Course Accessibility Compliance Timeline

It’s been a productive semester for accessibility! The UTLC and ITS Learning Technology have worked with faculty in a variety of settings – workshops, small-group discussions, department meetings, and 1-on-1 consultations this semester, and faculty participation has been extremely encouraging. It’s clear that accessibility is top-of-mind for faculty and requires focused attention in a short timeframe.

Much of our work this semester has centered on training faculty and building foundational awareness across campus, and the focus has now shifted from training to actually doing the work. A consistent concern raised throughout our conversations with faculty this semester is the feasibility of being fully compliant with the new ADA Title II regulations by the April 2026 deadline—especially regarding third-party course materials, where faculty feel they have limited control over accessibility efforts.

In response, we have consulted with the Office of Institutional Integrity & General Counsel (OGIIC) and have received support for implementing a two-phase plan, recognizing that full accessibility of all course materials by April 2026 is not realistic based on the time remaining before the deadline. The two-phased approach is listed below:

• Phase 1: Instructor-created content (materials developed directly by the instructor)
• Phase 2: Third-party content (publisher resources, PDFs, and other externally produced materials)

See Instructor-Created vs. Third-Party Content Comparison for more information.

Why this matters:

• Focuses first on content instructors can control and remediate most efficiently
• Demonstrates a documented, good-faith compliance strategy
• Prioritizes high-impact changes now while reducing compliance risk moving forward
• Allows for more time to develop an institution-wide solution for remediating inaccessible third-party materials

Phase 1 and Phase 2 timelines are available, outlining specific areas of focus for both phases.

January 2026 (or before)

• Complete the Instructor Accessibility Training
• Run UDOIT scans on courses and begin fixing any instructor-created content issues, including but not limited to:
  • Documents, presentation slides, spreadsheets, videos, and any other materials or resources authored by the instructor
• If needed, check out the Prioritizing Courses for Accessibility Remediation section if you need help deciding which courses to start with first.

February 2026

• Compliance metrics established for measuring course accessibility compliance
• Accessibility check-in : the UNCG Accessibility Team will use UDOIT reports to track progress, gauge improvements, make suggestions for institutional support

April 2026

• April 1, 2026: Accessibility check-in: UNCG Accessibility Team will use UDOIT to track progress
• April 24, 2026: instructor-created content and materials for active SP26 courses meet the new ADA Title II requirements

Phase 2 is still taking shape, but here is a preliminary outline:

February 2026

• Third-party content accessibility planning begins (led by the Accessibility Taskforce)

May 2026

• Third-Party Content Accessibility Plan developed and approved

August 2026

• Plan is launched and implementation begins

Below is a suggested order to help you determine where to begin.

Priority for Immediate Attention

Start with courses that most urgently need an accessibility review:

1. SP26 courses with students who have active accommodations
2. All other SP26 courses*
3. SU26 courses
4. FA26 courses

*Contact Melanie Eley at mneley@uncg.edu if additional prioritization for SP26 courses is needed. A more in-depth risk assessment can be done to determine the most effective approach.

Additional Prioritization Factors

Courses with high impact or high risk should be prioritized. If you teach a course that meets more than one of the examples below, it should be considered a high priority for accessibility work:

• Courses with a history of accommodation needs
• High enrollment courses
• General Education and gateway courses
• Lower-division courses (100-level)
• Courses offered frequently or across multiple sections
• Courses critical to retention

These criteria can help you create a clear, manageable roadmap for where to focus first.