On April 24, 2026, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act will require that all digital course materials, including those in Canvas, comply with new federal rules around accessibility.
Learning Technologies knows that's a challenge, and we're here to help. For starters, we advise breaking things down into a series of manageable steps. Our motto: Perfection is the enemy of progress. Our goal is steady improvement. Start by working toward meeting the minimum digital accessibility guidelines for IU courses.
Below are some resources to help you get started, along with introductions to some of the people who can help. This issue of The Connected Professor is also chock full of tips and tricks, and we'll announce more accessible STEM resources early next year (for the most up-to-date STEM guidance, request an ATAC consultation).
Key resources for digital content accessibility
- The IU Knowledge Base includes an in-depth overview of accessibility resources at IU.
- Accessibility.IU has a page focused on making different kinds of content accessible, as well as tools for math-to-speech text conversion and working with multi-lingual content in Canvas and Pressbooks.
- Two self-paced courses on IU Expand can help you get started: Seven Simple Steps for Creating More Accessible Digital Content and Improving Course Accessibility.
- The IT Training accessibility page features more professional development options, tip sheets, and checklists to help you figure out how best to proceed.
- The Canvas Semester Checklist Pressbook highlights Canvas accessibility for instructors.
- An Ally instructor guide and Ally FAQs are available from the IU Knowledge Base.
And a bonus resource that comes from outside IU (and the US): A Gov.UK blog post shares a series of posters on the dos and don'ts of designing for accessibility.
Accessibility Webinar Series
There are still five webinars remaining* in the accessibility series:
* Note: If you register after the fact for a previous webinar, you'll gain immediate access to the recording — so you can still watch an Introduction to Assistive Technology, Seven Simple Steps to Accessible Course Content, and Making Video Content Accessible.
Who you can go for help
Your campus teaching and learning center
The best place to start is your campus teaching and learning center. They can provide guidance on basic accessibility and universal design for learning (UDL). And for more complex issues, they will help you find the expert guidance you need—whether that's at the IU Assistive Technology & Accessibility Centers (ATAC) or elsewhere.
IU accessibility liaisons
Starting this fall, over 50 faculty from across IU also began serving as accessibility liaisons. Designed to help schools and colleges meet upcoming ADA Title II requirements, the program is equipping these faculty with practical training, hands-on experience, and campus-wide connections to improve the accessibility of course materials and digital content.
In return, the liaisons are serving as champions for their departments—sharing best practices, spreading the word about upcoming events, and leading the way in creating more inclusive, equitable learning environments. Below are the accessibility liaisons on the seven IU campuses participating in the year-long program.
Your campus library
Your campus library is also an incredibly valuable source of accessible course content. Several IU libraries have dedicated pages or blog posts on this topic:
Also be sure to consider IU eTexts for your required digital course materials like eTexts, courseware, simulations, discipline-specific tools, and more.
IT Training
Last but never least, keep IT Training in mind. Accessibility is built into their courses on Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other popular topics. And you can request a custom training session for your group or department.
For additional accessibility advice and resources, be sure to subscribe to the LT list maintained by the Faculty Liaison for Learning Technologies. (Primarily focused on teaching and learning with technology, it provides important and timely announcements for instructors.) We'll use it to let you know about new tools and resources as they become available.
