Dear colleagues,

As many of you prepare for summer teaching, we thought this would be an ideal time to remind our community of our compliance obligations, as well as our institutional commitment to meet the new federal accessibility guidelines for digital content and services* no later than April 2027. 

Observing these guidelines is a legal requirement, but more importantly, it reflects UVM’s commitment to advancing accessibility proactively, sustaining momentum already underway, and ensuring equitable access for students, employees, and members of the public.

As part of this effort, all units—including academic departments—are expected to: 

  • Continue improving the accessibility of digital content and systems (websites, Brightspace, etc.) 
  • Prioritize remediation of high-impact and frequently used materials 
  • Incorporate accessibility into instructional design and technology decisions 
  • Engage with the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) and the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) for guidance, training, and support 
  • Meet the April 2027 target date for fully accessible digital content 

What this means for faculty
Faculty members play a critical role in UVM’s efforts by ensuring that instructional materials are accessible. More specifically, no later than April 2027: 

  • All course materials (documents, PDFs, slides, syllabi) must be accessible 
  • All videos and multimedia must include accurate captions 
  • All Brightspace content and instructional materials must follow accessibility best practices 
  • Faculty should avoid sharing or posting inaccessible third-party content 

As you plan summer and fall courses, we encourage you to keep the following guidance in mind. 

  • Prioritize high-impact materials, including: 
    • Frequently reused materials (e.g., syllabi, slide decks, PDFs, videos) 
    • Core instructional content required for student success 
    • Those that will be used in upcoming courses  
  • As you create new digital content, design with accessibility in mind from the outset
 
  • When immediate accessibility is not feasible due to the specifics of course materials, the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) staff will work with you to ensure you can provide equally effective alternate access. 

Support and resources
Faculty members are not expected to do this alone, and many are already using the resources listed below. The university is building capacity and providing resources to assist you, including: 

Additional resources and training opportunities will be shared throughout this transition. Please visit the Faculty Digital Accessibility Resource Page for current guidance and support.

Thank you for your leadership and partnership in advancing accessibility at UVM.

Sincerely,
Linda Schadler, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President

Sharon Mone, Director, Office of Accessibility Services
J. Dickinson, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Student Success