Digital accessibility and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Last updated July 25, 2025

Introduction to the ADA’s digital accessibility rule, and plain language information about the rule’s requirements.

Introduction to the ADA rule on digital accessibility

In April 2024, the Department of Justice created a new rule for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requiring digital tools and electronic resources used at public universities to be accessible by meeting certain technical standards.

This digital accessibility rule is important because technology is essential to participating in all aspects of American society and allows for quick, easy, and independent access to information. The rule ensures disabled individuals do not experience discrimination by being able to use the same technology as individuals without disabilities.

About the rule

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Essential requirement

All digital tools and electronic resources made available to anyone to apply for, participate in, or benefit from UW–Madison’s programs, services, and activities must be accessible by meeting the technical standard.

The technical standard must be met even if the tool is made by a vendor or hosted outside UW–Madison. “Anyone” refers to students, employees, job applicants, researchers, program and research participants, and visitors and guests.

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Technical standard

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1, Level AA is the minimum technical standard. This standard ensures most disabled individuals will have seamless access without needing a reasonable accommodation. The rule permits using a higher technical standard, such as WCAG 2.2 or 3.0. 

Fundamental alteration: In limited circumstances, adhering to the technical standard may change the nature of a university program, service, or activity. In these instances, contact the Deputy ADA Coordinator.

All digital tools and electronic resources must be accessible by April 24, 2026. All digital tools and electronic resources created and used after this date must continue to meet the technical standard.

Digital tools and electronic resources

Digital tools and electronic resources are IT systems or tools that retrieve and present information, such as web content, webpages, software, multimedia players, electronic documents, and mobile apps.

Examples of university tools include, but are not limited to:

  • Canvas
  • Outlook 365, Course Search and Enroll
  • Third-party apps such as ParkMobile, Duo
  • PDFs, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Google Docs
  • File sharing systems such as Box, SharePoint, Google Drive

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Exceptions

The rule recognizes universities have a lot of digital content. It prioritizes current digital tools and content anyone uses to apply for, gain access to, or participate in a program, service, or activity over previously created or unused content.

Refer to ADA rule exceptions for more information.

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Conforming alternates

The rule requires disabled and nondisabled individuals to use the same digital tools and electronic resources to meet the ADA’s inclusion mandate. Alternate versions are usually not kept up-to-date and offer less functionality. Using inaccessible digital tools and offering an accessible alternate version is generally not permitted.

Refer to Accessible alternate versions for more information.

Reasonable accommodations

The university can no longer use inaccessible technology and rely on reasonable accommodations to provide access. Technology provides quick and easy access to information, while reasonable accommodations take time to develop and do not always give the same, full access resulting in a different experience for disabled individuals.

Reasonable accommodations are generally only permitted when a tool complies with the technical standard but is still not accessible. The ADA still requires the university to ensure disabled individuals have access.

A shared responsibility

Creating accessible content is everyone’s responsibility.

Accessibility is a civil right and supports the university’s mission of creating a welcoming and inclusive community for everyone.

When content is accessible from the start, it reduces the work disabled individuals need to do to gain access, allowing them to focus on learning, working, and participating at the university.

For more information on how you can support accessibility in your role, visit Digital Accessibility at Universities of Wisconsin.

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