Last updated December 20, 2024
What is digital accessibility, and why is it important?
According to the CDC one in four adults in the United States lives with a disability. Digital accessibility ensures that many in our community can independently and fully participate in learning, teaching, and university life through our technology. It also makes our technology more usable overall, for everyone.
Digital accessibility
The Digital Accessibility Standards measure digital accessibility by two complementary standards: functional accessibility and technical accessibility.
Technical accessibility
The Digital Accessibility Policy points to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, an internationally developed and shared set of standards.
Functional accessibility
The determining factor of whether a digital resource or information technology is accessible is based on whether an individual with a disability can use it to achieve the same goals or outcomes, as independently (without accommodation or assistance from another individual) and privately as someone without a disability.
Seamless accessibility
The goal of our proactive approach to accessibility is to provide seamless access to work, education, culture, and entertainment to everyone in the UW–Madison community.
Accommodations
You may be familiar with the accommodations process at UW–Madison. Accommodations provide access, but they may result in a different experience for the disabled individual (or individual with a disability). For example, an accommodation may require another person’s assistance to complete a task versus doing the task independently and privately.
Equitable experience
Seamless accessibility supports a more equitable experience by being proactive instead of reactive, making it possible for a person with a disability to perform their work and study independently and privately just like their abled‑bodied peers.
What do I need to do?
When we have inaccessible content that we haven’t prioritized for removal or revision, we prevent people from fully engaging or participating at UW–Madison. We are also out of compliance with university and federal policy, and the university is vulnerable to high fines and legal action. We all are responsible for making digital content accessible. When we create, purchase, or share a digital resource or technology, we are responsible for ensuring that content or technology is accessible.
Per federal policy, all web and mobile app content created and provided by the University of Wisconsin–Madison must be WCAG 2.1 AA compliant. Learn more about the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) on the WCAG 2 At a Glance website, and more about how to apply these guidelines in our Make it Accessible guides.
Fundamentals
Practicing digital accessibility as part of your regular work processes and operational decisions creates a more usable, inclusive digital environment for everyone. To support everyone in practicing digital accessibility, a variety of resources and guidance are available in our Make it Accessible Guides.
Follow these basic steps to improve the accessibility of your Word, HTML, PowerPoint, and Google documents and slides, as well as Adobe InDesign and PDF files.
Make your websites and web apps accessible so everyone can use them easily, including people with disabilities. Focusing on accessibility from the start helps you create digital experiences that more people can use.
This guide is for instructors and instructional designers who are creating Canvas course content, including documents. Follow the basic steps in this guide to increase the accessibility of your course materials.
Purchasing accessible technology
This guide shares resources for considering digital accessibility during procurement, including language for requests for proposals (RFP) and contracts, as well as support offered by the Center for User Experience.
Connect with university partners
The Center for User Experience, in partnership with the Digital Accessibility Liaison Network, supports teams implementing the policy and individuals creating content across the university. Connect with the Center for User Experience for a consultation or evaluation for your recent projects, or connect with your area’s liaison (or become a liaison yourself!) to learn more about accessibility resources and efforts in your area.
Focus on progress, not perfection
No technology is ever “fully accessible,” as no two people are alike or affected in the exact same way by accessibility barriers. People using your technology or digital content all have unique variances that determine how usable a piece of technology is for them as an individual. That’s why it is important to think about accessibility as an ongoing practice.
The Center for User Experience
At the Center for User Experience, we are committed to working with you to make digital spaces more accessible, usable and inclusive for all students, faculty and staff at UW–Madison. We help the university follow its Digital Accessibility Policy by offering free evaluation and consultation services to all UW–Madison community members.
Get in touch
- Meet with us: Book a quick chat with one of our team members to ask any questions you have.
- Start a project with us: We support accessible design and development. Fill out our Let’s Connect form to begin working with us on your project or to request an accessibility evaluation.
- Email us: Not sure if you’re ready to meet? Email us to start talking and figure out what to do next.