ADA Title II update

When creating and sharing media such as articles, flyers, presentations, or videos, it is essential to follow accessibility best practices to ensure compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.  Accessible media ensures that all audiences—including individuals with disabilities—can fully engage with and benefit from the content.

• Articles, Flyers, and Presentations: Use clear headings, readable fonts, and sufficient color contrast. Provide meaningful alternative text for images, ensure tables are properly structured, and avoid conveying information through color alone. For detailed instructions, refer to the Accessible Documents Guidelines
• Videos: Include accurate captions, provide transcripts when possible, and ensure that audio descriptions are available for visual content that conveys important information. For step-by-step best practices, refer to the Accessible Audio and Video Guidelines

A best practice for maintaining an accessible webpage is to consistently follow established accessibility standards and design principles. This includes ensuring that all content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for individuals of all abilities. Regularly reviewing your site for issues such as alternative text for images, proper heading structure, sufficient color contrast, keyboard navigation, and captioned multimedia helps create an inclusive online experience. To support this effort, please refer to our Web Accessibility Guidelines page, which provides detailed recommendations and resources for building and maintaining accessible webpages.

To further support these best practices, ITS Accessibility provides enterprise-wide automated accessibility scans through PopeTech. This platform is powered by the same user-friendly technology behind the widely recognized WebAIM WAVE tool—one of the most trusted accessibility testing engines in the world. All Drupal content editors already have access to PopeTech, and any campus member interested in using this resource can request an account by emailing us.

When sending mass communications via email, it is important to follow accessibility best practices to ensure that all recipients—including individuals with disabilities—can easily read and engage with your message. Consider the following:

• Use clear and concise subject lines that accurately reflect the content.

• Structure your email with proper headings and short paragraphs for readability.

• Ensure sufficient color contrast between text and background.

• Use descriptive link text (e.g., “Visit the Accessibility Guidelines” instead of “Click here”).

• Provide alternative text for any images or graphics included in the email.

• Avoid relying on images alone to convey important information.

To deepen your understanding and strengthen your skills in creating accessible communications, we encourage you to enroll in our Accessible Communication Workshop

When purchasing software or other Information and Communication Technology (ICT), it is important to know that the California State University (CSU) must make a good-faith effort to acquire accessible products and services. At Cal State LA, this responsibility is carried out by following the CSU Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) Accessible Procurement Framework.

Before acquiring or renewing any ICT product or service, Cal State LA will:

• Engage vendors about accessibility – We communicate directly with vendors to learn more about their product’s accessibility features and limitations.

• Review vendor accessibility conformance documentation – This typically includes a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®) or Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR), which helps us evaluate the level of accessibility compliance.

• Identify and acknowledge accessibility barriers – If accessibility issues are found, especially those that interfere with the product’s core functions, they must be documented and taken into account during the purchasing decision.

• Develop a Temporary Alternative Access Plan (TAAP) – Formerly called Equally Effective Alternate Access Plans (EEAAPs), a TAAP outlines how access will be provided to users with disabilities when the ICT is only partially accessible.

By following these steps, we ensure that accessibility is considered during procurement, reducing barriers and supporting an inclusive technology environment for all members of the campus community.

For more information about acquiring accessible ICT at Cal State LA, please visit: Acquiring Accessible ICT

When leading teams, projects, or initiatives, it’s essential to model and promote accessibility from the start. Leaders play a critical role in setting expectations, shaping culture, and ensuring that accessibility is not treated as an afterthought. Consider the following best practices:

• Set clear expectations: Communicate that accessibility is a non-negotiable standard for all digital content, projects, and communications.

• Model inclusive practices: Demonstrate accessibility in your own work—such as using proper heading structures, descriptive links, and accessible documents.

• Provide resources and training: Encourage your team to review:

  • Accessibility guidelines for webpages

  • Accessibility guidelines for documents

  • Accessibility guidelines for social media posts

  • Review and attend training

• Integrate accessibility early: Make accessibility a standing agenda item in planning meetings and project kickoffs to ensure it’s embedded into workflows.

• Support accountability: Assign responsibility for accessibility checks and follow up to ensure standards are met.

• Encourage feedback: Create a culture where team members and participants feel comfortable raising accessibility concerns and suggesting improvements.

By leading with accessibility in mind, you empower your team to create digital spaces and experiences that are inclusive, equitable, and compliant with WCAG standards.

When engaging with students—whether through coursework, mentoring, or collaborative projects—it’s important to incorporate accessibility principles into both teaching and practice. This not only ensures inclusive participation but also helps students build lifelong skills for creating accessible digital content. Consider the following:

• Introduce accessibility early: Explain why web accessibility matters, emphasizing equity, inclusion, and compliance with WCAG standards.

• Model accessible practices: Use accessible course materials, presentations, and communication to demonstrate what “good accessibility” looks like.

• Teach practical skills: Show students how to apply accessibility basics—such as using heading structures, alternative text for images, captions on videos, and descriptive link text.

• Encourage the use of tools: Introduce students to accessibility checkers and show them how to test their own work.

  • Microsoft Accessibility checker for (.word, pptx, xlsx)

  • Auto Tag PDFS with Adobe Acrobat

  • Panopto - How to Add ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) Captions into a Video)

• Provide constructive feedback: Review student projects with accessibility in mind and highlight both strengths and areas for improvement.

• Promote an inclusive mindset: Reinforce that accessibility is not just a technical requirement but a way to ensure everyone can engage and contribute equally.

Accessibility should be a central consideration in the early stages of planning all campus meetings and events. Designing events with accessibility in mind benefits everyone, allowing all participants the opportunity to fully engage and contribute. Because event planning can quickly become complex, it’s important not to let accessibility details or requests fall through the cracks. For guidance and best practices, please visit our Accessible Event Planning page.