UNI Digital Accessibility Basics and Best Practices Guide
Purpose
UNI’s Accessibility Basics and Best Practice Guides describe what accessible digital content looks like in practice and help campus partners focus on the most important steps for the type of content they create or manage.
These guides translate the university’s digital accessibility expectations into defined, actionable practices that can be routinely applied. They are designed to support consistency, reduce barriers over time, and help units prioritize improvements.
How to Use These Guides
Digital accessibility is ongoing work.
Start with:
- Content that is actively used for instruction, communication, or access to university programs and services
- High-visibility, student-facing, or frequently used materials
- New or updated content whenever possible
As accessibility issues are identified, units are expected to work toward remediation in a reasonable timeframe.
Legal Baseline
Federal law requires that digital content and systems used for instruction, communication, or public access be accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Digital content must be usable with assistive technologies such as screen readers, captions, keyboard navigation, and alternative input methods.
UNI Standard Practice
At UNI:
- Accessibility should be built into content and systems from the start whenever possible
- High-impact and frequently used materials should be prioritized
- Accessibility improvements occur over time through planning, remediation, and review
- Alternative access or accommodations remain available when barriers exist
Oversight will be supported through a cross-campus digital accessibility governance structure that is currently being established.
What These Guides Do (and Do Not Do)
These guides:
- Describe practical expectations and common accessibility practices
- Help units understand what “accessible” looks like for different content types
- Support prioritization and risk reduction
These guides do not:
- Guarantee legal compliance
- Replace accommodations
- Eliminate the need for judgment in complex situations
Goals and indicators included in these guides support planning and continuous improvement and do not replace legal accessibility requirements.
When to Ask for Help
Contact IT through the Service Hub when:
- Content remediation is complex or technical
- A UNI-developed system has accessibility limitations
- A vendor platform does not provide accessible options
- You are unsure how to make digital content accessible
Contact Student Accessibility Services (SAS) or Human Resource Services (HRS) when:
- A student or employee requests an accommodation
- An individual encounters an accessibility barrier that requires an accommodation while remediation is underway
IT addresses system and content accessibility. SAS and HRS manage formal accommodation processes for individuals.
Digital Accessibility Basics
These guidelines address digital accessibility, meaning the accessibility of online and web-delivered content, systems, and technology used to provide university programs and services.
Foundational Framework
Digital Accessibility Basics: The POUR Principles
Content-Specific Guidance
Digital Accessibility Basics: PDFs
Digital Accessibility Basics: Web Content
Digital Accessibility Basics: Instructional Content
Digital Accessibility Basics: Social Media