional Student Services, and addresses the legal considerations required to be compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, New York State Enterprise IT Policy NYS-P08-005, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Tools & Resources

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