Meeting the ADA Title II Digital Accessibility Requirements

Auditing and Preparing Digital Resources for Accessibility

Getting Started: Auditing Your Digital Resources

An audit helps units identify existing digital resources, determine which will be archived/updated, identify accessibility barriers, and develop a plan to address them. To ensure your digital resources meet the updated ADA Title II digital accessibility standards (i.e., WCAG 2.1 AA), follow the steps below:

Pie chart showing the resources involved in your unit's digital accessibility audit: websites, documents, audio/video content, and supplemental applications
  1. Getting Started

    If you would like assistance getting started, our team is here to help. Schedule a consultation with us for guidance on specific tools, audit steps, or planning your unit's remediation timeline.

  2. Identify Accessibility Leads

    Each unit should identify the faculty and/or staff members responsible for ensuring their digital content meets WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

  3. Audit and Assess Your Resources

    Key personnel should start identifying the digital resources hosted on your public-facing websites and/or course sites. This includes:

    • Websites (i.e., images, forms, tables, hyperlinks, etc.)
    • Documents (i.e., Word, PowerPoint, PDFs)
    • Audio and Video Content
    • Supplemental Applications (i.e., apps for polling, grading, testing, discussion, etc.)

    To assist with tracking your progress, use the DCAAP Tracker spreadsheet [XLSX]. (NOTE:This resource is for internal use only.)

  4. Leverage Existing Resources

    Use existing tools like DubBot, Ally (Blackboard), Panorama (Canvas), and Microsoft365 to assist you with this task. For guidance on how to leverage these resources, visit our Resources page to get started. ATI staff can assist with this process as well.

  5. Evaluate WCAG Compliance and Develop a Remediation Plan

    Determine which resources will be archived or updated/remediated. For content that needs to be updated/remediated, reference the Resources page to determine if they already comply with WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines. See below for information on which accessibility tools and resources would be best given the type of content:

    • Websites: Use DubBot (automated), WAVE (manual), or ANDI (manual)
    • Documents: Use Microsoft 365 (i.e., Word, PowerPoint), Ally (Blackboard), or Panorama (Canvas)
    • Audio and Video Content: Use manual evaluation techniques
    • Supplemental Applications (i.e., apps for polling, grading, testing, discussion, etc.): Work with ATI staff or your ITS liaison to determine if your supplemental apps have already been reviewed for accessibility. Visit our Contact Us page to schedule a consultation.
  6. Fix Accessibility Issues

    If you need assistance adding captions/audio descriptions to your videos, making your documents accessible, or reviewing the accessibility of websites/apps, the ATI Office can help. Visit the ATI website to Request Accessibility Support Services opens a new window. These resources are available at no cost for resources developed to support the George Mason community.

  7. Develop a Monitoring Plan

    After your documents, websites, and videos have been remediated, continue to leverage existing tools like Ally, Panorama, and DubBot to ensure your digital content maintains compliance with the WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines. If you have questions or need assistance, Schedule a Consultation.

DCAAP Pilot Findings: Auditing the Assistive Technology Initiative

During the Fall 2024 semester, the ATI Office is conducting an initial pilot of the DCAAP. This process will inform how we support other faculty, staff, and units at George Mason going through this process. The table below summarizes the ATI's findings after a review of our internal websites (ati.gmu.edu opens a new window, accessibility.gmu.edu opens a new window):

Resource Total Identified Identified for Update/Remediation Avg. Compliance Score (%) Key Issues Identified
Documents 140 9 87% Missing alt text, incorrect reading order
Websites 2 2 94% Missing alt text, non-discernable hyperlink text, keyboard access issues
Audio/Video 21 8 0% Videos lack accurate, synchronized captions, transcripts, and/or audio descriptions
Supplemental Applications 14 8 N/A Apps not reviewed for accessibility through ASRB

For a more detailed review of how the ATI office conducted their digital accessibility audit,
view the ATI's DCAAP Tracker spreadsheet [XLSX] opens a new window.