Frequently Asked Questions

Digital accessibility means designing websites, applications, documents, and content so that everyone can use them—including people with visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive disabilities.

This includes making sure content works with screen readers, can be navigated by keyboard, has captions for videos, and uses clear language.

Learn more in Accessibility 101

Equity:About 1 in 4 adults has a disability. Everyone deserves equal access to education and information.

Legal:Title II of the ADA requires public universities to provide accessible digital experiences.

Better design:Accessible design benefits everyone—captions help non-native speakers, keyboard navigation helps power users, clear content helps everyone under stress.

Arizona aligns toWCAG 2.2 Level AA—the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines published by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium).

This is the most widely adopted international standard and is referenced by ADA Title II regulations.

Learn more about WCAG

Emailaccessibility@arizona.eduor call520-621-3268.

You can also:

• Request a consultation
• Report a barrier
• Visitthe Support pagefor all options

Register with theDisability Resource Center (DRC). You'll submit documentation, meet with an Access Consultant, and receive accommodation letters to share with your instructors.

The process takes about 15 minutes online plus a meeting. Start early in the semester!

Most Panopto videos have auto-generated captions. If they're inaccurate or missing:

1. Ask your instructor to request caption edits
2. Or contactUCATT Multimediadirectly for urgent needs

For live events, request CART or ASL interpreters through theDRC ASL/CART form.

Use theAccess Reportform. Include:

• The URL or location of the problem
• What you were trying to do
• What went wrong
• Screenshots if possible

You'll receive a response within 2 business days. Reporting helps Arizona fix issues for everyone.

Reply within2 business days:

1. Read the letter carefully—note specific accommodations
2. Contact the student to confirm logistics
3. Document agreements in Brightspace or email
4. Reach out to the DRC if you have questions

Never deny accommodations or require students to justify their needs beyond the letter.

Start with ourBrightspace Accessibility Checklist. Key steps:

• Use heading styles for structure
• Add alt text to images
• Check color contrast
• Caption videos in Panopto
• Run the built-in accessibility checker

UCATT offers consultations and can review your course shell.

Upload to Panopto, which generates automatic captions. Then:

1. Review and edit the captions for accuracy
2. Focus on names, technical terms, and numbers
3. For high-stakes content, request professional captions from UCATT

Aim for 99% accuracy on instructional content.See the full captioning guide

Use the built-in Accessibility Checker:

1. Go toReview Check Accessibility
2. Fix all errors (red) and review warnings (yellow)
3. Pay special attention to missing alt text and heading structure

Microsoft's guide to the checker

Best approach:Create an accessible source document (Word) first, then export to PDF.

For existing PDFs:

1. Open in Adobe Acrobat Pro
2. Run Accessibility Check (Tools Accessibility)
3. Add tags, set reading order, add alt text

For complex remediation,request helpfrom the Digital Accessibility team.

See the full PDF remediation guide

Alt text should convey thepurposeof the image in context. Ask: "Why is this image here?"

• Be concise (usually 1-2 sentences)
• Don't start with "Image of..." or "Picture of..."
• For decorative images, use empty alt text (alt="")
• For charts/graphs, describe the key takeaway

WebAIM's complete alt text guide

Combine automated and manual testing:

Automated (catches ~30-40% of issues):

• WAVE browser extension
• Accessibility Insights
• axe DevTools

Manual (essential):

• Keyboard-only navigation
• Screen reader testing (NVDA, VoiceOver)
• Zoom to 200% and check layout

Users must be able to use your site with keyboard alone (no mouse). Test by:

1. Tabthrough the page—can you reach everything?
2. Is focus always visible (outline or highlight)?
3. Can youEnterto activate buttons and links?
4. Can youEscapeto close dialogs?

WebAIM keyboard guide

AVPAT(Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) is a document vendors create to describe how their product meets accessibility standards.

Look for:

• "Supports"– meets the criteria
• "Partially Supports"– some gaps (read the remarks)
• "Does Not Support"– fails the criteria

VPATs vary widely in quality. Request a demo with assistive technology for critical purchases.

VPAT review guide

Before purchasing:

1. Ask the vendor for a VPAT (current version, ideally WCAG 2.2)
2. Request their accessibility roadmap
3. Ask for a demo using screen reader or keyboard-only
4. Involve the Digital Accessibility team for major purchases

See the full procurement guide

Title II of the ADArequires state and local governments (including public universities) to make their programs, services, and activities accessible—including digital ones.

The DOJ published updated web accessibility regulations in 2024 with specific deadlines for compliance. Large public entities like Arizona must meet WCAG 2.1 AA by April 2026.

ADA.gov web accessibility guidance

Exceptions are rare and require formal documentation. Two legal defenses exist:

• Fundamental alteration:Making it accessible would fundamentally change the nature of the program
• Undue burden:The cost/effort would be excessive relative to resources

Both require documented alternative access plans and approval from Accessibility PMO, Legal, and executive sponsors. Contactaccessibility@arizona.eduto discuss.