Coordinating Efforts
The Office of the ADA Coordinator has been taking proactive steps with institutional partners to ensure digital accessibility across University systems, including UW Medicine. Key initiatives completed or in progress through June 2024 include:
- Procured enterprise-wide tools to assess web content
- Established and hired a Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility
- Redefined the role of Director of Digital Accessibility within IT
- Assessing enterprise-wide training tools to expand training services
- Coordinating updates to UW’s digital accessibility plan
- Partnering with University leadership to develop a structure to guide enterprise-wide efforts. Key groups involved to date include:
- Office of the ADA Coordinator Advisory Groups
- ADA & Accessibility Steering Committee
- UW Medicine working group
- UW-IT Accessibility Taskforce
Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility
Beth Somerfield is the University’s new Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility and available to answer specific questions. Beth can be reached at: somebeth@uw.edu.
UW Accessible Technology Services
Accessible Technology Services provides resources and consultation to supports units create accessible digital content. Get started on making content accessible today by exploring available tools for: Canvas course content, videos, social media, websites, and documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Course content is to be treated like any other web or mobile app content.
UW Medicine content is to be treated like any other web or mobile app content under these standards. In addition to the Department of Justice’s new rule under Title II of the American with Disabilities Act UW Medicine also falls under the guidance of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In April 2024, HHS also issued a final rule to strengthen the implementation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. According to this rule, all websites and mobile applications linked to health and human services, including those utilized by UW Medicine, must now adhere to the WCAG 2.1, AA technical standards.
Yes. The new rule applies to all websites and mobile apps “that a public entity provides or makes available, directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements,” subject to exceptions that are documented elsewhere on this web page. Steps must be taken during the procurement process to ensure third party web and mobile apps meet accessibility requirements. For more information, see the Procurement Policies & Procedures page on the UW Accessible Technology website.
UW-IT is in the process of procuring enterprise-wide tools to support the assessment of University websites and mobile apps against the technical standards. More information on remediation tools will be made available during summer 2024.
The new rule will require both enterprise-wide and local unit efforts to ensure that web content and mobile apps comply with the technical standards. All owners, managers and creators of web and mobile app content will need to understand how to comply with the technical standard. More information, resources, deadlines and responsibilities will be made available starting Summer 2024.
The UW has existing resources to ensure that all technology can be used successfully by people with a wide range of disabilities. To learn more about making websites, documents, and videos accessible, please visit the Accessibility at UW website.
The new rule defines conventional electronic documents as web content or content in mobile apps in the following electronic file formats: portable document formats (PDFs), word processor file formats, presentation file formats, and spreadsheet file formats. Examples of conventional electronic documents include Adobe PDF files, Microsoft Word files, Apple Keynote or Microsoft PowerPoint files, and Microsoft Excel files.
Federal regulations and guidelines have played a crucial role in promoting digital accessibility and ensuring equal access to information for individuals with disabilities over the past decades. These include but are not limited to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Amendment Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act in 1998, and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0 in 1999. Despite these legislative milestones, ongoing efforts are needed to address evolving technologies and challenges that remain in the digital world across various sectors.
To learn more, see the Level Access article Key Milestones in Website Accessibility Law