Digital accessibility helps ensure that all people can access and use the digital content they need to work, learn, and engage with the Rice community.  For example, some individuals rely on screen readers to navigate websites and documents, while others use closed captions, keyboard navigation, or other assistive technologies.  

Federal nondiscrimination laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, establish important accessibility obligations for most digital information and platforms.  The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 Level AA), an international set of standards for accessible digital content, are used to measure success.

As Rice addresses a May 11, 2027, federal digital accessibility compliance deadline, the university is strengthening its efforts to ensure that accessibility becomes an integral part of how digital information and tools are created, purchased, shared, and maintained.  Making our digital campus accessible is both a compliance responsibility and an important part of Rice's broader commitment to inclusion, equitable access, and institutional excellence.

Small Steps Can Make a Meaningful Difference

Faculty and staff do not need to become accessibility experts to contribute to this effort. Many improvements begin with straightforward actions. Compliance with these regulations is a critical component of our culture of care, and each department is expected to review their web content for any improvements needed.

To make accessibility more approachable and actionable, TS&S is launching CARE for Digital Accessibility, a campus-wide initiative that provides a simple framework for improving digital content.  CARE stands for: 

• C — Check: Catalog your digital content and identify accessibility barriers.
• A — Act: Make meaningful improvements.
• R — Review: Make sure your content works.
• E — Embed: Make accessibility part of everyday work.

Begin by taking a few minutes to catalog the digital content you create or manage. This might include departmental webpages, PDFs, Word documents, presentations, videos, or online forms. Next, use our digital accessibility resources and guidance to check for potential problems, such as missing image descriptions, unclear links, inaccessible documents, or videos without captions.

The May 2027 federal regulatory compliance deadline provides an important milestone, but the Rice's commitment to digital accessibility extends beyond that date.  Over the academic year, TS&S will release training, guidance, tools, and more to help the Rice community apply accessibility best practices. These resources are intended to make accessibility easier to understand and incorporate into everyday responsibilities.

Please visit digitalaccessibility.rice.edu to learn more or contact digitalaccessibility@rice.edu.