The April 24 Accessibility Deadline Is Here: What Higher Ed Needs to Do Now

Note: As of April 17, the DOJ has announced a one-year extension on the Title II enforcement.

What this means: Most colleges and universities will now be required to be compliant by April 26, 2027.

This update may offer some breathing room, but it should not be a reason to pause this work. It is an opportunity to prepare thoughtfully and make progress now, instead of scrambling later.

Read on to discover ways to make your content accessible so you’re ready by 2027.

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Higher education is entering a new phase of digital accessibility enforcement. As the Department of Justice’s April 24, 2026 deadline looms, colleges and universities are scrambling to meet updated expectations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

WCAG Level AA is now the standard for all institutions that accept public funding.

And this isn’t just about compliance. We can’t claim values of belonging and student-centeredness without also committing to communication that is accessible to everyone.

So what does that mean for the people managing webpages, posting on social media, and sending emails? 

This guide breaks down digital accessibility into a practical checklist you can start using today.

Looking for a printable checklist? 🖨️ Download the PDF version.

Digital Accessibility Checklist for Higher Education

Website Accessibility 

• Use proper header hierarchy (H1 → H2 → H3). Avoid using bold font as a substitute for headings.
• Write descriptive links. Avoid “Click here” and “Learn more.” Links should indicate where they’re sending a user (e.g., “Explore financial aid options.”)
• Add alt-text to all images. It should be descriptive and offer appropriate context, like you’re explaining the image to a friend.
• Check color contrast between text and background colors on your site. 
• Provide accurate captions for all video (don’t rely on auto-generated subtitles) and include transcripts for longer content. 
• Check documents (PDFs, Word docs, spreadsheets) hosted or linked on your site. These may require reformatting to achieve WCAG Level AA compliance. As with websites, you’ll need proper header hierarchy and reading order, alt-text for images, and sufficient color contrast.
• Confirm form fields are labeled clearly. 

Social Media Accessibility

• Add alt-text to all images wherever platforms support it (e.g., Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook)
• Always use on-screen captions in videos. Avoid relying on sound and volume to communicate your message.
• Use CamelCase, or title case, in hashtags to support screen-readers and voiceover read-outs. #DigitalAccessibility, not #digitalaccessibility.
• Use emojis thoughtfully and sparingly. Place them at the end of a sentence when possible. 
• Never use emojis as a bullet point in a list. 
• Avoid text-heavy images and graphics. If text is included, repeat it in the caption. 
• Clearly describe link locations before copy/pasting a URL in your post. Users should easily understand where a link is sending them.
• Don’t use specialty fonts. Stick to the native platform typeface.

Email Accessibility

• Use headings and subheadings to organize content
• Use simple, readable fonts (e.g., Arial, Calibri, Times, Montserrat)
• Write descriptive links. As with web content, avoid “Click here” and “Learn more.” 
• Add alt-text to all images, and avoid putting critical information only in images.
• Check color contrast between text and background colors. Avoid light gray text or busy background patterns.
• Ensure attached documents are accessible before sending. 
• Include key information directly in the email body whenever possible. 

Resources to Support Accessible Content

• Accessible Social: A user-friendly website, rich in free education and implementation resources for accessible social media content. 
• Emojipedia: Ever wonder how a screen-reader would pronounce your favorite emoji? Emojipedia has your answer. 
• WebAIM Alt-Text Guide: Learn what makes for a good (and compliant) alt-text description.
• WebAIM Contrast Checker: Just copy/paste the hex codes for your font and background colors, and this tool will tell you if you’re meeting WCAG guidelines.
• Create and Verify PDF Accessibility (Adobe Pro): A how-to guide for checking reading order, tags, and overall document accessibility in Adobe Pro.
• Add Subtitles and Captions (YouTube): Learn how to add and edit your YouTube video captions, whether you’re uploading from a third-party captioning service or revising auto-captions from the platform.

A Quick Reality Check

There’s no way around it — this adds steps. 

It may require retraining teams, updating templates, and rethinking how content gets published. And many higher ed teams, already stretched thin, will feel this in real ways.

That’s exactly why it can’t sit solely on the shoulders of already overextended staff.

Accessibility is essential work. Not just because of the April 24 deadline, but because it determines whether people can fully participate in your community. If someone can’t access your website, emails, or social content, they are being left out — whether that’s what you intended or not.

For institutions with significant gaps, this is not a quick fix. It will require time, training, and investment. Leadership must be willing to allocate the resources and support needed to do this well, not just quickly.

It’s time to take accessibility seriously — and to resource it accordingly, too. 

Need support now? Explore how we support higher ed institutions and organizations in building accessible, people-centered digital strategies.