Web Accessibility Overview

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Legal and Policy Information

What is Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act?​

• Title II requires state and local governments, including public schools, community colleges, and public universities, to make sure that their services, programs, and activities are accessible to people with disabilities

• This includes the services, programs, and activities offered online and through mobile apps.​

What Does the New Rule Say?

• Mandates that web content or mobile applications published by state and local government entities must meet accessibility standards.​

• The new rule establishes specific requirements and technical standards for accessibility – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 AA)​

• Compliance dates are based on population size.​

  • 2 years for populations of 50,000 or more.​ (Compliance date = April 2026)

  • 3 years for populations less than 50,000.​ (Compliance date = April 2027)

• Libraries should use the total local community population to determine their compliance date​.

Beyond Legal Requirements

Beyond legal requirements, there are several reasons for making documents accessible: 

• Wider Access for All Readers
  Accessible documents ensure that people with a variety of needs and abilities—including those who use screen readers or other assistive technologies—can read, understand, and use your materials. This helps ensure your research and publications are available to the broadest possible audience.

• Improved Readability and Usability
  Features such as clear headings, logical structure, and descriptive text for images make documents easier to navigate and understand, benefiting everyone—including those accessing content on mobile devices or in low-bandwidth environments.

• Increased Research Impact
  When documents are accessible, they can be read and cited by more people, including those who might otherwise be unable to access your work. This can help maximize the reach and influence of your research.

• Professional and Scholarly Standards
  Many academic journals and funding agencies now expect or require accessible content. Providing accessible documents demonstrates attention to detail and adherence to best practices in scholarly communication.

• Support for Collaboration
  Accessible documents make it easier for colleagues, co-authors, and students—regardless of their preferred tools or formats—to review, edit, and contribute to your work.

• Better Search and Discovery
  Documents with proper structure and tagging are more easily indexed by search engines and library databases, making your research easier to find.

• Future-Proofing Your Work
  As technology and expectations evolve, accessible documents are more adaptable to new platforms and devices, helping ensure your content remains usable over time.

Four Principles Of Web Accessibility: POUR

POUR is a foundational framework for web accessibility. It is an easy way to remember the four basic principles a website needs to be accessible to everyone — including people with disabilities:

P — Perceivable

Information and user interface components must be presented in ways that users can perceive. Content should be available to at least one of the user's senses (sight, hearing, or touch).

Examples: text alternatives for images, Braille text, captions for videos, adaptable color contrast

O — Operable

User interface components and navigation must be operable. Users must be able to interact with all functionality using various input methods (keyboard, voice, etc.).

Examples: keyboard navigation, enough time to read/interact, no content that can cause seizures

U — Understandable

Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable. Content should be clear and predictable in its behavior and language.

Examples: consistent navigation, clear and comprehensible text, error suggestions when filling out forms

R — Robust

Content must be robust enough to be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. Content should work across current and future tools, including screen readers and browsers.

Examples: well-structured HTML, appropriate use of ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles