Digital Accessibility Overview

Description 

Digital Accessibility defined as “usability for people with disabilities.”  It is about “making digital documents, websites, and apps accessible to everyone including people with disabilities.”  It is about 

  • Being flexible by removing barriers
  • Supporting user needs
  • Enhancing user experience

PGCC is legally required to ensure digital accessibility under several key regulations:

  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Requires that we provide equal access to our programs, services, and activities, including those delivered digitally.
  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act: Prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in programs receiving federal financial assistance.
  • Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act: Requires federal agencies and organizations receiving federal funding to make their electronic and information technology accessible.
  • State of Maryland IT Accessibility Law: Requires state agencies, including public universities, to follow accessibility standards for information technology.

When to use:  The Department of Justice has established April 24, 2026, as the compliance deadline for the updated Title II regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. These regulations explicitly require that all digital content—including materials within learning management systems and behind password-protected areas—must meet accessibility standards. This federal mandate ensures that:

  • All course materials in Canvas, and other LMS (Learning Management System) platforms are accessible to students with disabilities
  • Internal resources for faculty and staff meet the same high standards as public-facing content
  • Historical content is remediated or provided with accessible alternatives
  • New content is created with accessibility built in from the start

This federally mandated deadline represents a significant legal obligation for all public institutions. While the timeline is ambitious, it reflects the Department of Justice's commitment to ensuring equal access to education for all Americans.

Training Delivery Method(s) 

CornerStone Resources:

  1. Creating an accessible document in Word 365 - Before sharing your document with others, you should make it accessible to everyone. Word 365 has an Accessibility Checker that will examine your document for ways to make your content easier for people with disabilities to read and edit.  This course specifically addresses how to resolve Alt-text and Color Contrast issues in your document.  Access the full course content - (COURSE) Word 365 (2024): Managing documents in Word 365 (2024)

Canvas Resources: 

  1. Canvas Premium Training called "Accessibility". In this 55-minute asynchronous course participants will learn the following:  Accessibility basic concepts, approaches, strategies, and resources with regard to the creation, design, and delivery of Canvas courses that are accessible to all students, including those with disabilities. We will explore the Rich Content Editor tools and learn how to create accessible content with alt text, color contrast, meaningful links, and closed captioning. 
  2. Canvas Accessibility at PGCC (CA 101) - In this course, you will be given an opportunity to learn more about the Canvas environment and how you can create courses that provide perceivable and usable experiences for people with vision, hearing, and mobility challenges.

eLearning & TTMD Resources:

  1. Ensuring Accessibility with Ally - participants will learn about accessibility and how Ally works in the Canvas Learning Management System. At the end of the webinar, participants will know how to see their course accessibility score and how to improve it.  Watch out for date & time from eLearning@pgcc.edu
  2. Digital Accessibility with TTMD - In this 2hr hands-on session, participants will learn about the common document & web accessibility issues and tips for fixing them.  Watch out for date & time from TTMD@pgcc.edu

Additional Resources

For Microsoft 365 Apps

Refer to the attached file to learn how to create digitally accessible content in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

USM Resources: 

Have Questions

  • For training and content (How to) questions, contact: TTMD@PGCC.edu (Technology Training and Multimedia Development)
Print Article