Educational institutions face strict accessibility requirements under the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 508 (for those receiving federal funding). The DOJ and OCR have pursued numerous enforcement actions against colleges and K-12 schools with inaccessible websites and learning management systems.
Why Education Websites Are at Risk
Inaccessible learning management systems
LMS platforms with drag-and-drop interactions, timed quizzes without extensions, and unlabeled navigation create barriers for students with disabilities.
Uncaptioned lecture videos
Video lectures, webinars, and recorded classes without captions exclude deaf and hard-of-hearing students from course content.
Inaccessible document formats
Syllabi, handouts, and course materials published as scanned PDFs or image-heavy PowerPoints without alt text block screen reader users.
Complex enrollment and registration forms
Multi-step registration with conditional fields, session timeouts, and CAPTCHAs prevent students using assistive technology from enrolling.
Key WCAG Requirements for Education
1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) (Level A)
All recorded lecture videos, webinars, and instructional media must have synchronized captions.
2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (Level A)
Students must be able to skip repetitive navigation to reach course content quickly.
2.2.1 Timing Adjustable (Level A)
Timed assessments and session timeouts must allow students to request additional time.
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A)
Course catalogs, grade tables, and schedules must use proper semantic markup.
Check Your Education Website Now
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are public schools required to have accessible websites?▾
Yes. Public schools and universities must comply with the ADA (Title II), Section 504, and Section 508. The DOJ's 2024 Title II rule explicitly requires state and local government entities, including public schools, to make their web content conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
Do private universities need accessible websites?▾
Private universities that are open to the public are subject to ADA Title III as places of public accommodation. Additionally, any institution receiving federal financial assistance must comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires program accessibility including websites.
What about third-party LMS platforms like Canvas or Blackboard?▾
Institutions are responsible for ensuring that the tools they require students to use are accessible. If your LMS has accessibility gaps, the institution must provide accommodations or choose a more accessible platform. Both Canvas and Blackboard publish VPAT accessibility conformance reports that should be reviewed.