The deadline to meet federal accessibility standards is April 24, 2026.
Looking to make your course content accessible and meet federal accessibility standards? Improving the usability of course materials doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We provide tools to help instructors make incremental, high-impact changes for addressing inaccessible content and meeting the technical standards established by the U.S. Department of Justice.
About the DOJ Rule
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) updated its regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in April 2024. The final rule requires public universities to ensure web content and mobile applications (including academic course content) are accessible to people with disabilities. To be compliant, course content must meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1 Level AA. The deadline to comply with the DOJ rule is April 24, 2026.
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What am I responsible for as an instructor?
You must ensure the accessibility of all course content, including documents, slides, multimedia, and Canvas pages.
Read more about your responsibilities as an instructor
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How do I know if my course content is accessible?
Use Canvas’s built-in tools and Microsoft’s accessibility checkers to determine the accessibility of course content.
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What are some of the easiest accessibility issues to fix?
Get started with accessibility by addressing four common issues: headings, alternative text, contrast, and links.
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Quick Start Guide
Not sure where to start? Below is a list of steps that will help you prioritize your work and leverage university-provided tools for addressing inaccessible content.
Prioritize Accessibility Efforts.
Start with courses you will be teaching in the next two semesters (Summer, Fall 2026) as well as your highest-enrollment and prerequisite courses.
Leverage the Learning Management System.
Regardless of your course's delivery method, leverage the accessibility tools built into the learning management system by uploading course materials (eg, slides, audio and video recordings, PDFs, Word and Excel documents, etc.) into Canvas.
Archive Duplicate, Unused, and Outdated Content.
With your course materials uploaded to Canvas, run the TidyUP tool to identify and archive duplicate and unused content. See the Tools section below to learn more.
Check the Accessibility of Course Content with Ally.
Built into Canvas, Ally scans course content (eg, pages, documents, images) and scores it for accessibility. Ally will make automated corrections where possible and provide easy-to-follow options for inaccessible files. See the Tools section below to learn more.
Locate and Use Accessible Versions of Readings and Textbooks.
If Ally identifies inaccessible readings and textbooks, search the FSU Libraries databases for accessible versions of readings and textbooks. Library personnel can often locate resources elsewhere if given enough time. Most colleges and departments have an assigned librarian who can assist with scanned documents. See the How-to Guides: Documents section below to learn more.
Import Videos to Kaltura for Auto-captioning.
Ensure all video recordings are appropriately closed captioned by importing videos into the university-provided video platform. Be sure to review the auto-generated captions, editing as needed for accuracy and clarity. See the How-to Guides: Multimedia section below to learn more.
Consult University-provided Resources for Assistance.
Several offices provide services to support instructors navigating course accessibility. See the Accessibility Support at FSU section below for help locating the resource you need.
Course Materials Checklist
Course content is included in the rule, so all course materials – including video and audio recordings, slides, readings, textbooks, Canvas pages, assignments, handouts, and course websites must meet the WCAG 2.1 AA technical standard described above. Click the button below for a checklist designed to help you interpret and meet this standard.
Tools
In addition to accessibility checking tools built into the university's Microsoft 365 suite, we provide tools in Canvas that help instructors quickly identify and address inaccessible course content. Use TidyUP to archive outdated, duplicate, and unused content and Ally to scan courses for issues and get tips for fixing.
How-to Guides
Find step-by-step instructions for addressing inaccessible content by clicking the folder tab below that applies to the type of content you wish to address.
How to Add a Missing Title
Help students easily navigate documents by creating descriptive document titles.
How to Add Headings in Documents
Get best practices for the use of heading styles so students can navigate content effectively.
The Scary Truth About Scanned PDFs
Learn why to avoid scanned PDFs and how to find alternative solutions.
How to Convert a Microsoft Word File to PDF
Learn how to avoid accessibility issues when saving a Word document to PDF.
"Saving" Versus "Printing" to PDF
Discover why "Print to" is an inaccessible way to convert Microsoft files to PDF.
How to Fix Contrast Issues
Learn how to improve color contrast in documents, images, and Canvas pages.
Checking Slides for Accessibility
Before addressing the accessibility of your slides, learn how to identify inaccessible slide content with two easy-to-use tools.
Using Built-in Layouts
Learn how to build your presentations with a logical heading structure and reading order by using PowerPoint's built-in layouts.
Adding Slide Titles
Learn how to add visible and hidden slide titles so students using assistive technologies can navigate and follow the flow of content effectively.
Arranging Slide Content
Make sure all students can access content in a coherent and meaningful way by learning how to arrange content in logical reading order.
