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天美影视传媒

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Accessibility at the UW

Category: Partners

A Digital Accessibility Conversation with the UW School of Public Health聽

Post categories: Partners School of Public Health

Even before new federal accessibility standards took shape under the 2024 Department of Justice Title II ruling, the 天美影视传媒鈥檚 was already working to build a culture of digital inclusion.

Through collaboration across IT, faculty leadership, and student support, the school has been quietly modeling what it means to make accessibility part of everyday practice鈥攏ot just a compliance requirement.

In this conversation, we spoke with Chelsea Elkins (Access and Advocacy Coordinator), Kevin Rimlinger (Head of IT), and Liz Kirk (Associate Dean for Education) about how their efforts began, what鈥檚 worked, and what they鈥檝e learned along the way.

Chelsea, could you start by describing your role and how accessibility became part of your work?
Chelsea: I鈥檓 the School of Public Health鈥檚 Access and Advocacy Coordinator, supporting students with disability-related needs and accessibility needs. That includes helping students navigate the (DRS) accommodation process, but it also means working with staff and instructors. Early on, I started partnering with Kevin and Liz to promote digital accessibility for the staff and faculty side of the school.
Liz, as a faculty leader, how have you been involved in this effort?
Liz: I鈥檓 the Associate Dean for Education and a teaching professor in Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health. My role is really about communication and coordination and making sure the great work that Chelsea and Kevin are doing is visible to all faculty. I also help ensure we鈥檙e integrating accessibility goals into our teaching practices.
Kevin, what鈥檚 been your focus from the IT perspective?
Kevin: I came to the School of Public Health about two years ago to lead departmental IT teams toward more school level shared IT services. Accessibility was already part of the conversation before I arrived. Our web technician, Tim Knight, was deeply involved with accessibility evaluations鈥攆irst with earlier tools and then with DubBot鈥攖o make sure our external websites met standards.
We prioritized accessibility in two areas: first, our public-facing sites, because that鈥檚 what the world sees; and second, our digital course materials, which are created by people who aren鈥檛 accessibility experts. We wanted to help them feel supported and confident rather than overwhelmed.
It sounds like the school was advancing digital accessibility well before the university鈥檚 initiative accelerated. When did your team begin formal training and outreach?
Chelsea: That started in early 2023. So yes, before the DOJ ruling came out. Liz and I teamed up with our instructional TAs to create our first-ever digital accessibility workshop for instructors. From there, an instructor connected me with Mary-Colleen Jenkins from UW IT鈥檚 Accessible Technology Services, and that partnership really expanded what we were able to do.

We鈥檝e offered 60- and 90-minute sessions on topics like universal design and creating accessible PDFs, and we also started doing what we call 鈥渕ini-lessons,” which are 15-minute trainings on things like using headings, writing alt text, or creating accessible tables. The idea is to make learning manageable and flexible. And we鈥檝e expanded from faculty to include staff and TAs, since everyone contributes to digital content.

What impact have these sessions had?
Liz: They鈥檝e been really important. At the beginning of this academic year, Kevin and Chelsea went on what we call a 鈥渞oadshow鈥� visiting departmental faculty meetings to talk about accessibility. That outreach required buy-in from chairs and leadership, and it made a difference. It raised awareness and showed that accessibility is a shared priority, not an add-on.
Accessibility as a shared priority: How have you gotten that message across?
Kevin: We wanted to make it clear that accessibility isn鈥檛 just one person鈥檚 job. It鈥檚 a shared responsibility. We started messaging accessibility as part of effective communication and not just a compliance task. And we emphasized 鈥減rogress over perfection鈥� which we’ve heard again and again from Mary-Colleen. People tend to focus on the hardest problems first, like making complex formulas accessible. But we tell them: start with the easy wins, such as headings, alt text, link clarity鈥攁nd build from there.
Honestly, even if I didn鈥檛 care about accessibility, these practices make my job easier as a communicator. It鈥檚 hard to sell a message when you are advocating a process change that seems to add work, but it鈥檚 true: Accessibility just makes everything work better鈥攆or everyone.
That theme鈥攑rogress over perfection鈥攕eems powerful. How do you help people get started?
Chelsea: We encourage small steps. It鈥檚 okay to start simple, and it鈥檚 okay if things aren鈥檛 perfect. That mindset has been key. It also helps that we have strong leadership support. Liz was the first to host our workshops, and Dean Hilary Godwin has been behind this from the start. Her support helped us get in front of department chairs and faculty. When leadership is visibly engaged, people understand that this work matters.
How does this connect with the school鈥檚 public health mission?
Liz: It鈥檚 completely aligned. We do this to help all our students. Accessibility ensures that everyone can fully participate and engage with the material. That鈥檚 part of who we are as a school鈥攑reparing students for the world by removing barriers to engagement.
Kevin, you mentioned that accessibility makes things work better for everyone. Can you say more about that?
Kevin: The first time I attended one of Chelsea鈥檚 sessions, I realized how simple many of these practices are. Using proper headings, meaningful link text, good contrast鈥攖hose things make your communication clearer and your materials more portable.
Chelsea, you mentioned universal design. How does that fit in with your goals?
Chelsea: Universal Design is definitely part of what we鈥檙e moving toward. The technical aspects of digital accessibility are important, but we鈥檙e also thinking about teaching and pedagogy and how we can design courses so that common accommodations are already built in.

