Campus News
New federal rules for digital accessibility, deadline April 2026
Starting April 24, 2026, federal law requires UC Santa Cruz to make all of our digital content accessible to people with disabilities.
Dear UC Santa Cruz Staff,
As we wrap up the academic year, we want to give you a heads up about important federal accessibility requirements that will involve all of us starting in 2026.
What’s changing?
Starting April 24, 2026, federal law requires UC Santa Cruz to make all of our digital content accessible to people with disabilities. This means everything we create or use online needs to work for everyone–course materials, websites, Zoom meetings, Google Docs, Word files, and PDFs.
Why this matters to our community
Every day, students, faculty, staff, and community members with disabilities encounter digital barriers. These barriers stop people from fully participating in university life. These new rules aren’t just about following the law, they’re about living our values and making sure everyone can access education, information, and services. As an added bonus, when we make content accessible, we help everyone, not only people with disabilities.
What “accessible” means
To be accessible, all of our digital content must meet a technical standard for accessibility–the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level A and AA standards. Simply put, this means people who use screen readers, voice controls, or other assistive technologies can fully access and use our digital content.
Your role
No matter what you do–teach, research, manage websites, create documents, or share content online–you can help to make our campus accessible. UC Santa Cruz has created a guide to “Make IT Accessible” guide with step-by-step instructions, tips, and resources. In addition to the resources below, additional support will be offered in the 2025-26 academic year and beyond, and we will continue to update you as it becomes available.
How to get started
Learn the basics
- Read the Department of Justice Fact Sheet
- Watch the Department of Education’s digital accessibility video series
- UCNet: New regulations for the Americans with Disabilities Act that will impact UC
- Learn more in UC Santa Cruz’s guide to Digital Accessibility Fundamentals
Make a plan
- Talk to your colleagues about how your department will meet these requirements, including budgeting time and resources
- Make a list of all your digital content including documents, websites, course materials, etc.
- Start with the most important content that people use most often or is most critical for workflows (see Make IT Accessible guide for how-tos)
- Remove or archive old and unneeded content that can’t be easily fixed
- Build accessibility into your regular work so new content is accessible from the start
The deadline is real
April 24, 2026 may seem far away, but we have a lot of content to fix across campus. Starting now helps us avoid rushing at the last minute and makes sure you have the support you need.
Get help
For general digital accessibility questions:
- Check the Digital Accessibility Fundamentals Guide
- Contact ITS Digital Accessibility: digitalaccessibility@ucsc.edu
For course content digital accessibility help:
- Visit Designing for Accessibility from the Teaching & Learning Center
- Contact Dana Conard (dconard@ucsc.edu), Educational Specialist for Accessibility and Technology
We’ll keep sharing information and resources in the coming months. Together, we can create a more accessible UC Santa Cruz that truly works for all members of our community. Thank you for your commitment to making this happen.
Best regards,
Aisha Jackson
Vice Chancellor for Information Technology