Final Rule Update
On 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 and Office for Distance and Digital Education have curated resources to help you create accessible content. Additionally, we offer workshops and department trainings on digital accessibility.
IT Accessibility - Technology Services
Creating Accessible Content with Microsoft Word
Creating Accessible Content with Microsoft PowerPoint
PDF Accessibility
Canvas and Accessibility
Digital Accessibility Additional Information
- Access the Digital Accessibility Cheat Sheet: Quick tips and tools to support accessible digital design
- Spring 2026 Accessibility Plan
- Access the Ally & Panorama Scoring PDF document.
Please note:
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 Office Hours
Starting on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, the University will have Drop-in Office Hours for faculty or staff who have questions about accessibility. The office hours will include representatives from the Center for Teaching Excellence (Jamie Thompson), Digital Learning (Kelley Shaffer), IT Accessibility & Technology Services (Cynthia Kauder), and the Math Learning Center.
When and Where
Time: 4:00–5:00 p.m. (Central Time).Schedule: Second and fourth Mondays of each month.
Format: Virtual drop-in (join anytime during the hour) via Zoom. To access the Zoom link, please visit the IT accessibility website: ADA Title II Digital Accessibility Drop-in Office Hours.
Registration: No appointment or registration required.
Open Computer Lab for TAMU Faculty
Open computer lab hours for summer 2026 - No appointment needed!
| 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 *Wednesday 5/10/26 only will be 8am-5pm in SCC 4.114 |
Blocker 129 |
| Thursdays |
8:00 am - 5:00 pm |
SCC 4.114 |
| Fridays | 8:00 am - 5:00 pm | Blocker 129 |
| 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 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 digital accessibility (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.
| Topic | Date & Time |
|---|---|
| Getting Ready: Checking Accessibility in Word and PowerPoint Files | Thursday, April 16 (11:00 am – 12:30 pm) |
| Getting Ready: Checking Accessibility in Word and PowerPoint Files | Wednesday, April 22 (11:00 am – 12:30 pm) |
| Getting Ready: Checking Accessibility of PDF Files | Thursday, April 23 (11:00 am – 12:30 pm) |
Additional 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
Description: To help support the accessibility initiatives across the Texas A&M University System, the CATIE work group on Accessibility & UDL is providing training sessions on accessibility tools for all system members. The sessions are free and led by digital instructional material accessibility experts within the TAMU System. The sessions will be offered on the third Friday of each month from 11am-12pm via Zoom. See more information below.
CATIE Accessibility Trainings Information and Schedule Spring 2026
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
For individual consultation or questions, contact:
- Dr. Jamie Thompson (jamiethompson@tamu.edu)
- Carlos Perez (caperez@tamu.edu)