“Accessibility and inclusion are not privileges; they are fundamental human rights. A society that excludes disabled people is a society that disables them.” -Judith Heumann, Disability Rights Activist
UB strives to ensure that everyone can access everything we offer. Whether it's electronic information technology or physical campus access, we aim to provide seamless inclusion for everyone.
Summary
On April 24, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice published updated Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II regulations. This new rule:
- Includes specific requirements about how to ensure that web content and mobile applications are accessible to people with disabilities.
- Applies to state and local governments, which includes public universities.
- Sets a minimum technical accessibility standard of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA.
UB must comply with these regulations by April 24, 2026.
Video from the U.S. Justice Department
The following webinar from the Justice Department provides a summary of the rule and introductory information about the rule’s requirements.
What do the regs apply to?
ADA Title II covers all web content and mobile apps, including:
- Websites and web applications
- Mobile apps
- Digital course materials
- Video and audio content
- Social media posts
- Electronic documents (PDFs, Word documents, etc.)
- Web forms
What do you need to do?
- Use Siteimprove to see where your website content (including PDFs) needs remediation.
- Prioritize your remediation work. What pages and documents on your site get the most traffic? Tackle those first.
- Check the accessibility of your documents (PDFs, Word, etc.). Ask yourself:
- Can I delete any inaccessible PDFs?
- Can I convert any PDFs to webpages?
- What needs to be remediated?
- Check the accessibility of your course content using Ally. Remediate the issues.
ADA Title II Resources
Creating accessible content.
Learn the basics of creating accessible content including alternative text, color contrast, headings, tables, documents and more.
Stay updated!
Join UB’s Web Accessibility listserv (WEBACCESSIBILITY-LIST) to receive updates, tips and meeting invites about digital accessibility.
Procuring accessible technology.
All technology purchases must be reviewed for accessibility, systems integration, data privacy and security.
Request training.
We can provide training on a variety of topics including:
- Digital accessibility fundamentals
- Creating accessible documents
Request a review.
Have a document or website that you would like reviewed for accessibility? Let us know! We can help you identify issues and teach you how to fix them.
Getting around campus.
We strive to ensure that everyone can access our physical facilities. Learn about reporting non-functioning doors, snow removal, accessible parking and accessible routes to campus buildings.