Accessible education — for every student, from day one

Built for every part of the educational ecosystem

Accessibility in education extends well beyond the homepage. Every digital touchpoint needs to be usable by everyone — including public universities, private colleges, community colleges, online learning platforms, course and LMS portals, student housing sites, library and research resources, admissions and enrollment systems, and department and faculty pages.

If your institution publishes it online, it needs to be accessible. That includes third-party tools, PDFs, video content, and any platform integrated into the student experience.

Why accessibility matters in higher education

• 19% of undergraduate students in the US report having a disability — roughly 1 in 5 learners on campus. (National Center for Education Statistics)
• 97% of American colleges and universities fall short of full ADA web accessibility compliance. (GovTech / Carnegie Higher Ed, 2024)
• Only 1 in 5 institutions were confident they met WCAG AA — the legally required standard. (EDUCAUSE Center for Analysis and Research)
• 65% of higher ed IT accessibility professionals have faced legal threats or actual lawsuits related to digital accessibility. (EDUCAUSE IT Accessibility Community Group)
• Less than 25% of faculty consider accessibility when designing course materials — even as compliance deadlines approach. (Anthology survey, 2025)

Key compliance deadlines

ADA Title II Final Rule (DOJ, April 2024)

April 24, 2026 — Public colleges and universities serving populations of 50,000 or more must comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA across all websites and mobile apps.

April 26, 2027 — Public entities serving under 50,000 people, including smaller community colleges and special district institutions, must reach the same WCAG 2.1 AA standard.

Now (for private institutions) — Private colleges and universities have no federal compliance deadline, but face active ADA Title III litigation risk right now. Several major research universities, including Harvard and MIT, have faced high-profile settlements.

Under ADA Title II and Title III, educational institutions — both public and private — must ensure their digital services provide equal access. Institutions that fail to comply face federal investigations, private lawsuits, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) complaints, and reputational consequences. Proactive compliance is always less costly than a settlement.

Critical touchpoints every educational institution must make accessible

Accessibility barriers in higher education create legal risk and unequal learning experiences. Every student and faculty member deserves access to the same information and tools.

• Admissions forms and application portals
• Course catalogs and registration systems
• Online lectures, videos, and learning media
• PDFs — syllabi, handbooks, financial aid documents
• Learning management systems (LMS) and course platforms
• Student housing and residential life pages
• Library resources, research databases, and digital archives
• Pop-ups, navigation menus, and campus event calendars
• Financial aid applications and tuition payment portals
• Student log-ins, accounts, and authenticated portals

Turn compliance into better outcomes

Accessible educational websites reduce legal risk and improve enrollment, retention, and institutional reputation.

• Reach more potential students — Nearly 1 in 5 undergraduates has a disability. An inaccessible admissions website silently filters out candidates before they ever apply.
• Improve enrollment and student retention — Better navigation, captioned content, and readable documents benefit all learners. Clearer digital experiences mean fewer drop-offs at critical enrollment moments.
• Boost SEO and discoverability — Accessible websites are structured in ways search engines reward: clear headings, descriptive alt text, logical page hierarchy.
• Reduce legal and reputational risk — Universities including Harvard, MIT, and Miami University have faced high-profile ADA settlements. Proactive accessibility is always less costly than reactive remediation after a complaint.
• Demonstrate institutional values — An accessible digital campus signals that your institution is genuinely inclusive, not just compliant on paper. For students, faculty, and donors, that difference matters.