Dear faculty,
As I shared with you last May, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a final rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act establishing specific accessibility requirements for web content and mobile applications. These requirements incorporate the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Levels A and AA. As an institution, we have committed to meeting the new federal guidelines no later than April 2027. Observing these guidelines is a legal requirement and also a reflection of UVM’s commitment to advancing accessibility and ensuring equitable access for students, employees, and the public.
At the Aug. 31 Faculty Senate meeting, Sharon Mone, Director of the Office of Accessibility Services, and Audrey Homan, our Digital Accessibility Program Lead, presented a summary (pdf) of the support and resources available for faculty to remediate course materials to meet the guidelines.
I know many of you are working diligently to ensure that your course materials meet the WCAG standards. I am writing to announce a new, more powerful accessibility checker tool that will provide faculty with greater support for accessible Brightspace course sites: YuJa Panorama. YuJa Panorama was selected as our new accessibility checker earlier this year through a rigorous process that included input from faculty, students, administrators, and technical experts.
The Office of Accessibility Services will be providing more information about YuJa Panorama in the coming weeks.
Our current accessibility tool embedded in Brightspace, Ally, will be retired by the end of the fall 2026 semester, with YuJa debuting on Dec. 21. The Office of Accessibility Services is collaborating with the Center for Teaching and Learning to ensure faculty support through this transition. The YuJa Panorama launch will be accompanied by training and support sessions, online resources, Q&A sessions, and consultation services for faculty.
In addition, to support you in the process of creating accessible Brightspace course sites, the Office of Accessibility Services and Enterprise Technology Services are developing an approach to manage historical course content in Brightspace. Beginning in January, faculty will have the opportunity to opt in to archiving eligible historical Brightspace course sites, rather than being responsible for remediating all course material at once. This will allow you to prioritize remediation of active and upcoming courses while appropriately managing materials in courses that are not in use.
The Office of Accessibility Services and Enterprise Technology Services are working collaboratively with the Learning Management Systems administrative team to develop the archiving process and provide faculty with appropriate guidance and support. Additional information about the opt-in process, faculty responsibilities, and available support resources will be shared in mid-November.
Thank you for your continued commitment to providing an accessible and inclusive learning environment for all UVM students.
Linda Schadler
Interim Provost and Senior Vice President
Associated Links