Digital Accessibility

We are dedicated to integrating digital accessibility into our academic and administrative practices. This involves regular reviews and updates to our digital content and platforms, as well as ongoing training for faculty and staff to ensure compliance and awareness. 

What is Digital Accessibility?

Digital accessibility refers to the practice of making digital content and platforms usable for everyone, including individuals with disabilities. This involves ensuring that our institutional websites, learning management systems (D2L), and other online tools are navigable and usable for all students, faculty, and staff. Additionally, we need to ensure textbooks, presentations, videos, and other educational resources are accessible to all individuals with various disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments.  

Why is Digital Accessibility Important in Higher Education?  

• Promotes Equity and Reflects Our Values: As faculty, staff, and administrators at Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU) embracing digital accessibility reflects our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It shows that we value every member of our academic community and are committed to providing an equitable educational experience.  
• Supports Compliance: MSU as a public institution is required by both federal and state law to comply with accessibility standards. Adhering to these guidelines helps us comply with legal requirements based on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990), and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which requires electronic communications and information technologies, such as websites, social media, email, or web documents, to be accessible.​
  This requirement has been interpreted to apply to all digital materials used in classroom contexts; compliance is tied to federal aid eligibility for the institution.​ 
• Enhances Learning Outcomes: Accessible design often results in a more effective learning experience for all students. Clear and well-organized content benefits everyone and supports diverse learning needs.
• Broader Audience Reach: Making our digital presence accessible opens opportunities to connect with a wider audience, including people with disabilities who represent a significant portion of the population. 

How Is Accessibility Determined? 

• There is a set of international standards: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA​ 
• For our website content, ITS uses a tool called “Siteimprove” which can scan all website materials and identify items that do not meet the standards.
• The standards include expectations such as the following:
  • Alt-text for images​
  • Use of heading style tags​
  • Appropriate color contrast​
  • Closed Captions for Videos 

What Can You Do? 

Digital accessibility is crucial for ensuring that all students, faculty, and staff can effectively use digital resources and tools. Here are some key digital accessibility expectations for faculty and staff: 

• Complete required State of Minnesota Enterprise Learning Management (ELM) training.
• Participate in additional training and professional development opportunities related to digital accessibility. 
• Continue improvement by regularly reviewing the accessibility of your digital content and tools based on feedback and evolving standards.  In particular, you can do the following: 
• • use the built-in accessibility checker tools on PowerPoint,  Word,  and PDF documents before posting in your classes, on the website, or Fountain, or sending an email.​
  • If you use any 3rd party software solutions, publisher materials, or Open Educational Resources (OER) as part of your teaching, check to see that all content is accessible.​
• Make accessibility a regular agenda item for your department, division, and committee meetings. 

If you have any questions or need support in making your digital resources more accessible, please reach out to [TBD] or visit our resources on the [institution's website/link].

Together, let us continue to build an inclusive and accessible academic environment for all.