Accessible Course Content
In 2024, the Department of Justice issued a new rule requiring all state and local governments, including associated entities like CMU, to make all web content accessible. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA, sets forth the standard for such web content accessibility. Web content can include text, visual, or audio content made available online for users to encounter as part of their online use. This includes all course content presented in a digital format, including all content within Blackboard.
The following information explains WCAG requirements in plain language, with an emphasis on what instructors can realistically control in day-to-day course design.
How WCAG is organized
WCAG is organized around four big ideas—often summarized as POUR:
Perceivable: Students must be able to perceive the information (not necessarily visually).
Operable: Students must be able to operate and navigate the content (including by keyboard and assistive technology).
Understandable: Students must be able to understand the content and how to interact with it.
Robust: Content must be robust enough that different technologies (browsers, screen readers, caption tools, etc.) can interpret it reliably.
WCAG emphasizes that these success criteria are written to be testable and not technology-specific, and it provides supporting “Understanding” and “Techniques” documents to help implement them.
| WCAG principle | Plain language meaning for course materials | What it usually looks like in teaching |
|---|---|---|
| Perceivable | Don’t “hide” meaning in visuals or audio alone. Provide equivalent alternatives. | Alt text for meaningful images, captions for videos, readable contrast, text-based versions of chart data. |
| Operable | Don’t require a mouse, perfect vision, perfect hearing, or fast timing to participate. | Keyboard-friendly navigation, descriptive links and headings, no “drag-only” interactions, adequate time on quizzes. |
| Understandable | Keep structure, directions, and interactions predictable and clear. | Instructions that don’t rely on “click the red button,” consistent module layouts, clear form/quiz errors. |
| Robust | Use real structure (not just visual formatting) so assistive tools can interpret content. | Heading styles in Word, true lists, tagged PDFs, properly labeled buttons/links in embedded tools. |
Visit our Course Content Accessibility Resources page for more information on how to make course content accessible for all learners.
To learn more about accessibility in higher education and related rights and requirements, check out the following resources.
WCAG 2.2 standard (technical reference) and its supporting documents.
How to Meet WCAG (Quick Reference) for filterable success criteria and techniques.
Understanding WCAG pages for plain-language intent, benefits, and examples for each criterion.
W3C Images Tutorial + alt decision tree for consistent alt text decisions.
W3C media accessibility guidance (transcripts) for transcript and descriptive transcript expectations.
WCAG2ICT for applying WCAG expectations to non-web course documents and tools.
Reputable higher-ed implementation checklists:
Rutgers Fundamental Course Accessibility Checklist and Training Modules
Higher Education Accessibility Online Resource Center from the National Federation of the Blind
Upcoming training opportunities
See CIS Events for upcoming sessions related to making course content accessible.