On April 24, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published a new rule on digital accessibility under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This rule requires the University’s web content, including academic course content, to be accessible starting on April 24, 2026.. The new minimum standard for compliance is meeting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA. Learn more about the new rule and UW's ADA Digital Accessibility Initiative
Work on the UW Digital Accessibility Initiative is ongoing and updates will be added to this page as they become available.
These Accessibility in Action videos created by colleagues in UW Continuum College cover multiple accessibility topics common in digital documents and Canvas. They are short, and get right to-the-point. They are designed to help you get started checking accessibility and fixing errors.
Because the videos are short, they don’t go into great detail about each topic—but they will get you started. We encourage you to check the additional resources, and schedule a 1:1 consultation to go over any questions you may have.
Schedule a 1:1 consultation with your UW Tacoma Office of Teaching Excellence team.
Accessibility Tools in Canvas
Accessibility Tools for webpages
Microsoft Office Accessibility Checkers
Starting an Accessibility Journey: 5 Easy Tips - Mary-Colleen Jenkins, UW ATS (February 2025)
Making Course Materials Accessible (Canvas pages, syllabi, handouts, assignments, images, recordings, slide decks, etc.)
UW Library Article Scanning Service
Strategies for Online Classes and Meetings
Accessibility Tools for Canvas (TidyUp, Ally, UDOIT)
PDFs can pose real barriers for users with disabilities. They often require extra steps to make accessible, are difficult to navigate on mobile devices, and aren’t easily updated. Worse, they can interrupt the seamless experience we strive to provide across our websites and digital platforms.
it’s better to use tools that have built-in editors and create web-friendly formats, like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Qualtrics, or web platforms such as Microsoft or Google forms. These tools are designed to produce content that is more accessible for people with disabilities, easier to read on mobile devices, and quicker to update when things change.
Look for alternatives to PDF's for course article and when creating new content, choose an alternative format. If you have a document that must remain a PDF, utilize the UW Tacoma IT PDF Remediation Service
Accessibility Tools for Canvas (TidyUp, Ally, UDOIT)
Accessibility Tool for Checking Websites (DevBot)
Alt Text Tools
Microsoft Office 365 Web and Desktop Accessibility Checker
Hosting Accessible Meetings and Trainings
Working with Vendors (Procurement)
Strategies for Online Classes and Meetings
Visualization Data and complex content
Forms (Harvard University)
Email (Harvard University)
Creating Accessible Videos & Audio
Building Accessible Websites (Drupal accessibility tools, etc.)
Policies and standards set requirements that shape our digital accessibility work, and guidelines clarify how we meeting them.
UW-IT Accessible Technology Services is available to offer trainings or workshops on any aspect of digital accessibility for UW groups. To request a training, tell us a bit about your needs in an email to help@uw.edu, or submit your request via the Accessibility Consultation Form (requires a UW NetID).
Avoid using PDF's if you can. PDFs can pose real barriers for users with disabilities. They often require extra steps to make accessible, are difficult to navigate on mobile devices, and aren’t easily updated. UW Tacoma IT has limited PDF remediation assistance for instances where an alternative to using a PDF is not possible. To learn more, visit How to Submit PDF's for Remediation
The Accessible Technology Events page is your hub for upcoming events, meetings, and webinars focused on digital accessibility at the University of Washington. Whether you’re a developer looking to join a Web Accessibility and Usability Meetup or a faculty member interested in our Course Accessibility Lunch & Learn, you’ll find opportunities to build your skills and connect with colleagues. Check back regularly for new events and webinar archives.
Staff members across UW offer digital accessibility support and consultation, from clarifying requirements to teaching how to make digital content accessible. Send a detailed message to help@uw.edu – this will be routed to a relevant team who can best address your needs, and status be tracked through our online ticketing system.
Learn about UW’s initiative to comply with the Department of Justice’s digital accessibility rule by April 2026. This includes governance, project management, and sustainability plans to ensure ongoing accessibility across UW’s digital ecosystem.
Learn About the ADA Digital Accessibility Initiative
Do you have questions about the ADA Digital Accessibility Initiative and UW's current work to meet the ADA Rule on digital accessibility? Email digitalaccess@uw.edu
We’re excited to announce two new tools that are available in Canvas to help simplify the process of making course materials more accessible to learners with disabilities:
Digital Accessibility Liaisons are excited to learn more about digital accessibility and to build their own skills so they can share what they learn with their units. They do so in several ways:
Did you or someone you know encounter an obstacle to access? We are committed to making our digital and physical campuses accessible for all.
