Digital Accessibility for Faculty
In 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice announced new rules under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that require state and local governments — including public universities — to make their websites and digital tools accessible to everyone, with all university web pages and online course content meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standards by April 2026.
Overview
These new rules include new course content, as well as third-party content such as videos, readings, documents, and presentations. For example:
- Embedded OR linked Embedded YouTube or Panopto videos must include captions or transcripts with audio description.
- Documents shared with students electronically must include Headings for organization.
- Images in documents, PDFs, and presentations must include alternative text descriptions.
While archived courses don't need to be retroactively updated, any reused past materials must be made accessible.
To support faculty on this, the Provost's Office has designated Caran Howard (Online and Distance Education) and Wilson Rojas (Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning) to lead these efforts within Academic Affairs. Alongside a group of dedicated faculty, we can offer the following professional development options to all faculty.
Accessibility Power Hour
Are you looking to work on the digital accessibility of your instructional materials? The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and the Division of Online Education and Individual Studies have you covered. In April 2026, we will hold several Power Hours via Zoom. Get the support you want, whether you're working from home or the office.
Do you prefer to work at your own pace? Check out the Digital Accessibility for UNI Faculty course!
Digital Accessibility for UNI Faculty
All UNI Faculty have been enrolled in the Digital Accessibility for UNI Faculty course. This course serves as both a training program and an information hub, providing essential knowledge and practical skills to ensure that all digital content is accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities.
Digital Accessibility Workshops
We offer digital accessibility workshops for Spring and Summer 2026. These workshops are specially designed for small groups or departments. Each session includes:
- A brief instructional overview of key accessibility strategies.
- 45 minutes of personalized, 1‑on‑1 assistance with your own files.
You can request any or all of the following sessions:
- Word/Google Docs
- PDFs
- PowerPoint
- Closed Captions Editing in Panopto (New!)
- Alt Text Descriptions for Images (New!)
- Audio Description Use in Panopto (New!)
Whether you’re working on a syllabus, presentation, handout, or assignment, we’ll help you make meaningful progress—no matter the format!
Contact Us/Request a Workshop
Panther Accessibility Leaders
The Panther Accessibility Leaders (PALs) serve as departmental partners, helping strengthen accessibility practices, sharing resources, and supporting colleagues. This initiative supports UNI’s commitment to building a culture of digital accessibility and ensuring all students have equitable access to learning.
College of Education
- Megan Balong
- Kenneth Hayes
- Tara Tedrow
College of Humanities, Arts, and Sciences
- Justin Mertz
- Aypryl Thompson
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Kenneth R. Atkinson
- Ituni Ilesanmi
Rod Library
- Anne Marie Gruber
Wilson College of Business
- Sidney Sorfonden
- Matthew Wilson