Accessibility
On May 28, 2025, the University System Office of Legal Affairs and Information Technology Services issued web accessibility guidance that "will require all state entities to make their web content and mobile applications accessible to individuals with disabilities by April 24, 2026." The CETL has developed guidance for faculty to begin evaluating online course content for adherence to WCAG Version 2.1 Level AA, a set of guidelines that explain web content accessibility expectations.
Foundational Accessibility Checklist for Online Courses
Per the USG’s Web Accessibility Guidance from May 28, 2025, lecture materials, instructional resources, and multimedia, if provided in a course, must be assessed for compliance using WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines, per the ADA’s Title II mandate. The following checklist is a tool for MGA faculty to begin evaluating their course content for accessibility. Although this checklist is not comprehensive, these tasks are a solid start towards accessibility.
Note: Each checklist item includes a link to a guide on how to evaluate and amend content for each item.
General
- Course is organized with a logical navigation structure throughout (e.g., folders by module, week, or unit/chapter that follow a consistent labeling system).
- All pages have clear, descriptive titles.
- Color is not the only method used to convey meaning (e.g., color-coded charts, cells, or rows/columns also have labels to indicate differences).
Text
- Text is formatted in a logical hierarchy using styles (e.g., H1, H2).
- All text uses readable fonts and accessible colors that are not bright or difficult to read.
- Tables use column/row headers and are not used solely for layout.
- Lists are correctly formatted using list elements (e.g., bullets or numbering).
- Links use descriptive text (e.g., "Read about course policies," not "Click here").
- Documents should be text-based and searchable (i.e., not scanned as images).
- PDFs should be tagged in addition to being text-based and searchable.
Images
- All meaningful images (charts, icons, etc.) have descriptive alt text.
- Images that do not contribute additional meaning to course content are marked as decorative.
- No flashing content.
Multimedia
- Audio-only content includes a text transcript.
- All videos have accurate captions or transcripts.
For assistance with any of these tasks or related topics, please contact MGA’s Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning or book a 1-on-1 appointment with a CETL staff member.