Digital Accessibility
FINAL RULE UPDATEOn Friday, April 17, the U.S. Department of Justice pre-filed an Interim Final Rule extending the compliance deadline for digital accessibility under ADA Title II. For institutions of our size, the original April 2026 deadline has been extended to April 26, 2027. While this additional time provides some welcomed flexibility, it is important that we sustain our current momentum in improving digital accessibility. In particular, federally funded grants and programs remain subject to a May 11, 2026, compliance deadline under Section 504. Previously, this date was not emphasized because it aligned closely with the ADA Title II timeline. |
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.
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)
- TAMU Libraries Digital Accessibility Info Sheet
Creating Accessible Content with Microsoft Word
Creating Accessible Content with Microsoft PowerPoint
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)
Creating a Remediation Workflow Resource
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
Graduate student workers are available all summer to help faculty make instructional materials accessible. Drop in at any open lab session below — no appointment needed.
May 6 – May 22, 2026
Weekday | Hours | Location |
|---|---|---|
Mondays | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | Blocker 129 |
Tuesdays | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | HFSB 119X |
Wednesdays | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | Blocker 129 |
Wednesday, 5/13 only | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | SCC 4.114 |
Thursdays | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | SCC 4.114 |
Fridays | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | Blocker 129 |
May 26 – August 6, 2026
Weekday | Hours | Location |
|---|---|---|
Mondays | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | HFSB 119X |
Tuesdays | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | HFSB 119X |
Wednesdays | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | HFSB 119X |
Thursdays | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | HFSB 119X |
Fridays | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm | HFSB 119X |
Not on Campus?
Virtual appointments are available for faculty at any campus.
Email Requests
Faculty may also submit requests to digitalaccessibility@tamu.edu for:
- One-on-one or group training (in-person or virtual)
- Remediation assistance with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files
- Remediation assistance with LaTeX files (some limitations; Beamer files excluded)
- Captioning for instructor-made videos in Canvas not previously captioned elsewhere
When Submitting a Request, Please Include:
- Canvas course semester and course code (if applicable), or a shared Google/OneDrive folder link
- Specific instructions for the requested service
- Requested completion date (first-come, first-served; priority given to courses with a student with a documented disability)
- For training: preferred date and time
Questions? Contact
Brooke Witkowski, Program Manager, Digital Accessibility
Dr. Kelley Shaffer, Director of Distance and Digital Education
digitalaccessibility@tamu.edu
Digital Accessibility Trainings - Spring 2026
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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| Thursday, April 16 | 11:00 am – 12:30 pm | |
| Wednesday, April 22 | 11:00 am – 12:30 pm | |
| Thursday, April 23 | 11:00 am – 12:30 pm |
Check out: CTE’s upcoming Digital Accessibility workshops by visiting our CTE Calendar of Events
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 Spring 2026
CATIE Spring 2026 Trainings Schedule
| Date & Time | Topic | Trainer |
|---|---|---|
Friday, 1/16/26, 11am-12pm | DOJ Final Rule & Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA | Lydia Harkey, TAMUS Digital Accessibility Officer |
Friday, 2/20/26, 11am-12pm | Office 365 | Dr. Cynthia Sosa, Texas A&M International University |
Friday, 3/20/26, 11am-12pm | Remediating PDFs with Adobe Acrobat ProCidiLabs – DesignPlus & TidyUp (instructional design tools) | J.J. Hernandez, Texas A&M International University |
Friday, 4/17/26, 11am-12pm | Ally and Panorama | Dr. Justing Carrell, Tarleton State University Dr. Kelley Shaffer, Texas 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: |