How to Add Image Descriptions
Address a common course accessibility issue that's also one of the easiest to fix.
Kaltura Makes Captioning Easy
Use Kaltura for all your course videos, so you can easily generate and edit captions.
How to Fix Contrast Issues
Learn how to improve color contrast in documents, images, and Canvas pages.
Fix Inaccessible Content with Built-in Canvas Tools
Discover two helpful tools for getting started with course accessibility.
Clean Up Your Ally Score with TidyUP
Learn how to quickly identify and remove inaccessible files from your Canvas course site.
How to Add Image Descriptions
Address a common course accessibility issue that's also one of the easiest to fix.
How to Fix Contrast Issues
Learn how to improve color contrast in documents, images, and Canvas pages.
Fact or Fiction?
Hover over the cards to reveal the truth about accessibility requirements.
Canvas is accessible, so I don’t need to do anything with my course site or materials.
False.
While the Canvas platform is designed to be accessible, you must ensure that the course materials you upload and content you add to Canvas pages are accessible.
I don’t need to have accessible materials because I don’t have any students with accommodations.
False.
Federal regulations require digital course materials to be accessible regardless of whether a student requests them. Accessible content benefits everyone, not just those with disabilities.
Since Canvas is behind a login, I don’t need to update my content as part of the DOJ rule.
False.
Instructional content such as documents, slides, and multimedia must be accessible even if the content is located in a password-protected platform like Canvas.
Accessibility Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my course content is accessible?
Several accessibility checkers are available to help you determine if your course content is accessible. These tools also offer suggestions for fixing accessibility issues.
- Built-in Canvas tools, including Ally and the Canvas accessibility checker
- Microsoft Office 365 tools, including built-in accessibility checkers for Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
- TidyUP, a tool that identifies and archives unused and duplicate content
What am I responsible for as an instructor?
You must ensure the accessibility of all course content, including Canvas pages, slides, images, video and audio recordings, documents, readings, textbooks, assignments, handouts, and syllabi.
Do I have to make materials accessible that I didn't create?
If the materials are part of your course content and are used by students, you must make sure they are accessible, even if you didn’t create the content.
What are some of the easiest accessibility issues to fix?
If you begin by addressing these four issues, you’ve made a great start to ensuring accessibility.
- Headings. Apply heading styles to documents so students can navigate content effectively.
- Alt text. Add alternative text to non-decorative images so they can be read by assistive technology.
- Contrast. Use Ally or the Canvas accessibility checker to identify and correct the color contrast ratio.
- Links. Use descriptive text for hyperlinks, avoiding phrases like "Click Here."
What supports are in place to help me meet accessibility requirements?
The university provides numerous supports to help you comply with accessibility requirements.
- Office of Digital Learning. Resources for making course content accessible and assistance with course design and tools that meet the needs of a wide range of learners
- Office of Accessibility Services. Support for disability-related accommodations and assistive technology
- FSU Libraries. Assistance with locating and reserving accessible versions of readings and textbooks
- Digital Accessibility website. Resources for accessible webpages and content, documents and files, design and color, social media, and video/audio
- Information Technology Services. Information about federal regulations, the WCAG 2.1 AA technical standard, and tools for checking digital content for accessibility issues
Accessibility Support
FSU Libraries
FSU Libraries ensure equitable access to course materials by locating digital editions of books and instructional content and providing services to convert materials into accessible formats when feasible. Subject librarians help ensure learning resources are accessible and aligned with digital accessibility best practices. For assistance, email the accessibility team or visit the Accessibility page.
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Office of Accessibility Services (OAS)
OAS partners with faculty and staff to provide FSU students with disability-related accommodations that help mitigate obstacles associated with academics, testing, housing, transportation, and dietary needs. Visit the OAS website for a variety of faculty resources, including information on accommodation types and Universal Design for Learning. Contact OAS at 850-644-9566 or oas@fsu.edu.
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Digital Accessibility Website
The Digital Accessibility website serves as a campus-wide resource for faculty and staff to ensure the accessibility of digital content and mobile applications. The site provides guidance to help with accessible course content, webpages, documents and files, design and color, social media, and video and audio. A variety of training is also available. For assistance, email digitalaccessibility@fsu.edu.
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Office of Digital Learning & Academic Technology (ODL)
ODL assists faculty with course design and tools that meet the needs of a wide range of learners and help faculty identify and address accessibility in Canvas course sites. Workshops familiarize faculty with Universal Design for Learning and steps for improving the accessibility of course content. Email dl-ODL-CourseSupport@campus.fsu.edu.
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