For example, if instructors find they鈥檙e giving the same accommodations every quarter, maybe there鈥檚 a way to design the course differently, so those supports are already there. It won鈥檛 cover everything, but it can go a long way toward inclusion.

Liz: That鈥檚 something we鈥檝e been discussing at the school-wide curriculum committee, too. We鈥檙e not all the way there yet, but many instructors are moving in that direction by designing their courses, materials, and Canvas pages to be less challenging for everyone.

As we move toward the 2026 digital accessibility deadline, what鈥檚 next for your school?
Kevin: Keeping the message front and center. Our Canvas accessibility scores are improving; we鈥檝e bumped our school average to just over 70 percent, but it鈥檚 a moving target. As new materials are added, the scores change. Accessibility isn鈥檛 a one-and-done thing; it’s ongoing. We鈥檒l need to keep nudging and reminding people and continue making the message visible everywhere.
Chelsea: There are so many campus resources from the Digital Accessibility Initiative to Accessible Technology Services and our subject librarians. Within departments, there鈥檚 also a lot of expertise. It鈥檚 about connecting people to the right support.
Liz: For faculty, I鈥檇 say take accessibility into your normal lecture prep. Every time you update materials, that鈥檚 your chance to improve accessibility. Once it becomes part of the process, it stops feeling like extra work.

Learn More

Explore resources and training through 鲍奥鈥檚 Digital Accessibility portal and Accessible Technology Services.

Building Accessible Learning: Continuum College鈥檚 Road to 2026

Post categories: Continuum College Partners Post tags:

As one of the 天美影视传媒鈥檚 highest-volume instructional units,聽 sits at the intersection of digital learning, faculty support, and student experience. With nearly 300 active courses serving a wide range of learners, accessibility at Continuum College is not just a compliance requirement鈥攊t鈥檚 a cornerstone of equity, quality, and sustainability.

In preparation for the April 2026 federal digital accessibility deadline, the college is demonstrating what early, coordinated implementation can look like: building internal capacity, standardizing design practices, and creating a scalable model other UW units can learn from.

I spoke with Krissy Jones, Director of Learning Design, and Tim McCabe, Director of Learning Technologies, about how their teams are preparing, the challenges聽they鈥檙e聽addressing, and what accessibility means for the future of digital learning at UW.

How is 天美影视传媒 College preparing for the April 2026 deadline, and what does this milestone聽represent聽for your Learning Technologies and Learning Design teams?
Krissy: We鈥檙e fortunate to have a team of very passionate individuals. Part of our mission in Learning Design is to ensure that our courses are as inclusive as possible. Even before this new initiative, we had already adopted the Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) 2.0 standard and were using them consistently in all the courses we developed to ensure full accessibility, and that was a tremendous stepping stone to meet the WCAG 2.1 standard. We also apply (UDL) principles and use the course rubric. Those three frameworks鈥擶CAG 2.0, UDL, and Quality Matters鈥攕erve as our guiding points when developing courses with instructors.

When the accessibility initiative began, what was your strategy for understanding where Continuum stood and how to move forward?

Tim: I was asked to get a clear picture of where accessibility issues existed in our courses and what the scope of work would look like before we began remediation.鈥╓e worked with program management to聽identify聽all active Continuum-owned courses鈥攖here were 294 total鈥攁nd reviewed every single one manually to聽determine:

1. Which courses needed manual accessibility checks.
2. Which accessibility items required manual review versus what was already covered by automated tools like or .
3. How to track issues in a scalable, useful way for the remediation stage.

We went through the full WCAG checklist, narrowed it to 15 key items for manual review, and created a standardized tracking sheet for each course. Each sheet linked directly to Canvas pages, allowing reviewers to flag accessibility issues (like heading structures) on specific pages. Over five weeks, about 15 volunteers from across the organization鈥攆rom Learning Design, program management, and Continuum IT鈥攑articipated. It was a massive team effort and resulted in nearly 300 tracking sheets, one for each course.

That sounds monumental!

Tim: It really was. But the collaboration between teams made it possible. Everyone stepped up and volunteered鈥攊t was truly an all-hands聽effort.

What are the greatest challenges in making digital learning experiences accessible through this process?

