Authored/Posted by: Katherine Knowles
Introduction
In institutions like MSU, we as educators serve a variety of students from different backgrounds who all bring their life experiences to the classroom. There are already numerous barriers for students when pursuing higher education, and accessing course content should not be one of them. At its most basic, digital accessibility removes barriers for all students when attempting to navigate technology-based tools, resources, and materials related to your course.
Context
Making sure the world is equitable and accessible is not just important, but also a legal requirement. Our websites and digital tools should be just as accessible as the physical classrooms our students access on a daily basis. Just like accessibility in buildings, digital accessibility is protected by the law. The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has developed Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA to provide information on who needs to make sure their web content is compliant and how to do so. Additionally, in December 2023 the White House released a memo explaining the significance of digital accessibility and how to strengthen the components related to technology and the web in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
UMOnline’s “Why is Digital Accessibility Important?”
This article is part of the Digital Accessibility Toolkit.