Universities Deflecting ADA Title II Responsibility to Professors (Digital Content Accessibility)

The Burden of Digital Accessibility: Universities Must Step Up

Universities are increasingly requiring professors to make their digital content accessible, yet many are providing little to no support for this demanding task. This situation was recently highlighted in a Reddit thread where a faculty member expressed frustration over new accessibility requirements with no guidance or resources from the institution.

Professors are being tasked with making their PowerPoints, emails, Word documents, and videos accessible under the updated Title II of the ADA. While it’s crucial for academic content to be inclusive, it’s clear that the responsibility cannot fall solely on professors. Universities are shifting the burden to faculty without offering necessary resources or compensation.

Key Issues Faced by Professors:

  • No Support from Universities: Professors are expected to figure out accessibility on their own. One comment highlighted how a professor spent hours manually updating content but still felt uncertain about compliance.
  • Increased Workload: Faculty members are adding this work on top of their already full responsibilities. Many professors expressed the stress of navigating accessibility requirements without training or tools to simplify the process.

Why Universities Must Take Responsibility:

  • Accessibility Is Not Just for Professors: Professors did not sign up to be accessibility experts. Universities must provide training, templates, and resources to assist faculty in meeting the requirements without overwhelming them.
  • It’s a University’s Responsibility: As the institutions setting these mandates, universities are ultimately responsible for ensuring compliance with accessibility laws. They need to fund and support these efforts instead of offloading the burden to faculty.

In conclusion, while professors can certainly contribute by learning and adapting to accessibility needs, it is the responsibility of universities to provide the tools, training, and funding to ensure digital content meets accessibility standards. The change needs to come from the top down, with universities playing an active role in supporting their faculty.