Tim:聽I鈥檇聽say the biggest challenge is the variation in accessibility knowledge across the organization. Some people have deep聽expertise, while others are just learning. This process has been聽a great opportunity聽to get everyone on the same page鈥攂oth in terms of knowledge and consistent practice.

碍谤颈蝉蝉测:听I completely agree. The top challenges we see are knowledge, expectations, and time. Not everyone has the same understanding of what accessibility means in a learning environment. Expectations also聽haven鈥檛聽been standardized across the university, which makes it tricky.鈥ˋnd then there鈥檚 time鈥攎aking learning materials fully accessible takes time, especially for instructors who are already stretched thin.

Beyond the audit and remediation, how are you supporting instructors and course developers to design with accessibility in mind?
Krissy:聽Our Instructor Development team creates short, targeted videos on specific accessibility tasks鈥攍ike making PowerPoint slides accessible. Instructors can also sign up for one-on-one consultations for personalized help.

We also maintain a learning resource library, which walks instructors through course design from start to finish. It includes templates, resources, a 鈥淒esign-Build-Launch鈥� checklist, a course quality review rubric, and WCAG guidelines鈥攁ll in one place.鈥� Most instructors appreciate those one-on-one sessions, though, because they can learn in real time and apply concepts directly to their own courses.

Looking beyond 2026,聽what鈥檚聽your vision for the next phase of accessibility at Continuum College and across UW?
Krissy: The immediate next step is to take the results of Tim鈥檚 audit and begin resolving the accessibility issues identified. We鈥檝e formed a new team focused on prioritizing fixes鈥攕tarting with the low-hanging fruit that can be addressed through existing Canvas tools.

After that, we鈥檒l tackle more complex issues that require manual remediation. We鈥檙e planning a process where instructors can sign up for help from our Learning Design, Learning Technologies, or Production teams to resolve accessibility issues efficiently.

Are you collaborating with other UW units on these efforts?鈥�
Krissy:聽Yes. Several members of our leadership team are active on campus-wide accessibility committees for the Digital Accessibility Initiative. These connections help us stay aligned with 鲍奥鈥檚 larger accessibility goals and share what聽we鈥檙e聽learning.
Is there anything else聽you鈥檇聽like the UW community to know about your accessibility work鈥攐r about your approach to Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?鈥�
Krissy:聽UDL is at the forefront of our design practices because it supports inclusion and engagement for all learners. Along with WCAG and Quality Matters, UDL principles are one of our core frameworks.鈥燱e鈥檙e聽also聽very open聽to collaboration. If other UW units or schools are struggling to meet accessibility goals,聽we鈥檙e聽happy to share what聽we鈥檝e聽learned and collaborate on solutions.聽We don鈥檛 have all the answers, but we鈥檙e learning together鈥攁nd that鈥檚 what this work is really about.
Thank you for meeting with me! It鈥檚 inspiring to see how Continuum College鈥檚 teams are leading with collaboration, innovation, and inclusion as UW moves toward 2026 and beyond.

Interview by Melissa Albin (UW-IT聽 Strategic Communications)

Join the Pack: Support Digital Accessibility

  • For more information, resources, and support, visit the Digital Accessibility portal.
  • If your department has a digital accessibility story to share, we鈥檇 love to hear from you! Contact us at digitalaccess@uw.edu.

Digital Accessibility Liaisons Fall Meeting 鈥� Oct. 22

Post categories: Digital Accessibility Liaisons

The Digital Accessibility Liaisons Community of Practice (CoP) invites you to our fall meeting, which is open to anyone interested in advancing digital accessibility at UW. Interested in becoming a Digital Accessibility Liaison? Visit the Digital Accessibility Liaisons webpage.

First established in 2017, and relaunching this month, the Digital Accessibility Liaisons CoP is a great opportunity to connect with colleagues across UW who are working to advance digital accessibility, share knowledge, and prepare for the April 2026 deadline and beyond. Your participation helps ensure that accessibility isn鈥檛 just a requirement, but a cornerstone of 鲍奥鈥檚 digital future.

Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Time: 2:00鈥�3:30 PM
Location: Zoom
Register on the

Agenda

  • Welcome new and existing members 鈥� Learn about the purpose of this CoP and how we can help each other advance accessibility at UW.
  • DOJ Title II Rule 鈥� Understand the scope of the updated rule and what the April 2026 deadline means for UW.
  • Orientation to the 鈥� A walk-through of channels, resources, and how we鈥檒l use Teams for collaboration.
  • Key Resources:聽
  • Why digital accessibility matters 鈥� Comparing inaccessible vs. accessible websites, with a closer look at DubBot in action.
  • Upcoming events and efforts 鈥� Stay connected with what鈥檚 next in the accessibility landscape.
  • Q&A 鈥� Share ideas and ask questions.

