Digital Accessibility Resources

What is happening?

Federal regulations require large public entities like UC Davis to make their digital content comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The federal compliance deadline for UC Davis, including UC Davis Health, has been extended to April 26, 2027.

What is affected?

• Mobile apps (software applications on mobile devices)
• Web content (information and experiences available on the web, including text, images, audio, video, and documents)

Effectively, all digital content affiliated with UC Davis must follow WCAG 2.1.

This includes websites, digital communications, social media, software, and third-party platforms under contract (such as Canvas or parking apps).

If a vendor develops or hosts content, UC Davis remains responsible for ensuring it is compliant.

What is excluded?

• Archived web content (must be marked as archived): Content that is no longer in use and is retained only for documentation purposes.
• Pre-existing electronic documents (PDFs, Word documents, Excel files, slide decks): For example, flyers for past events, campaigns, or processes that are no longer valid. These documents must no longer be in use and be retained only for documentation purposes.
• Third-party content that is not part of a contract or license: For example, public comments on social media or student postings on Canvas.
• Individualized password-protected documents: For example, transcript files for individual students. These must be linked to a single individual. This exception does not apply to password-protected files on public websites.
• Pre-existing social media posts.

Pre-existing means content created before April 26, 2027.

If someone requests that any of the excluded content be made accessible, UC Davis is responsible for meeting that request.

What You Can Do Right Now

Remove and Replace PDFs

PDFs can be difficult to make accessible. Before repairing one, consider whether the content could be provided in another format.

1. Remove outdated files. Delete PDFs that are obsolete or no longer needed.
2. Archive inactive files. Clearly label files retained only for documentation and no longer used in an active course, program or process.
3. Replace PDFs when possible. A webpage or accessible source document (Word, Google, etc.) is often a better option.

4. Recreate files that must remain. Rebuild the source document accessibly when possible; Acrobat tagging alone may not produce an accessible PDF.

Prioritize public-facing and frequently used PDFs, followed by student- and employee-facing materials. Archived or excluded content must still be made accessible upon request.

Make Presentations Accessible

Use this guide to create more accessible PowerPoint and Google Slides presentations, including readable layouts, meaningful alt text, sufficient color contrast and logical reading order.

Basics of Slide Accessibility Document

Make Word and Google Docs Accessible

Use this guide to structure accessible Word and Google documents with headings, descriptive links, alt text, readable formatting and accessible tables.

Basics of Word/Google Doc Accessibility Document

Make Your Website Accessible

CBS offers faculty free support with accessibility reviews and migrating lab websites to SiteFarm, including content migration, redesign, redirects and ongoing maintenance. 

Faculty Lab Website Information and Webinar

Make Videos Accessible

Use this guide to review and correct captions for videos published through AggieVideo and YouTube, including speaker identification, timing, punctuation and important sounds.

Basics of Video Accessibility Document

Helpful Tips and Resources

Review UC ANR Accessibility Weekly Tips
These resources highlight quick, actionable changes you can make immediately to move toward digital accessibility compliance.

Attend a Digital Accessibility Training for UC Davis Staff and Faculty
These training sessions for faculty and staff cover steps you can take to help ensure course materials, email communications, presentation slides and other pieces comply with the upcoming requirements.

Take Questions to Digital Accessibility Office Hours 
You can attend first-come, first-served recurring virtual office hours with the UC Davis Digital Accessibility Program Manager, who can address questions one-on-one.

The Wheel Instructional Technology Blog

Maintained by Academic Technology Services, The Wheel offers practical guidance on teaching tools, digital pedagogy and course design, including many articles focused on accessibility in teaching and learning. 

• Accessibility Guide for Teaching and Presenting
  Practical recommendations for making classes and presentations more accessible, whether delivered in person, remotely or asynchronously.
• Quick Access Articles
  These blogs highlight practical strategies to help instructors prepare accessible surveys and quizzes, improve document accessibility and integrate inclusive practices into digital teaching tools.
• VIDEO: Alt Text Accessibility — Katie Healey
  This 20-minute session explores how instructors can use generative AI to help draft effective alt text for images used in lectures, Canvas and other course materials.
• VIDEO: SensusAccess Inside — Joshua Hori
  This session introduces SensusAccess Inside Canvas, a tool that allows students to convert course materials into a variety of accessible formats directly within Canvas. It also highlights BeelineReader, which uses color gradients to guide reading flow.
• VIDEO: Canvas and Accessibility — Joshua Hori
  This session explores Canvas’s built-in Accessibility Checker and the types of issues it can identify, including heading structure, alt text, color contrast and link labeling. It also highlights the tool’s limitations and shares practical strategies to ensure materials are compliant.