New Department of Justice (DOJ) Digital Accessibility Rule
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a new digital accessibility rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities. This rule mandates that public universities ensure their digital tools, including internal and external websites and mobile applications, are accessible and meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 AA standard. The University must comply with the rule by April 24, 2026. A DOJ fact sheet summarizing this new rule is available, and this webpage will be updated with more information as it becomes available.
Importance of the New Rule
The new digital accessibility rule ensures that technology offers ease of use and privacy to disabled individuals, enabling them to independently access the same information, engage in the same interactions, and conduct the same transactions as nondisabled individuals.
Impact of the New Rule
Under the new rule, technology must be readily accessible and usable by disabled individuals at the same time as to nondisabled individuals. Alternate versions or workarounds for inaccessible technology are no longer sufficient. As a result, additional University training and resources will be essential to identify and remediate non-compliant digital tools and information. In addition, these digital tools and information will require ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure continued compliance with the digital accessibility standards.
Establishment of the Office for Digital Accessibility (ODA)
The University has established a new Office for Digital Accessibility (ODA), a cross-unit virtual office charged with organizing and coordinating the University’s efforts to support inclusive digital experiences and comply with the new rule. ODA is sponsored by the Office of Information Technology (OIT) and the Office for Equity and Diversity (OED). Please review the ODA charter.
What Should You Do Now?
- Review the New Rule: Familiarize yourself with the new rule and raise awareness about its requirements within your unit.
- Audit Web Content: Review and update all web content, including course materials, to eliminate outdated or redundant information. Reduce the use of posted documents by integrating content directly into web pages. These steps will reduce the amount of content that needs to be remediated to meet the new digital accessibility standard.
- Update Forms: Replace PDF forms with accessible web forms.
- Practice Accessibility: Follow the 7 Core Skills for accessibility when creating or editing web pages.
- Consultation: Request a consultation with an ODA team member or the ADA Coordinator.
Accessibility is a shared responsibility at the University of Minnesota. Together, we can ensure that websites, documents, digital tools, and other electronic content are usable by all. Thank you for your collaboration and commitment to cultivating a digital environment where everyone can engage.