Digital Accessibility Compliance and Accessible Document Creation (Reference Course)

Digital Accessibility Compliance and Accessible Document Creation (Reference Course)

Course Description:
This self-paced reference course equips faculty and staff with a practical understanding of digital accessibility requirements and the techniques needed to produce compliant, inclusive digital materials. Participants will examine the regulatory framework governing higher education— including applicable federal and state mandates, WCAG 2.1 Level A/AA standards, Section 508 requirements, and institutional policies—and learn how these obligations impact websites, documents, multimedia, and instructional content.

The course provides hands-on guidance for creating accessible Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, and web-based documents. Key competencies include structuring content with headings, writing effective alternative text, ensuring sufficient color contrast, formatting tables for screen readers, creating accessible hyperlinks, and applying best practices for video and audio accessibility. Participants also gain access to a curated set of institutional support resources, external standards, and vendor documentation for continued reference.

Learning Mode: Self-paced, online reference course (non-credit)

Intended Audience: Faculty, staff, and any content creators responsible for digital materials.

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion, participants will be able to:

1. Identify and interpret core digital accessibility compliance requirements that apply to institutional digital content.

2. Apply WCAG 2.1 AA-aligned techniques to create accessible documents across common formats.

3. Use available institutional and external resources to maintain accessible practices in future content creation.

Support Resources (included within the course):
WCAG 2.1 Guidelines, Section 508 Standards, WAI Tutorials, DOJ/ADA Accessibility Resources, PDF/UA documentation, Microsoft and Apple accessibility guides, and links to institutional accessibility support.