This CoP was created to enable digital accessibility across UW by supporting one another through shared knowledge, best practices, solutions, and tools. Visit the Digital Accessibility calendar to register for this and other events. We look forward to connecting with you!

The iSchool’s IDEAS and Approach to April 2026 and Beyond

Post categories: Digital Accessibility iSchool Partners

Amy J. KoWe sat down with Amy J. Ko to discuss accessibility efforts within the Information School. Dr. Ko is Professor and Associate Dean for Academics at 鲍奥鈥檚 Information School; Adjunct Professor in Computer Science & Engineering; faculty in the Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences (); and co-director of the .

She studies how people learn about computing and information and examines questions of identity, community, and power in computing, advocating for equitable, sustainable, and inclusive approaches to technology. She has authored over 140 peer-reviewed publications, many of them receiving distinguished and best paper awards, and she has been a leader and advocate for digital accessibility at UW for over a decade.

Could you talk about what the Information School is doing to support digital accessibility at UW in anticipation of the April 2026 deadline and beyond?聽
Absolutely. The iSchool uses the acronym for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Sovereignty. Accessibility is a core value of the school, shaping our teaching, research, and service. It鈥檚 not the case that everyone in the school has the knowledge they need to make digital spaces accessible, but it鈥檚 a goal we鈥檙e actively striving for. This commitment shows up in multiple ways: it鈥檚 written into our stated values, embedded in the curriculum, reflected in faculty hiring, and supported by emerging initiatives, like recent work around neurodiversity.

When the Department of Justice issued its ruling interpreting the existing accessibility law, we felt excited, like we will have some wind in our sails to move forward. We hoped that the updated standard would invigorate digital accessibility efforts for the entire university as well. But along with excitement, there is the pressure of the deadline; we suddenly had only two years to prepare. Fortunately, we already had strong resources in place: a teaching and learning support team with extensive accessibility expertise and faculty with deep knowledge in accessible computing.

What has been your approach to planning for compliance with that ruling?聽
We created a list of about 40鈥�50 core activities that we see as essential, not just for compliance, but also for achieving the higher expectations we hold ourselves to. Then we engaged faculty, staff, and students in discussions about accountability: Who is ultimately accountable for each activity? Who is responsible for carrying it out? Who should be consulted or informed?
One example would be making sure every instructor鈥檚 Canvas site meets the standards outlined in . After much discussion, we concluded accountability has to rest with the instructor, because they鈥檙e closest to the content. But the actual responsibility can be shared: sometimes it鈥檚 the instructor directly, sometimes our teaching and learning team, sometimes central campus resources.
That accountability piece seems challenging. How are you handling situations where someone doesn鈥檛 follow through?聽
That鈥檚 an ongoing conversation. If accessibility is a core value, then accountability has to be built into faculty evaluation. We鈥檙e exploring ways to integrate it into annual merit reviews and promotion processes, overseen by our Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs.

Of course, that raises further questions: How do we support faculty reviewers who may not have accessibility expertise? One idea is to include data from our teaching and learning team, such as whether an accessibility barrier identified by a student or automated check was addressed as part of the review process. The goal is to make accountability part of the system, not just a temporary fix.

That makes so much sense; integrating accountability into the system but giving faculty the support they need to be successful.聽
We鈥檝e had a decade of work building a shared commitment. Other units are only beginning to think about things like image descriptions or why PDFs can be problematic for screen readers.

For us, the conversation has matured to include systemic accountability. When I talk to other units, I try to contextualize the scale of this work. I sometimes say: 鈥淲hen you build a country for three centuries in an inaccessible way, it takes time to pay off that debt.鈥� We can鈥檛 expect accessibility to be 鈥渇ixed鈥� in a year. It鈥檚 a long-term cultural shift.

What accessibility practices do you hope to see adopted immediately across UW?聽
Let me name two: First, a very practical one: make structure explicit in documents and websites. If text is a header, mark it as a header; don鈥檛 just bold it. Screen readers rely on those semantic cues. It鈥檚 a simple skill that makes content navigable and helps build habits of organized thinking.

Second, at the administrative level: we need broad recognition that learning about accessibility takes time and resources. If faculty and staff aren鈥檛 given time to learn, the work won鈥檛 happen. At the , we鈥檝e set aside a few hours each quarter for professional development focused on accessibility. It鈥檚 not much, but six hours a year is a big improvement over zero. Work on the basics, get everybody to level up on those basics, and, you know, grow that capacity over time.

After the deadline in April 2026, what does moving beyond compliance look like to you?聽
It means confronting ableism, much of which is unintentional. We can make digital content accessible, but if our course policies exclude students with chronic illnesses, for example, we鈥檙e still perpetuating barriers. What ableism sometimes looks like is an instructor saying, 鈥淵ou didn’t follow this process, and therefore you may not participate in class as a result.鈥� Going beyond compliance requires a cultural shift: recognizing how our actions, words, and environments can disable people.

