Digital Accessibility
What is Digital Accessibility?
Digital accessibility is all about making sure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can access and use online content. At the Center for Teaching Excellence, we are committed to creating a digital environment where all students, faculty, and staff can easily navigate and interact with online courses and other digital content.Why is Digital Accessibility Important?
Digital accessibility ensures that everyone, including people with disabilities, can access and use digital content and services. The recent Title II revision, the Final Rule, approved by the Department of Justice, requires compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards for all web content and mobile apps by April 24, 2026, for public entities serving over 50,000 residents. Please note that TAMU system is adopting WCAG 2.2 standards.
Explore Our Resources
The Center for Teaching Excellence has curated resources to help you create accessible content. Additionally, we offer workshops and department trainings on digital accessibility. Explore these opportunities below.
IT Accessibility Technology services
- IT Accessibility Website
- ADA Title II FAQs (Requires Texas A&M University login credentials)
Creating Accessible Content with Microsoft Word
Canvas and Accessibility
Upcoming Canvas Tools for Enhancing Digital Accessibility:
On Demand Resources
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1AA Checklist-Digital Content OnlyScreen Reader Demo (University of California San Francisco)
Coming Soon...
On Demand Videos
Please Note: |
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Before starting any remediation work, make sure you have the latest version of MS Office 365 installed. If you need to update your software, submit a new IT service ticket through the IT Technology Services Website. |
Digital Accessibility Trainings
Explore our full range of trainings below and find the one that fits your learning goals and schedule.
CTE Digital Accessibility Trainings | |
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| Wednesday, June 11 (1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.) | |
| Wednesday, June 25 (1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.) | |
| Wednesday, July 9 (1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.) | |
| Thursday, July 23 (1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.) | |
| Monday, June 16 (1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.) | |
| Thursday, July 31 (1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.) |
Check out: CTE’s upcoming Digital Accessibility workshops by visiting our CTE Calendar of Events
Open Computer Lab for TAMU Faculty
Faculty are encouraged to take advantage of the Open Computer Lab this summer—no appointment needed!
From May 19 to August 22, 2025, stop by Horticulture/Forest Science Building (HFSB) 119 anytime Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM for support with digital accessibility. Whether you are updating course materials or just getting started, we are here to help you make your course files accessible.Not in College Station?
You can also schedule time with the student workers via Zoom.For more information contact
Dr. Kelley Shaffer, Director of Distance and Digital Education at kshaffer2@tamu.edu.More Training Opportunities
Texas A&M System Digital Accessibility Course
We recommend completion of the TAMU System digital accessibility course that can be found in TrainTraq:Course Number - 2114218 Digital Accessibility Awareness
Course Information: This course provides an introduction to digital accessibility. Participants who successfully complete this course should be able to define digital information resources, apply universal design principles, and understand the benefits of digital accessibility. The intended audience for this course is all persons within the Texas A&M University System who provide, acquire and consume digital information resources. This includes but is not limited to all employees of the A&M system.
Council for Academic Technology and Innovative Education (CATIE) Trainings
CATIE Accessibility Trainings Information Summer 2025
CATIE Accessibility Trainings Information Fall 2025
CATIE Summer Trainings Schedule
All sessions can be accessed with the same Zoom link: CATIE Training Zoom Link
| Topic | Trainer | Date & Time |
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Ally | Dr. Justin Carrell (Tarleton State University) Dr. Theresa Garfield (Texas A&M San Antonio) | Friday, June 20 (11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.) |
Panorama | Dr. Kelley Shaffer (Texas A&M University) Dr. Sally Hughes (Texas A&M University) | Friday, July 18 (11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.) |
Echo 360/MS Stream | Dr. Cynthia Sosa (Texas A&M International University) | Friday, August 15 (11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.) |
LinkedIn Learning Courses
Foundations of Accessible eLearning
Description: This course explores accessibility and fairness in eLearning, giving you strategies based on best practices to create accessible digital content for all.Duration of Course: 51 minutes
Foundations of Accessible eLearning Course Link
Creating Accessible PDFs
Description: This course teaches how to create accessible PDFs using tools like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe InDesign. It covers the importance of accessibility, key features of accessible PDFs, and how to remediate existing files using Adobe Acrobat. Also, this course explains how to test PDFs with screen readers, use third-party tools for faster remediation, and references relevant Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) success criteria.Duration of Course: 5 hours 33 minutes
Creating Accessible PDFs Course Link
Contact Us | ||
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For individual consultation or questions, contact: | Dr. Jamie Thompson: jamiethompson@tamu.edu | Carlos Perez: caperez@tamu.edu |