Title II Frequently Asked Questions & Checklists

What standards need to be met by April 2026?

The ADA Title II regulations mandate that all web content and mobile apps must meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards. These rules are designed to make websites and digital content (does not apply to print materials) more accessible to people with disabilities and adhere to these four concepts:

• Perceivable: Information presented in ways people can see, hear, or sense.
• Operable: User must be able to navigate a website with or without a mouse.
• Understandable: Navigation and content must be clear and predictable.
• Robust:  Content must work with assistive technologies like screen readers.

What specific content applies to the new regulations?

The new regulations include, but are not limited to, the following digital content:

• Websites and web applications, departmental sites, and faculty pages, including both public sites and intranet websites or webpages, online portals for student services, registration, and financial transactions; online research applications; library databases; web-based learning management systems such as Brightspace.
• Mobile apps used as part of coursework.
• Digital documents and materials such as PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, and Word documents that are used for instructional or informational purposes.
• Multimedia contents such as lectures, webinars, audio recordings, podcasts, live-streamed and recorded events and conferences.
• E-learning and online courses, web-based textbooks, web-based and mobile tools for submitting assignments, participating in discussions, and taking exams, and video conferencing tools used for virtual classrooms.

What is considered clear language for ADA Title II standards?
Using simple and clear language in general communications means explaining things so readers understand them the first time they read or hear them. This will improve comprehension and reduce misunderstandings, and enable a wide audience to understand.

• When writing emails, quiz or exam instructions, syllabi, and other general messages, it's best to use common words and easily understandable sentences.
• Avoid using industry-specific language and wording when targeting a broad audience.
• Keep sentences and paragraphs short. Long, complex sentences can confuse readers and reduce retention.

What is alt text, and what are the standards that make it compliant?
Alternative text is a brief written description of an image's appearance, content, and/or function. Screen readers read the alt text aloud to website visitors, helping them understand the image's content.

• Alt text should be concise and meaningful, ideally no more than 150 characters, and end with a period.
• Describe the image within the context of the page.
• Avoid using words like "image of" or "photo of".

What is color contrast, and what is required based on the new rules?
Color contrast refers to the difference in brightness between the background and foreground colors in digital content. Anywhere you use color, you should consider these key points:

• Do not use color as the sole indicator of information. A stop sign isn't just red — it's red, says "STOP," and has a distinctive shape.
• Avoid common problematic combinations that are difficult for users who are color blind to distinguish: red/green, red/blue, and blue/purple.
• Ensure that there is appropriate contrast between colors to allow users to distinguish differences. This includes the color contrast between the text and the background color.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) define minimum color contrast ratios for small and large text.

• For small text, a 4.5:1 contrast ratio is required.
• For large text, a 3:1 contrast ratio is required. Large text is defined as unbolded text that is 18 point (24 px) or larger or bolded text that is 14 point (18.5 px) or larger.

Use WebAIM Contrast Checker to make sure the color contrast is compliant.

What is heading hierarchy?
Heading hierarchy refers to the nesting of headings by level. The most important heading is level 1 (<h1>), and the least important heading is level 6 (<h6>). Headings with the same or higher level start a new section; headings with a lower level start new subsections within the higher-level section. Avoid skipping heading levels since it can be confusing to users. For example, make sure that <h2> is not followed directly by an <h4>.

How do you make hyperlinks accessible?

• Use short and clear words or phrases that start with a keyword.
• Clickable text should concisely tell the reader where the link goes and should be understood out of context.
• The link text should be clearly understood, as assistive technology users can filter out a list of hyperlinks, hearing only the linked text without any of the surrounding wording.
• Do not use complete sentences as the linked text. Assistive technology users can skim through a list of hyperlinks, using the first word. Therefore, the linked text should be something that a reader might search for.
• Only link words that are specific to the URL.
• Avoid vague phrases like "click here" or "learn more."
• When you are not able to embed a link, such as on social media, reach out to Marketing or the Web Team to have one created for you. 

What are accessible tables?
Accessible tables can be accessed, navigated, and understood by individuals using assistive technology. Accessible tables should:

• They are created by using “Insert Table” and now “Draw Table”.
• Use correctly tagged column and row headers.
• Described in the page text or in a caption.
• Not used solely for layout purposes.
• Does not contain any empty cells.

Microsoft Word

Structure & Headings

• Use built-in heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) for document structure.
• Ensure headings are logical and sequential (no skipping from Heading 1 to Heading 4).
• Use normal paragraph style for body text, not manual font changes.

