Digital Accessibility Support

Academic Accessibility Readiness Target

For planning purposes, the University is establishing January 4, 2027, as an internal academic accessibility readiness target for instructional and academic-facing digital content. This target is intended to help academic units prioritize remediation, training, support, and transition planning in advance of currently applicable federal accessibility compliance dates. This target is not intended to create a separate University policy or a strict enforcement deadline. The University will continue to monitor federal guidance, including, but not limited to, information related to digital accessibility under ADA Title II and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulations, and may adjust this target, related guidance, or implementation expectations as appropriate, in consultation with the Office of General Counsel.

Need a structured plan?
Follow the Ball State Accessibility Roadmap for a week-by-week guide to improving the accessibility of your Canvas course content throughout Summer and Fall 2026.

Read more about the ADA Rule in the Teaching Innovation Blog. The New Rule requires course content to be accessible for all learners. Course content includes everything you share in your Canvas course with students. Accessibility concerns are particularly prominent for, but are not limited to:

PowerPoint slides (such as lecture slides)
Images included in the course site, slide decks, and/or readings
Video content
PDF readings or handouts
Course syllabus

In-person support: Visit the Teaching Innovation Team in BC220 Wednesday to make your course accessible alongside an Instructional Consultant.

Resources you can access now to revise your instructional materials for accessibility:

Guide: Remediate your Course One-Item-At-A-Time Workflow NOW with Panorama
Video and Captioning Guidance
Third-party Captioning Request Form
Make Your Canvas Course Accessible Checklist
Canvas Course Accessibility Checker in your Canvas course
Make Your Canvas Course Accessible Self-Paced Course
Ball State University Web and Digital Accessibility website
Request form for Adobe Acrobat to remediate PDFs
Software Accessibility Review Process
Creating, Storing, and Sharing Your Videos with Panopto
BSU Video and Podcast Accessibility Compliance Guide