It鈥檚 long-term work, but the iSchool is well positioned to lead. We want to commit not only to accessibility in a technical sense, but to building a genuinely inclusive culture.

That鈥檚 powerful. Thank you for sharing a vision that is both practical and inspiring.聽
Thank you. It鈥檚 an exciting long-term project, and I鈥檓 glad we鈥檙e having these conversations.

Interview by Melissa Albin (UW-IT聽 Strategic Communications)

Join the Pack: Support Digital Accessibility

  • For more information, resources, and support, visit the Digital Accessibility portal.
  • If your department has a digital accessibility story to share, we鈥檇 love to hear from you! Contact us at digitalaccess@uw.edu.

Join Digital Accessibility Liaisons: Be a Catalyst for Inclusion at UW

Post categories: Accessibility Digital Accessibility Liaisons

For more than a decade, the Digital Accessibility Liaisons group has brought together staff and faculty from across the tri-campus system to advance digital inclusion at the 天美影视传媒. This Community of Practice (CoP) brings together individuals from academic, administrative, and clinical units to build awareness, learn and apply new skills, and champion the creation and use of accessible digital content.

As a Liaison, you鈥檒l help identify and address accessibility needs, share resources, promote best practices, and support 鲍奥鈥檚 ongoing commitment to creating a more accessible and inclusive digital environment for all. Whether you鈥檙e an instructor, communicator, administrator, or web manager, you have a role to play in ensuring digital inclusion. No technical expertise is required, just a willingness to learn how to create accessible content and advocate.

Here are some of the ways you can get involved as a Digital Accessibility Liaison:

  • Network with colleagues and communicate online via a Microsoft Teams workspace.
  • Meet as a group several times per year for training and discussion.
  • Continue to learn about how to make digital content, from websites to course materials to videos, more accessible.
  • Help to promote digital accessibility within your unit.

How to Get Involved

The Digital Accessibility Liaison CoP is open to anyone in the UW community (a UW NetID is required). Simply email itaccessliaisons@uw.edu to request access, and you鈥檒l be added to the Digital Accessibility Liaisons workspace in Microsoft Teams. There you will find several Teams channels with relevant topics to meet your needs.

Starting in 2025, meeting agendas, presentations, and other resources are shared through the Teams workspace. Resources from earlier meetings are available on the Digital Accessibility Liaisons Resources page. Additional resources can be found on the Digital Accessibility portal听补苍诲

Together, we can create a campus where everyone has equal access to information, learning, and opportunity. Join the movement, become a Digital Accessibility Liaison today!

UWIT Accelerates Digital Accessibility Efforts聽

Post categories: Digital Accessibility Partners

Making digital content more accessible may feel overwhelming鈥攅specially when you’re balancing other priorities. If you’re unsure where to begin, you’re not alone. That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e launching a new blog series highlighting how UW departments and units are approaching the Digital Accessibility Initiative and helping ensure equal access for everyone in the UW community.

First Up: UW Information Technology

天美影视传媒 Information Technology (UWIT) has launched a multi-phase project focused on auditing, assessing, and updating digital content to make it accessible. Each phase is preceded by a pilot that is then reviewed, refined, and scaled for the rest of UWIT to complete. The effort is designed to identify and remediate barriers as well as to build long-term, sustainable accessibility practices.

Timeline: Recent & Upcoming Milestones聽

Here鈥檚 a look at UW-IT鈥檚 phased progress on digital accessibility:

  • May: Initiated pilot to inventory and assess applications.
  • June: Identified and oriented representatives for each UWIT division to support coordination and accountability. Notified all UW-IT staff to begin digital accessibility training.
  • July: Generated a comprehensive inventory of all digital content across UWIT. Hosted office hours to support collection of digital content inventory for all UWIT.
  • August: Priority digital content will be identified鈥攆ocusing on high-impact applications, systems, services, websites, and documents.
  • September: Assessments of priority content will begin, providing a baseline for accessibility and guiding remediation plans.
  • April 2026 and beyond: Maintain accessibility of digital spaces as well as an environment of continuous learning and support for accessible and inclusive digital content.

How UW-IT Will Measure Progress

To stay on track and make real progress, UW-IT is focusing on the following goals:

  • A complete and prioritized list of digital content鈥攍ike websites, documents, systems, and services
  • Accessibility reviews of key content, starting with the most widely used or high-impact items
  • Clear plans for fixing prioritized accessibility barriers
  • Long-term strategies to keep content accessible beyond the April 2026 deadline

What鈥檚 Next

In future posts, we鈥檒l continue highlighting how teams across UW are tackling this shared goal. Whether you鈥檙e just beginning or already underway, we hope these stories will inspire and support your journey toward more accessible, inclusive digital spaces. Stay tuned!

