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Ohio State is in the process of revising websites and program materials to accurately reflect compliance with the law. While this work occurs, language referencing protected class status or other activities prohibited by Ohio Senate Bill 1 may still appear in some places. However, all programs and activities are being administered in compliance with federal and state law.

Digital Accessibility Support for Ohio State Educators

An instructor working at a laptop.

We strive to design courses that provide all students opportunities to engage, learn and succeed. Central to this mission is ensuring our course materials are accessible to all learners. Getting started with digital accessibility can feel overwhelming, but committing to it is as important as ever. 

Updated regulations under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) require that digital content shared and used across the university meet established web accessibility standards by April 24, 2026. These regulations apply to the learner-facing digital course materials you use in your teaching, including your CarmenCanvas pages, lecture videos, emails, announcements and the documents and readings you share with students.  

Across the country, university instructors are familiarizing themselves with the new requirements and making the necessary changes to their course materials. The Drake Institute has been working alongside partners across campus to develop targeted trainings and resources to support you in this important work.

Workshops and Events

Workshops are offered throughout the academic year to support you with building core digital accessibility skills.

"Title II and You" Workshop Series

In Spring 2026, the Drake Institute continues to offer the "Title II and You" workshop series that launched in Autumn 2025. This series was developed in partnership with the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation and with support from Student Life Disability Services and the Digital Accessibility Center.

Updates to spring semester sessions of "Title II and You" include overviews of core digital accessibility concepts as they relate to the Ally scanning tool in Canvas and more hands-on practice time with Microsoft Office products and Mediasite. Accessibility and disability experts from multiple offices will be on hand to answer questions and support all who teach. 

Title II and You: Seven Core Skills for Digital Accessibility Part 1

This hands-on workshop leads participants through three of the Seven Core Skills for digital accessibility: Headings, Lists, and Links. While these aren't difficult skills to learn, incorporating them into our daily workflows in CarmenCanvas does take practice. Together, we'll apply WCAG 2.1 AA standards and review the Ally scanner reports for these three core skills to Canvas Announcements and Pages to get in the habit of creating accessible communication even for quick messages. Participants should be ready to work on sample CarmenCanvas Announcements and Pages during the session; we recommend using a laptop or desktop instead of a tablet.

Register for Seven Core Skills Part 1

Title II and You: Seven Core Skills for Digital Accessibility Part 2

In Part 2 of the Seven Core Skills workshops, participants will learn how to tackle Tables, Color and Contrast, and Alternative Text as they appear in PowerPoint and in CarmenCanvas Pages. How can we make data accessible? What is a contrast ratio, and how do we calculate it? And how much do we really need to describe our graphics in our alt text? Come practice using the built-in Microsoft Accessibility tools and the Ally scanner in CarmenCanvas. We strongly suggest that participants bring a laptop or use a desktop computer for this session.

Register for Seven Core Skills Part 2

Title II and You: Digital Accessibility for Multimedia Materials

Audio, video and other media have become commonplace in the classroom. In this workshop, participants will review the WCAG 2.1 AA and Ohio State M-DAS regulations for using pre-recorded audio and video materials. First, we'll review the basics of Mediasite, Ohio State's platform for video hosting and editing. Then, we'll look at how to use Mediasite's available accessibility options, including the AI-supported caption generator. Participants will have a chance to practice using the caption editor and ask questions about other best practices for using multimedia materials as course materials. 

Register for Digital Accessibility for Multimedia Materials

Title II and You: Digital Accessibility for Course Design

In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn about the upcoming ADA Title II changes and what those mean for courses at Ohio State and review their own courses for potential accessibility concerns. The workshop will provide a description of the changes to the law, an introduction to major digital accessibility terms as they apply to the work of teaching and learning, and examples of how disabled people use digital tools and information. Using a backwards-design model, participants will spend the last 30 minutes of the workshop in small groups led by an accessibility or ed tech expert to locate areas of their course that may need revision, brainstorm alternative options and questions, and create a to-do list for themselves as they work toward creating more accessible courses.

Registration for this workshop will open soon.


Introduction to Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a helpful approach to building courses that are student-friendly and accessible from the start. The UDL framework helps you consider the needs of all learners and plan a course that addresses their varied interests, experiences, background knowledge and skills. During this interactive workshop from the Drake Institute, participants will learn about the UDL framework and discuss practical strategies for designing more flexible courses.

Register for Introduction to UDL

Using Ally to Improve Accessibility in Your Courses

The Office of Technology and Digital Innovation (OTDI) has licensed Ally, an accessibility scanning tool that is integrated within CarmenCanvas. The tool can review your course, report accessibility issues, offer remediation guidance and generate alternative formats for many materials. Explore guidance for using Ally.

The OTDI Learning Systems team is offering several upcoming training sessions to support instructors with using Ally to improve the accessibility of their courses. These sessions will cover Ally's basic features—reports, remediation guidance and alternative formats—as well as providing insight into the tool's limitations and strategies for prioritizing your review. 
 
Register for Using Ally to Improve Accessibility in Your Courses

On-Demand Resources

If you prefer to build your accessibility skills on your own time, the following on-demand resources are available 24/7. 

Developing Accessible Course Content: A Self-Paced Learning Experience

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that digital course content be accessible to all students. But what constitutes digital content, and what are instructors' responsibilities for making content accessible? In this asynchronous, self-paced experience, you will learn about the Title II changes, common accessibility barriers and how to identify and remediate inaccessible material. You'll also be equipped to design future courses that are accessible from the start. Delivered through CarmenCanvas, this learning experience will take approximately 4 to 5 hours to complete.

Developing Accessible Course Content

Teaching and Learning Resource Center

Visit the Teaching and Learning Resource Center for guidance on reviewing your course materials and applying best practices to ensure their accessibility. Built upon Digital Accessibility Service's Title II resources, but tailored for instructors, Digital Accessibility: Building Course Material for All Learners walks you through foundational accessibility skills and a step-by-step process for reviewing course content. 

  • First, you will understand the benefits of making your course accessible to all learners.
  • Next, you will build foundational knowledge by learning 7 Core Skills for digital accessibility.
  • Finally, you will be guided through the 3Rs Strategy (Remove, Replace, Remediate) for reviewing course content.

Digital Accessibility: Building Course Material for All Learners

More On-Demand Resources

Questions?

You may have questions about what the April 24, 2026, Title II enforcement date means for you and your courses. To clarify expectations for progress and ease anxiety about next steps, the ADA Digital Accessibility Center has compiled a helpful guide for instructors.

Faculty Guidance: Understanding the April 2026 Accessibility Requirement

If you require further assistance with accessibility, find the appropriate support contact for your needs below. 

Implementing Digital Accessibility in Your Unit

Contact your Digital Accessibility Coordinator.

Students' Registered Accommodations

Contact Disability Services in the Office of Student Life.

Title II Compliance / Digital Accessibility Policy / Ohio State's Minimum Digital Accessibility Standards

Contact the ADA Digital Accessibility Center (DAC) at accessibility@osu.edu. Part of the Civil Rights Compliance Office, DAC supports the campus community by providing accessibility expertise, interpreting policy, setting technical standards, investigating complaints, and performing audits.

See Ohio State’s Minimum Digital Accessibility Standards and Digital Accessibility Policy.

All Other Accessibility Questions and Concerns

Contact Digital Accessibility Services (DAS) at das@osu.edu. Part of the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation, DAS provides resources and assistance to those producing digital content, acquiring or building digital products, or serving as a Digital Accessibility Coordinator.