Digital Accessibility Updates
February 10, 2025
New guidance for digital content
Facilities Management, along with the broader UVA community, is pushing to improve our digital accessibility footprint ahead of new federal guidelines that go into effect in April 2026. This initiative will cover any content that is created for posting to departmental websites or is otherwise shared broadly.
Digital accessibility refers to making digital content that can be accessed by anyone, regardless of ability or disability. FM employees will be required to ensure the accessibility of files such as Word documents, PDFs, videos and more, that will be posted to public and internal locations, such as the FM site, intranet, SharePoint sites, etc.
Accessibility resources
Technology & Innovation has posted new content to the Style Guide (accessible while connected to a UVA On Grounds network or VPN) to help guide employees through the process of fixing the most common digital accessibility issues. The Accessibility general tips page covers general information that applies to any format, and is meant for any content creator, while other pages cover more specific topics, like Word docs, PDFs and video.
In addition to the Style Guide content, EOCR's Digital Accessibility Coordinator website is a great resource for learning. Training and events on specific topics are frequently posted. Accessibility Open Labs are time slots open to anyone looking to learn more on a topic of your choosing.
Equidox is a program available to all UVA staff, designed to fix accessibility issues in PDFs. It's recommended that anyone creating PDFs register to receive training and gain access to Equidox.
Color contrast is a common accessibility issue. University Communications' BrandDot Virginia site has a useful guide to which university colors work together.
General advice
Here are some things to consider that can make the process easier:
- Is all your departmental content up to date, and does it need to be online? This is a great opportunity for a "refresh."
- Can any documents/content be consolidated?
- Clean, simple document layouts are generally easier to fix and are easier for readers to digest.
Content on webpages themselves is still managed by Technology & Innovation and will be made accessible (most already is). The accessibility of documents linked on a site is still the responsibility of departments.
Please become familiar with the Accessibility general tips at a minimum. For additional questions and advice, please contact Brooke Thompson, Digital Accessibility Coordinator, or Jeremy Katras, Web Developer with FM Technology & Innovation.
Background on ruling
In April 2024, the Department of Justice made a final ruling that states public schools and universities must comply with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The deadlines differ depending on the size of the state organization. As a public entity with a total population over 50,000, UVA is required to comply by April 24, 2026. UVA policy IRM-008 has similar guidelines.
The federal and UVA guidelines are based on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). UVA Policy states WCAG 2.2 is the standard we are striving to meet. No one is expected to know these guidelines, but they serve as a reference for those wanting more detailed information on compliance.
Jeremy Katras
Web Developer
UVA Facilities Management
(434) 987-1582
jak4yf@virginia.edu