Course Content Accessibility
Accessibility Is a Habit of Mind
Creating accessible course content is not just about meeting legal requirements. It is about adopting a mindset that anticipates barriers, values inclusion and designs for belonging. Small changes in how we build and share materials can make a profound difference in student access and success.
ADA Title II and the New Interpretation
In 2025, the Department of Justice issued regulations under ADA Title II, requiring public colleges and universities to ensure their digital programs and course materials meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. These rules apply to everything from syllabi to Canvas pages. This page offers a clear overview of the updated law and its implications for instructional materials, as well as the extended deadline of April 26, 2027.
ADA Title II and the DOJ Interpretation
ADA and Student Success
Accessible course design is not just a compliance issue. It is an educational one. When students cannot access your materials, they cannot succeed. Inclusive practices reduce barriers, improve retention and strengthen the learning experience for students with and without disabilities. Accessibility is essential for student equity and academic achievement.
UM System Digital Accessibility Policy 600.090
Expectations apply immediately
Although federal enforcement deadlines have been extended, our institutional expectations have not. Under the revised policy, all newly developed digital content must be created with accessibility in mind. The policy clarifies roles and expectations for content creators across the University of Missouri System and reinforces our shared accountability. This policy applies to anyone in a university role who creates content, whether they are a professional communicator, educator, administrator or staff member.
Faculty Learning and SAIL
CAFE supports your professional growth in accessibility through hands-on learning opportunities. Enroll in our asynchronous Canvas course, SAIL, or attend upcoming workshops to deepen your knowledge of accessible course design. Whether you are just getting started or ready to refine your approach, we will help you chart your course.
Supporting Accessible Inclusive Learning
Academic Technology
Academic Technology provides opportunities for professional development to University of Missouri System faculty through training sessions, boot camps and workshops. You can view the event calendar and filter for Accessibility to view available sessions.
Academic Technology Events Calendar
Resources for Accessible Course Design
This resource hub brings together practical guides, checklists and tools to help you make your course content accessible. Whether you are updating documents, fixing link text, adjusting color contrast or addressing specialized STEM content, you will find straightforward help here.
Resources for Accessible Course Design
Descriptive Links
Descriptive links help everyone know where they are going when they click a link. Instead of saying "click here," use meaningful link text that tells students what to expect. Clear, descriptive links improve navigation for screen reader users, support students scanning content quickly and make your materials more professional and accessible.
Color Contrast
Sufficient color contrast between text and background is one of the most impactful accessibility improvements you can make. Low contrast makes content difficult or impossible to read for students with low vision, color blindness or situational impairments like screen glare. WCAG 2.1 Level AA requires a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
Check out an example on CAFE's SharePoint page
Digital Accessibility in Music Education
Andrew Granade and KU's Colin Roust have gathered resources you can use when you have questions about complex visual content and conforming to WCAG 2.1 Level AA:
Musical notation is generally treated as complex visual content under ADA Title II, which requires digital content to conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Because of that, the focus isn’t on requiring one specific format, but on ensuring students have meaningful access to the information the notation conveys.
Are instructors required to provide MusicXML?
No. Title II does not require a specific format like MusicXML. That said, if a student needs to directly interact with the notation, providing a machine-readable format such as MusicXML can often be one of the most effective ways to make the material accessible.
If MusicXML isn’t required, what should be provided beyond a PDF?
Image-based PDFs of scores are usually not accessible on their own. Institutions generally supplement them with one or more of the following, depending on the learning objective: Structured descriptions explaining the key musical elements (structure, instrumentation, themes, rhythm, etc.). Audio or MIDI recordings so students can hear pitch, rhythm, and musical relationships. Accessible notation formats like MusicXML when students need to analyze or work directly with the score.
How should musical scores be tagged in PDFs?
There isn’t currently a standardized way to tag musical notation itself. What most institutions recommend is: Tagging the overall document structure (headings, sections, text, etc.); Tagging musical systems as figures with concise alt text; Providing longer descriptions nearby in the document or in a separate accessible file when the musical example is complex. In practice, many music programs use a layered approach. Schools like Berklee College of Music, Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, and the University of North Texas often combine tagged documents, written descriptions, audio or MIDI playback, and machine-readable notation files. Some programs also convert notation into braille music using tools like GOODFEEL when needed.
Helpful guidance also comes from the W3C’s resources on complex images, the DAISY Consortium’s inclusive publishing guidance, and the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials.
So overall, the goal isn’t a single required format—it’s making sure students can access the musical information and learning objectives through a combination of formats when necessary.