If your department has a digital accessibility story to share, we鈥檇 love to hear from you! Contact us at digitalaccess@uw.edu.

Join the Pack: Support Digital Accessibility

For more information, resources, and support, visit the Digital Accessibility portal.

Training Options to Build Your Accessibility Skills

Post categories: Accessible Technology Digital Accessibility Instructional Accessibility

Accessible digital content helps ensure that everyone鈥攊ncluding students, faculty, patients, staff, and visitors鈥攃an fully participate in our digital spaces. Whether you鈥檙e just starting to explore digital accessibility or looking to enhance your existing skills, there are practical, flexible ways to learn as we count up (not down!) to a more accessible, inclusive UW.

Below is a list of both asynchronous and synchronous training opportunities available to anyone with a UW NetID, offered through multiple UW departments and partners鈥攊ncluding , , and UW-IT Accessible Technology Services.

Training Options by Audience

Find more info about LinkedIn Learning, Deque University, and other training in the Digital Accessibility Training Options section.

  • UW students: LinkedIn Learning, Deque University, Accessibility 101, Accessible Technology webinars
  • UW faculty & graduate students:聽LinkedIn Learning, Deque University, Accessibility 101, Accessible Technology webinars, Teaching@UW, Course Accessibility Lunch & Learns
  • UW staff, including web developers and designers: LinkedIn Learning, Deque University, Accessibility 101, Web Accessibility & Usability Meetups, Accessible Technology webinars

All training options are free to the UW community, with the exception of the final item on the following list: the Web & Digital Accessibility Specialization offered through UW Professional & Continuing Education.

Don’t Know Where to Start?

We recommend either of the following:

  • Follow the LinkedIn learning paths recommended by Accessible Technology Services (ATS) staff which are listed on the ATS LinkedIn Learning web page.
  • Visit the Deque University for UW Users web page suggested courses for specific roles (beginners, faculty, staff, developers) applications, and platforms.

 

Digital Accessibility Training Options

Digital Accessibility Training Options

Audiences: UW students, faculty, staff, graduate students
Skill levels: Beginner to Advanced

LinkedIn Learning provides a rich catalog of digital accessibility training videos, available at no cost to UW students, staff, and faculty. To help you get started, Accessible Technology Services (ATS) has created four custom learning paths for the UW community, with more to come!

Topics include:聽

  • Web accessibility
  • Creating accessible documents and multimedia
  • Inclusive design practices

Find more information, including custom learning paths, on the ATS LinkedIn Learning web 辫补驳别.听

Audiences: UW students, faculty, staff, developers, designers, and more
Skill levels: Beginner to Advanced
Deque University is a great place to start learning at your own pace and level, and their training library is free for anyone with a UW NetID.

Deque University is a great place to start learning at your own pace and level, and their training library is free for anyone with a UW NetID.

Deque鈥檚 online library contains over 100 courses and reference materials about digital accessibility. The courses are as short as 30 minutes or as long as 6 hours and cover a wide range鈥攆rom the basics to more advanced techniques鈥攁nd are useful for all kinds of roles: faculty, developers, designers, document authors, and more. To help you get started, Accessible Technology Services (ATS) has created a list of suggested courses for specific roles on the on the Accessible Technology Services (ATS) Deque University for UW Users web 辫补驳别.听

Audiences: UW faculty, staff, graduate students
Skill levels: Beginner to Intermediate
Hosted in the UW Bothell Canvas instance, Accessibility 101 is a self-paced course that introduces:

  • Core disability and accessibility concepts
  • Best practices for creating accessible web content and documents
  • Universal Design (UD) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
  • Optional deep dives into PDF remediation, spreadsheet accessibility, accessible teaching, and more

An updated version of Accessibility 101 will be launched soon! Visit UW Bothell鈥檚 page for more information.聽

Audiences: UW web developers & designers
Skill levels: Beginner to Advanced

These monthly meetups are a place for accessibility-minded colleagues to casually review and discuss projects, including hands-on testing and code review. Offered on the 4th Tuesday of each month, 11:00-noon.

Find out more on the Accessible Technology Events 辫补驳别.听听

Audiences: UW faculty, staff, graduate students
Skill levels: Beginner

This monthly series, hosted by Mary-Colleen Jenkins, an instructional accessibility specialist with 鲍奥鈥檚 Accessible Technology Services (ATS), features guest speakers from the UW community who share insights and information on making your course content digitally accessible. Typically offered the 1st Tuesday of each month, from noon to 1:00 pm.

Find out more about these monthly sessions on the Accessible Technology Events page.

Audiences: UW faculty, staff, graduate students
Skill levels: Beginner
The page on provides actionable guidance for instructors with specific guidance for syllabi, reading & textbooks, slide decks, Canvas courses, and more.

Teaching@UW also offers , an eight-week, online course that enhances digital-course design and pedagogy while integrating key accessibility principles.