Document Layout

• Use true lists (bulleted or numbered lists) instead of typing symbols or numbers manually.
• Avoid using tabs or spaces for alignment— use Word’s alignment tools.
• Use page breaks (not multiple returns) between sections or pages.
• Ensure reading order makes sense when read top to bottom.

Image & Graphics

• Add alt text to all meaningful images, charts, and graphics.
• Mark decorative images as “decorative” in the Alt Text panel.
• Ensure charts or complex images are also described in the text or a data table.

Links

• Use descriptive link text (e.g., “Visit the Accessibility Website” instead of “Click here”).
• Ensure links are underlined or clearly distinct from surrounding text.
• Avoid using only color to convey that something is a link.

Tables

• Use simple tables (no merged/split cells when possible).
• Specify a header row and repeat it on each page if table spans multiple pages.
• Provide table summaries if data is complex.

Color & Contrast

• Ensure sufficient color contrast between text and background (minimum 4.5:1).
• Do not use color alone to convey meaning (e.g., red text for errors).
• Use high-contrast themes or the “Accessibility Checker” to confirm readability.

Fonts & Text

• Use simple, sans-serif fonts (e.g., Calibri, Arial, Verdana).
• Keep font size at least 12 pt for body text.
• Avoid ALL CAPS or excessive italics.
• Maintain consistent spacing and alignment (left-aligned preferred).

Accessibility Checker & Metadata

• Run Word’s built-in Accessibility Checker (Review to Check Accessibility).
• Add a document title in File – Info - Properties.
• Ensure language is set correctly (Review to Language to Set Proofing Language).
• Save as a tagged PDF (File to Save As to PDF to Options to “Document structure tags for accessibility”)

Microsoft PowerPoint

Slide Structure

• Use built-in slide layouts (e.g., Title Slide, Title and Content) — don’t manually add text boxes.
• Ensure each slide has a unique and descriptive title.
• Keep slide order logical and consistent for screen reader navigation.

Text & Readability

• Use clear, sans-serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Calibri, Verdana).
• Use at least 18-point font size for readability.
• Maintain high color contrast between text and background.
• Avoid using color alone to convey meaning — add labels or symbols.
• Keep text concise and avoid cluttered slides.

Image & Graphics

• Add alt text to all meaningful images, charts, and graphics.
• Mark decorative images as decorative in the alt text panel.
• Ensure charts and graphs include data labels or summaries in text form.

Color & Design

• Use high-contrast themes or accessible templates.
• Check color combinations with a contrast checker tool.

Reading Order

• Use the Selection Pane to check and adjust reading order.
• Reading order should follow the logical sequence of the slide (title to main content to images).

Links & Navigation

• Use descriptive hyperlinks (e.g., “Visit the Library website” instead of “Click here”).
• Check all links to ensure they work as expected.
• Limit or avoid using transitions and animations.

Multimedia

• Provide captions or transcripts for any audio or video content.
• Avoid automatic audio playback.
• Describe visuals or charts in the narration.

Tables

• Use simple tables — avoid merged or split cells.
• Include header rows and ensure they’re identified as headers.
• Provide a brief text summary of the data if the table is complex.

Accessibility Checker

• Run Microsoft’s Accessibility Checker (Review to Check Accessibility).
• Address all listed issues before sharing. … Re-run the checker after making changes.

Saving & Sharing

• Save as a .pptx file.
• If exporting to PDF, select “Enable accessibility and Reflow with Tagged PDF” under “Save Adobe PDF File as” to Options.
• Test the final version with a screen reader, if possible.

PDF Remediation Checklist

1.  Prep
• Open in Acrobat Pro
• Run Accessibility Checker
• Check if tags exist
2. Text Layer
• Run OCR if scanned
• Confirm text is selectable/searchable
3. Structure
• Autotag, then fix manually
• Apply correct heading levels
• Tag paragraphs, lists, and tables properly
4. Reading Order
• Use Reading Order Tool
• Ensure logical flow (L to R, top to bottom)
• Mark decorative elements as artifacts
5. Images & Links
• Add alt text to meaningful images
• Mark decorative images as artifacts
• Ensure links are descriptive and tagged
6. Forms (If present)
• Add tooltips/labels
• Set tab order
7. Metadata
• Set document language
• Add descriptive title
• Confirm security allows assistive tech
8. Final Check
• Run Accessibility Checker again
• Test with a screen reader