New Rule on Accessibility of Web Content
Read the extension notice
Takes Effect April 26, 2027
The University of Texas at El Paso is committed to fostering an accessible environment for every member of our campus community. We strive to ensure that everyone can access and benefit from our digital information, programs and services.
New federal requirements for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandating compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards take effect on April 26, 2027. By that date, all content owners must review and remediate websites, applications and digital content (including Blackboard course materials) to ensure accessibility compliance. Meeting this legal requirement is a shared responsibility of all faculty and staff who create, manage or share digital content.
Summary of the rule: New Rule on the Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps Provided by State and Local Governments
Digital Accessibility Committee
To prepare for the Title II deadline, the UTEP Digital Accessibility Committee has been tasked with providing guidance and resources to help work toward WCAG 2.1 AA compliance. This committee will also initiate an ongoing cycle of assessment, planning, and implementation.
Hands-on work groups are currently reviewing digital communication, web content, academic materials and software. Guidance, resources, and training are available to staff and faculty, with additional materials and expanded training opportunities in development.
RESOURCES
The resources below are immediately available to get started with your accessibility efforts.
Use these digital accessibility essentials every time you create online content to enhance equal access to information and services for everyone in our community.
DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY ESSENTIALS
Note: All links open in a new window.
COURSE CONTENT
Blackboard Ally - tool integrated with Blackboard that scans course content, generates accessibility scores, and provides remediation guidance.
Course Material Accessibility Checklist
MICROSOFT SUITE
Microsoft Accessibility Checker - tool built into Microsoft Office that scans documents for accessibility issues and provides recommendations.
Microsoft Accessibility Training Videos (watch)
Excel - Accessibility Guide (read)
PowerPoint - Accessibility Guide (read)
Word - Accessibility Guide (read)
PDF DOCUMENTS
PDF Accessibility Training by Microsoft (watch)
Adobe OCR (for PDFs) - feature in Adobe Acrobat that converts scanned or image-based PDFs into searchable text, allowing the document to be reviewed and remediated for accessibility.
GENERAL TRAINING
Accessible Electronic Media - University Compliance Module
Guidelines 5.1: WCAG 2.1 Conformance - Percipio Training
VIDEO
Yuja - UTEP’s video management platform offers features such as automated captioning and playback controls, to help ensure all videos remain accessible for all users.
WEBSITES AND WEB APPLICATIONS
Cascade Ally - tool that scans website content for accessibility issues.
WebAIM Accessibility Checklist (read)
WCAG Quick Reference Guide (read)
HTML Validator - make sure your HTML is valid and will not trip up assistive technologies.
CSS Validator - make sure your CSS is valid and will work with all supported UTEP browsers.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Accessible Social Media Guidance (read)
COLOR CONTRAST
WebAIM Color Contrast Checker - helps ensure text and visual elements meet minimum contrast requirements for readability.
REQUEST ASSISTANCE OR REPORT AN ISSUE
For assistance or to report an issue with UTEP digital content, please submit the Digital Accessibility Request Form below.
DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY REQUEST FORM
If you are unable to use the form, you may contact the EIR Coordinator at digitalaccessibility@utep.edu