This year, Teaching@UW is also offering several related to digital accessibility.

Audiences: UW students, faculty, staff
Skill levels: Beginner to Advanced
UW-IT Accessible Technology Services (ATS) offers on-demand webinar recordings covering topics such as:

  • Teaching accessible online courses
  • Document and web accessibility
  • Video accessibility
  • Testing with screen readers
  • Accessibility in procurement

Watch recordings at your own pace on the Accessible Technology Webinar Series 辫补驳别.听

Skill level: Beginner to Advanced
12-week, online, asynchronous program through UW Professional & Continuing Education聽
Audiences: Web & mobile developers, as well as nontechnical professionals, compliance coordinators, program administrators, social service professionals, disability service providers, educators, content creators, and advocates in any field that want to be more comfortable with a broad range of issues in making digital technology more accessible to individuals of diverse abilities. The course is designed to build foundational skills in digital accessibility, including the use of accessibility tools and the creation of accessible content.

Visit 鲍奥鈥檚 website for more information, including tuition and schedule.聽

Join the Pack: Support Digital Accessibility

Learn about Power of the Pack, find tools and training that work for you, and help build a UW that is accessible to everyone in the community. For more information, resources, and support, visit the Digital Accessibility portal.

 

New Procurement Standards: What You Need to Know聽

Post categories: Accessibility Procurement

In support of the 天美影视传媒鈥檚 commitment to accessibility and inclusion, we want to inform you of the University’s outreach to technology vendors, suppliers, and contractors regarding digital accessibility requirements and our institutional compliance plans.
Recent regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services require that all public institutions, including universities, achieve compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards by April 24, 2026. While these new regulations apply directly to the University, they also include the digital tools and services we use through third-party vendors. This means that the University is only able to continue using products from vendors who align with these accessibility standards.
On February 18, 2025, Andreas Bohman, Vice President & CIO of UW Information Technology, sent an email to all UW vendors, suppliers, and contractors, thanking them for their ongoing partnership in ensuring the UW is compliant with federal digital accessibility requirements. The full text of the is available on the Procurement Services website, as is an .
To meet these expectations, UW has asked all vendors to prepare an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) for each product or service by July 1, 2025. If a product has accessibility gaps, vendors are also expected to provide an accessibility roadmap.

Why this matters to you

If your department uses any third-party tools, platforms, or services in teaching, research, administration, or student support, please ensure that these vendors are aware of 鲍奥鈥檚 accessibility requirements. This will help avoid potential disruptions in service as we align with federal mandates.

Updates to Resources

Procurement Services, UW-IT Accessible Technology Services, and UW Office of the ADA Coordinator have collaborated to update three key resources related to accessibility in procurement so they all reflect the new ADA requirements:

  • 鈥� This Rider is included in contracts for digital products or services. It鈥檚 part of the .
  • 鈥� This policy and procedure explains how accessibility is included in the procurement process of digital products and services at the UW.
  • Accessible Technology Procurement 鈥� This web page provides additional information for anyone at the UW who is responsible for making procurement or licensing decisions.

University Libraries: Support for Accessible Design

Post categories: Digital Accessibility Partners UW Libraries

In a recent conversation with staff, we learned from Perry Yee and Elliott Stevens how their team is helping the UW community build a culture of digital accessibility and Universal Design through collaboration and practical training. 鈥� 鈥═he Accessibility Working Group (AWG) was founded in 2017 and has expanded in the years to include three types of regular meetings: a Community of Practice (CoP) for general conversations, a speaker series that includes voices from inside and outside the UW, and subcommittees that focus on accessibility training, communications, web pages, facilities, and e-resource compliance.

The focus for each subcommittee is as follows:

  • Training: Delivery of accessibility training for library staff
  • Communications: Keeps library staff informed about accessibility efforts
  • Web pages: Updates about the libraries鈥� accessibility work
  • Facilities: Conducts audits of library branches to check them for ADA compliance
  • E-resource Compliance: Inspection of databases and e-reading platforms for accessibility

One standout initiative is the 鈥淨uick Tips鈥� workshop series鈥攂ite-sized, 30-minute training sessions focused on practical topics like accessibility for documents, presentations, email, and social media. Designed for library staff, these sessions offer micro-learning and hands-on practice in a low-pressure setting. What started as internal workshops has since evolved into the , a publicly available resource that helps support accessibility learning within UW and beyond.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a pretty practical book,鈥� said Perry Yee. 鈥淵ou can implement these things as you go. It鈥檚 great for on-boarding or for library workers who don鈥檛 have access to this type of training.鈥�

In addition to supporting working groups and聽hands-on training, staff members also coordinate podcast listening sessions. When new episodes of the AccessUW podcast are released, they host informal group discussions afterwards in which participants reflect on the themes and challenges discussed鈥攃reating a valuable space for dialogue and connection.

