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)
- Digital Accessibility Resource Articles
- Conforming Alternate Version (CAV)
Creating Accessible Content with Microsoft Word
Canvas and Accessibility
PanoramaResource provided by The Office of Distance Education:
- Panorama Resource Guide
- Panorama Instructional Video
- Panorama Resource Guide-Convert PDF to a Canvas Page
Captioning with Mediasite
On Demand Resources
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1AA Checklist-Digital Content OnlyScreen Reader Demo (University of California San Francisco)
Digital Accessibility Additional Information |
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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. |
Computer Lab for TAMU Faculty
Open Computer Lab Hours for Fall 2025 - No Appointment Needed.
Weekday | Hours | Location |
|---|---|---|
Mondays | 8am - 5pm | Blocker 129 |
Tuesdays | 8am - 12pm | HFSB 119X |
Wednesdays | 8am - 5pm | Student Computing Center, Room 4.114 |
Thursdays | 8am - 12pm | HFSB 119X |
Fridays | 8am - 5pm | Blocker 129 |
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 digitalaccessibility@tamu.edu.Digital Accessibility Trainings - Fall 2025
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, September 10 | 12:30 pm - 1:15 pm | |
| Wednesday, September 24 | 12:30 pm - 1:15 pm | |
| Wednesday, October 8 | 12:30 pm - 1:15 pm | |
| Wednesday, October 22 | 12:30 pm - 1:15 pm | |
Creating Accessible Content with Word and PowerPoint Files | Tuesday, October 28 | 9:00 am - 10:00 am |
Creating Accessible Content with Word and PowerPoint Files | Tuesday, October 28 | 9:00 am - 10:00 am |
Check out: CTE’s upcoming Digital Accessibility workshops by visiting our CTE Calendar of Events
More Training Opportunities
An EDUCAUSE Webinar | Going Beyond Title II Compliance: Building a Culture of Accessibility in Higher Education
This webinar is a part of the EDUCAUSE Industry Insights series.Wednesday, October 22, 2025 | 12:00PM–1:00PM ET | Online
Compliance is the floor—not the ceiling. In today’s higher education landscape, true digital accessibility requires a shift from reactive fixes to proactive strategies.
Join us for an expert-led panel discussion on how institutions can lead with intention—moving beyond minimum legal requirements under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to create sustainable, student-centered digital learning environments. You’ll hear from accessibility advocates and academic leaders who are advancing equity at their institutions—not just to check a box, but to unlock the full potential of every learner.
Learning Outcomes:
- The evolving expectations around accessibility and institutional accountability under ADA Title II.
- How to integrate accessibility into academic innovation and digital transformation efforts.
- The role of faculty, leadership, and technology teams in driving a cultural shift toward inclusive design.
- How D2L Brightspace and Accessibility+ provide tools for both compliance and continuous improvement.
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 Fall Trainings Schedule
| Date & Time | Topic | Trainer |
|---|---|---|
Friday, 9/19/25, 11am-12pm | Canvas Studio | Nasiha Lechaud (Texas A&M University Texarkana) |
Friday, 10/17/25, 11am-12pm | Descript (an AI-powered, end-to-end video editor that adds captions and transcripts) | Scott January (Tarleton State University) |
Friday, 11/21/25, 11am-12pm | CidiLabs – DesignPlus & TidyUp (instructional design tools) | John Starne (Prairie View A&M University) |
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 |
For information or assistance regarding digital accessibility, contact: |