Dear Colleagues,
At Oregon State University, accessibility to university programs, services and activities is essential to our mission and to our Prosperity Widely Shared goal of removing barriers so that every student graduates. A new federal rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act reinforces that commitment by requiring, starting April 24, 2026, that Oregon State University provide accessible:
- Digital course and instructional materials
- Websites and mobile apps
- Online forms and applications
- Electronic documents hosted on websites and mobile apps
- Social media posts.
Everyone who creates or maintains existing digital materials shares responsibility for making them accessible.
To get started, you are encouraged to:
- Use OSU-supported platforms. Microsoft, Canvas, Drupal and Kaltura all have built-in accessibility tools.
- Learn and follow accessibility standards for alternative text, headings, links, lists and colors in all new materials you create. Then, review your existing materials and update them to be accessible as well.
- Archive unused or inactive digital materials on university websites and in Canvas.
OSU’s Digital Accessibility website provides step-by-step instructions for making materials accessible, lists weekly drop-in sessions and workshops, and has specialized information for complex requirements like accessible equations and captions for accessible video and audio.
In addition to using these OSU resources, we encourage you to connect with your professional associations and colleagues at other universities to learn how they are creating accessible digital environments.
Digital accessibility is core to OSU’s mission and to Prosperity Widely Shared. Thank you for your individual and collaborative efforts to provide an accessible digital environment for all students, employees and stakeholders.
Roy Haggerty
Provost and Executive Vice President