Stevens noted that while the initial focus of these efforts has been on UW Libraries staff, there’s a broader vision at play. 鈥淚n the future, the Pressbook could be adapted more for folks outside UW,鈥� he said, adding that the Accessibility Working Group is continually thinking about how to scale its impact.

Together, these initiatives show how a combination of practical tools, open conversation, and thoughtful design can foster a deeper commitment to digital accessibility鈥攏ot just as a compliance measure, but as a shared value.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about holding space,鈥� Yee said. 鈥淲hen we do, the conversations that happen are often really enlightening.鈥�

Explore the Pressbook:

Interview by Melissa Albin (UW-IT Communications) for Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Tim Knight: A Lifelong Journey in Accessibility

Post categories: Digital Accessibility GAAD Partners

Tim Knight at Suzzallo

In anticipation of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), we interviewed Tim Knight, retiring web developer at the 天美影视传媒 and this year’s recipient of the UW 2025 Accessibility Spotlight Award for his longtime commitment to digital accessibility. In this wide-ranging conversation, Tim shared how a passion for science, teaching, and effective communication laid the foundation for decades of accessibility-forward digital work.

I鈥檝e heard some interesting things about you. Your accessibility story starts with gorillas?

Yeah, gorillas and a lot of different species. I was a docent at the Woodland Park Zoo, which is essentially a volunteer teacher or tour guide. My wife and I joined when we were young, and it involved giving tours to students, donors鈥攔eally anyone visiting the zoo. We had specialties in different areas and even helped track behavior of animals, including newborn gorillas. My background is in genetics and animal behavior, and over 10 years I contributed about 5,000 hours while working full-time. It was a labor of love.
That鈥檚 incredible. And eventually, that work led you into web development?
Yes, in a way. I already had a science background, and at the zoo I worked with veterinarians doing genetic analysis on monkeys, including creating ideograms. I used facilities at Swedish Hospital to do the lab work. Over time, my work branched into the web鈥攕haring information, visualizing data, and making it accessible.
鈥�I鈥檝e heard you were one of the first at UW to get 100% of your website accessible using DubBot. How did you first come to care so deeply about accessibility?
It started with writing image captions. People would post images without identifying them. So I started including common and scientific names and referencing photographers. It became about accuracy and giving credit. Then I started thinking about audience鈥攎ainly students. I worked on the Nature Mapping Program, creating animal species fact sheets for students at a fourth grade reading level. We translated them to Spanish with help from bilingual teachers. That work planted the seed: accessibility is about getting the message across to everyone.
So for you, accessibility has always included readability and comprehension鈥攂reaking down jargon, tailoring content. Is that right?
Exactly. Even before tools existed to check reading level, I made sure the content was understandable. We structured everything with headings and clear organization, even before H1s and H2s (headers) were a thing. I went to one of the first international web conferences in 1995. CSS and XML were just emerging. It was exciting to be at the forefront.
And it sounds like you were also thinking ahead about web search and discoverability?
Yes, early on I used 鲍奥鈥檚 WebCrawler. I experimented with keywords, observed what ranked highly, and tried to understand how people found information. Because creating content doesn鈥檛 matter if no one sees it. That ties directly into accessibility.
You鈥檝e also been a leader at UW in making videos accessible.
We had 180 videos, including faculty interviews, recorded over decades; they were mostly on VHS. For our 50th anniversary, we needed to make those accessible. I used YouTube鈥檚 auto-captioning as a base, then cleaned up the transcripts, added speaker IDs, and sound cues. It made the content searchable and usable for writers and students.
For departments working toward the April 2026 Title II deadline, what advice do you have?
Start by assessing where you are. Use analytics to find your most-visited pages鈥攕tart there. Accessibility doesn鈥檛 have to be overwhelming. Break it into manageable chunks. Use proper heading structure. Build accessibility in from the beginning鈥攊t saves time later. And work collaboratively. Within our school, we have a network of developers sharing advice and solutions.
Are there any specific tools you鈥檇 recommend?
Yes, we use Crazy Egg to track clicks and generate heat maps. It helps us design better mobile-friendly interfaces and test what鈥檚 working. Descriptive link text is also important鈥攏ever use “click here.” Our tracker helps us see exactly what users are engaging with.
Final question: What would you like the UW community to keep in mind about accessibility?
Think about your message and think about your audience. Think of everyone as your audience. If your grandma鈥檚 reading it, it should be legible and clear. If someone鈥檚 hard of hearing, your video needs captions. Accessibility helps everyone鈥攏on-native speakers, people using screen readers, people accessing content on phones. The more inclusive you are, the better your communication will be.

Thanks so much for meeting with me today!

Interview by Melissa Albin (UW-IT Communications) for Global Accessibility Awareness Day