New ADA Timeline, Same UW Commitment

Dear colleagues,

We are writing to share an important update on ADA accessibility rules in advance of our next digital accessibility toolkit. Please share this information internally with your colleagues as you see fit.

The DOJ has recently announced a one-year extension of the ADA Title II Digital Accessibility Rule. The new effective date is April 26, 2027.

While this extends the deadline, UW’s commitment to digital accessibility remains unchanged. Even with this extension, the UW continues to have ongoing responsibilities under other federal and state laws and our new digital accessibility policy. The additional time allows us all to build on current progress, address remaining issues, and further integrate accessibility into everyday course preparation as a shared, long-term responsibility. Centrally, we will continue to develop resources, tackle complex accessibility issues, and promote awareness of the simple steps everyone can take to make materials more accessible.

The deadline has changed. Our goals and commitment have not.

Our AY25-26 goal of 80% Ally accessibility scores for Canvas courses will remain in place through the end of summer quarter. In the coming months, we will take time to assess our goals and tools and will provide updated guidance for the coming academic year.

In addition, we will launch an exceptions process given that a number of disciplines, due to the complexity of their course materials, have found it challenging to reach this target. Others have found quirks with the Ally tool that make it possible to improve scores without improving accessibility. The scores help the ADA Coordinator’s office look at our overall progress and identify areas where additional support is needed. Please encourage your colleagues to avoid artificially inflating scores, focus on true accessibility and making steady progress, and get help when needed from help@uw.edu.

A new exceptions process for individual faculty and departments will be available soon.

Details on requesting provisional approval via the new exceptions process will be available in the coming weeks. Submitting requests via this process early will allow units clarity on exceptions in advance of the new deadline.

Guidance for faculty will continue to be shared on Teaching@UW’s Making course materials accessible webpage and through communications toolkits for departments.

The Digital Accessibility website and blog share regular updates, training opportunities, shared resources, and community events for all members of the UW community.

Thank you for your continued leadership, partnership and support for this work.

Best regards,

Phil Reid