By April 24, 2026, all public entities, including colleges and universities, must ensure their websites and mobile applications meet the requirements of ADA Title II and conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA. These standards are designed to make digital content accessible to all users, including individuals with disabilities.
As an instructor, you are responsible for ensuring that the digital content you share in your course—such as syllabi, lecture slides, readings, videos, publisher resources, and Canvas pages—are accessible to all students, including those with disabilities.
Updated: 12/01/25
Upcoming Events
YuJa Panorama Trainings
- Monday, December 8 at 3:00 – 4:00 PM – Zoom Link 12/8
- Thursday, December 11 at 10:00 – 11:00 AM – Zoom Link 12/11
- Wednesday, December 17 at 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Zoom Link 12/17
Past Events
- The Class Material Makeover Workshop Series addressed core digital accessibility concepts and remediation approaches.
Updates
- We have implemented YuJa Panorma for Spring 2026 courses
- We are working on an enterprise license of ScreenPal to aide in video accessibility
Panorama Accessibility Tool
YuJa Panorama is a platform designed to support faculty in making course materials more accessible to students. It reviews your Canvas content for accessibility concerns, offers actionable feedback, and generates alternative formats—like audio and text-only versions—that students can choose based on their needs.
Essential Digital Accessibility Concepts
Digital accessibility may seem like a complex process, but it boils down to six essential practices. To make your work more accessible, focus on consistently applying these six concepts to all digital content.
Headings
Headings provide structure so screen readers can parse your content more easily.
Alternative (Alt) Text
Alternative text creates a written description of important visual information.
Descriptive Links
Descriptive hyperlinks provide context for where a link will send a user.
Color & Contrast
Intentional color choices help more users understand your content.
Lists & Tables
Properly formatted lists and tables allow users to navigate your content.
Audio & Video
Captions and transcripts give users alternative ways to access your content.
Digital Accessibility in Practice
For help applying these concepts to different kinds of digital content, see the guides below.
Slide Decks
Learn the key considerations for Microsoft PowerPoint
Canvas
Key considerations for creating accessible content inside of Canvas
Data Visualizations
**GUIDANCE COMING**
Learn the key consideration for:
- Microsoft Excel
Get Support
If you have questions or need further support you can:
- Book an Accessibility Consultation
- Send an e-mail to t2access@umw.edu
Links
- Access for All Handbook – A handbook for beginning to learn about digital accessibility. Created by Office of Disability Resources
- Accessibility 101 – Workshop designed as an opportunity to build awareness and understanding of how our practices, policies, attitudes, language, and interactions impact individuals with disabilities.
- Using the Accessibility Checker in Canvas – This guide covers how to access and use the built-in accessibility checker inside Canvas
- Canvas Course Accessibility Checklist [PDF] – This checklist created by Instructure covers many of the foundational and common accessibility issues in Canvas courses. The accessibility checklist is also available as a google doc.
- “Fundamentals of Accessible Digital Content in Canvas” – This training is available inside Canvas through the Training Services Portal. If you have not accessed the training portal previously you can follow the instructions on the accessing the training portal guide.
- Instructure Canvas Accessibility Toolkit – A robust resource that covers foundations, standards, tools, and more.
- Digital Knowledge Center’s Accessibility Guides – Guides for building accessible websites, media and more. Geared towards students.
- Simpson Library Accessibility Guides – Includes information about compliance for databases.
- Web Content Accessibility Guides (WCAG) 2.1 – These are the standards that need to be met for compliance. These guides also include helpful examples for understanding how the guideline should be implemented.
Updated 12/08/25