ACCESSIBILITY

Howard University’s Commitment to Accessible Learning Environments

At Howard University, we are committed to creating equitable, inclusive, and accessible learning environments that remove barriers and support the success of every student. As digital learning continues to expand, ensuring accessibility is both a legal requirement and a core value tied to our mission of excellence, leadership, service, and truth.

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Accessibility is central to this commitment. National data show that 21% of undergraduates and 11% of postbaccalaureate students report having a disability—underscoring the importance of designing digital learning environments that provide equal access for all learners.

The Department of Justice has adopted the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA standards as the benchmark for accessible digital content. Pursuant to these regulations, all digital content must be in compliance by April 24, 2026. At Howard University, we follow these standards to ensure that all digital learning environments meet the highest levels of accessibility.

This commitment is reinforced by federal laws such as the Rehabilitation Act—with Section 504 requiring equal access to education for individuals with disabilities and Section 508 mandating that all electronic and information technology be accessible. In addition, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) extends these protections to ensure equitable access across educational settings.

Together, these regulations guide our efforts to create digital learning environments that are not only compliant but also inclusive, user-friendly, and engaging for every student.

From captions that support students in noisy environments to clear navigation tools that help learners quickly find materials, accessibility enhances learning for all while removing barriers for those with disabilities.

Digital Accessibility Tutorial Series
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Purpose

To support faculty and staff in building inclusive and accessible digital learning environments, Howard University is launching a Digital Accessibility Tutorial Series. Each tutorial provides step-by-step guidance on applying accessibility best practices to digital learning environments, platforms, and multimedia content.

What to Expect

  • Walkthrough-style videos demonstrating practical solutions for accessibility issues.
  • Compliance-ready techniques aligned with WCAG 2.1, Level AA standards.

Digital Accessibility Tutorial

Best Practices for Digitally Accessible and Inclusive Course Design

Overview:
Learn strategies for designing accessible digital learning environments from the ground up, incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to meet diverse learner needs and maintain compliance with federal accessibility standards under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which require equal access to digital and instructional content.

Objectives:
• Apply UDL principles to course materials and activities.
• Integrate accessibility from the start to meet Section 504 and 508 requirements.
• Design for engagement, flexibility, and equity in digital learning environments.

Tutorial Video: [Embed Video Here]

Creating Accessible Word Documents

Overview:
This tutorial introduces best practices for creating Word documents that meet accessibility standards. Faculty will learn how to structure documents clearly, ensuring all students—including those using assistive technologies—can access materials effectively.

Objectives:

  • Use heading styles to organize content hierarchically.
  • Add descriptive hyperlinks and alt text for images.
  • Avoid using underlines for emphasis, as they can be mistaken for links.
  • Use clear indicators like an asterisk (*) or “Important:” instead of bold or color alone to convey meaning.
  • Create accessible tables with header rows.
  • Use the Accessibility Checker to identify and fix issues.
  • Save documents as accessible PDFs.

Tutorial Video: [Embed Video Here]

Creating Accessible PowerPoint Presentations

Overview:
Learn how to design visually engaging yet accessible presentations that support diverse learners and comply with accessibility requirements.

Objectives:

  • Apply accessible slide templates and text formatting for correct reading order of presentation slides.
  • Add alt text to images, graphics, and multimedia elements.
  • Use captions for embedded videos.
  • Run the Accessibility Checker to ensure compliance.

Tutorial Video: [Embed Video Here]

Canvas Accessibility Checker

Overview:
The Canvas Accessibility Checker quickly identifies and helps resolve accessibility issues within course pages, assignments, and modules.

Objectives:

  • Locate and use the Accessibility Checker tool in Canvas.
  • Fix common issues like headings, contrast errors, and link descriptions.
  • Create accessible tables with header rows.
  • Apply consistent accessible design throughout digital learning environments.

Tutorial Video: [Embed Video Here

Video Captioning and Transcripts

Overview:
This tutorial covers captioning workflows for Echo360 and Zoom, including editing transcripts and embedding captioned videos into Canvas.

Objectives:

  • Add and edit captions in Echo360 and Zoom.
  • Download and upload VTT/ SRT caption files to Canvas.
  • Embed captioned videos into Canvas pages and assignments.

Tutorial Video: [Embed Video Here]

PDF Accessibility with Adobe Acrobat

Overview:
Ensure your PDF files are accessible by learning how to tag documents, recognize text in scanned files, and run accessibility checks in Adobe Acrobat.

Objectives:

  • Add tags for headings, lists, and tables.
  • Use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for scanned files.
  • Perform a full accessibility check to meet WCAG standards.

Tutorial Video: [Embed Video Here]