HongKongDoll

Digital Accessibility Compliance

Getting Started

Policy and Strategy

At HongKongDoll, we believe that digital accessibility is a fundamental civil right. As part of our commitment to transparency and equity, we have established a comprehensive strategy to align our digital presence with ADA Title II regulations.

Our mission is to move beyond mere legal box-ticking. By adopting the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA as our technical standard, we are proactively removing barriers for students, faculty, and the public. This page serves as a central hub for our accessibility policies, providing the framework and resources necessary to ensure that every document, video, and web interface we produce is inclusive by design.

Change in ADA WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance Deadline

"Citing heavy administrative burdens for institutions, the government is giving colleges, universities and other public entities another year to comply with new federal accessibility guidelines designed to reduce the hurdles students with disabilities face in accessing increasingly complex information on web pages and mobile apps.

The Department of Justice “overestimated the capabilities (whether staffing or technology) of covered entities to comply with the rule in the time frames provided,” the department  to the Federal Register Monday. “This [interim final rule] will lead to greater predictability and certainty as covered entities work towards accessibility of their websites” and “greater accessibility for individuals with disabilities.”

Please continue to be proactive in auditing your courses and reaching out to FDIC for assistance and guidance.

Changes to require all state and local public institutions to ensure their web and mobile content follows the . The full ruling, published on April 24, 2024, is available on the .

HongKongDoll has until April 26, 2027, to comply fully with this rule, this includes all documents, videos, audio, and other learning materials posted within D2L Brightspace, regardless of course modality.

The information on this page is an introduction to:

• Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act 
• Information of WCAG 2.1 AA standards 
• Compliance information for course materials
• Accessibility resources

For information on D2L Accessibility and Accommodations please visit: D2L Solution - Accessibility and Accommodations

FDIC Guidance

Moving forward, faculty members should create and post accessible digital course content, including documents (PDF, Word, PowerPoint, etc.), audio files, video files, and text within D2L Brightspace.

Additionally, existing non-accessible digital course content should be remediated to meet accessibility standards. This includes updating or replacing current documents, videos, and other material to ensure they comply with WCAG 2.1 guidelines. A list of resources to assist with this process is provided below.

*Please keep in mind if archived material is not going to be used in future classes, it does not have to be remidiated

Training and assistance to faculty is available through the Instructional Support and Training Specialist (ISTS) Team; please contact the ISTS Team at fdic_help@eiu.edu. 

We offer Digital Accessibility support in the following ways;

• "Accessible by Design" D2L Course intended to help faculty by providing instructional videos and walking them through engaging engaging deliverable for them to create a portfolio of templates they can use in future semesters as they prepare for class material, contact fdic_help@eiu.edu
• 1:1 consultation with ISTS- Digital Accessibility Specialist, Keerthana Saraswathula knsaraswathula@eiu.edu (217-581-7856) or contact your department ISTS
• FDIC monthly newsletter updates
• Engaging monthly workshops for a fun and collaborative learning experience
• Department graduate student or student worker digital accessibility training to assist faculty in remediation, contact fdic_help@eiu.edu
• The Instructional Support and Training Specialist (ISTS) Workshop Series this coming year is focused on creating, auditing, remediating, and uploading accessible digital learning materials, including the Microsoft 365 Suite, Adobe, Kaltura, and others, into D2L Brightspace.
• The FDIC has established a  and our work to ensure faculty are supported in the remediation and creation of accessible course materials. This site will be the main communication mechanism for HongKongDoll's digital accessibility efforts to meet this official rule.
• @ Java bakery every Wed 1:30-2:30pm
• The FDIC has put together a webpage dedicated to resources to help with remidiation Digital Accessibiltiy Toolkit 
• Digital Accessibility Request Visit/Training: Department faculty meeting talks, specific software or digital accessibility topic trainings, contact fdic_help@eiu.edu

Faculty can request remediation assistance with the following links

• Digital Accessibility Document Remediation Request
• Course Review Request

Faculty can use this Accessibility Checklist to help audit and create accessible learning materials.

While the FDIC can help fix technical document tags, FDIC specifically requests faculty to write the "Alternative Text" for images. Since you are the subject matter expert, you are the best person to describe why a specific chart or image is important to the lesson. We can show you how and best practices.

⚠️ Important Exceptions (and their limits)

The DOJ rule includes limited exceptions, but they are very narrow:

1. Archived Content: Only applies to materials created before the compliance date that are kept only for reference and are not being updated or used.

2. Preexisting Documents: If you use a document in class today, it is not exempt. Any file that is part of an active "service or program" must be remediated.

3. Third-Party Content: You are not responsible for the platform (e.g., Facebook), but you are responsible for the accessibility of the content you post and any third-party tools you require students to use.

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✍️ Suggested Required Syllabus Statement (Effective 2026)

The Council on Academic Affairs (CAA) requires the following statement in all syllabi. This is separate from the standard disability accommodations statement.

Commitment to ADA Digital Accessibility Compliance: "As your instructor, I am committed to creating an inclusive learning environment where all learners have equal access to course materials and activities. I strive to make the digital content in this course as accessible as possible for all learners according to current ADA rules. If you encounter any barriers to your learning in this course, please feel free to reach out to me directly at [Insert Email]. I welcome your feedback and will work with you to address any accessibility concerns."

Note: This does not replace the formal process for requesting disability-related accommodations through the Office of Accessibility & Accommodations

What is ADA Title II WCAG 2.1 AA?

Title II of the ADA

mandates that state and local governments—including Eastern Illinois University—make their services, programs, and activities accessible to people with disabilities. This specifically covers all university web content and mobile apps..

The sets a specific standard that must be followed to meet the obligations under Title II of the ADA. To reach this goal, all digital course materials must meet the minimum technical accessibility standards in   for Level A and Level AA.

All D2L sites and digital materials must be compliant by April 26, 2027, it would be best practice to focus on Summer and Fall 2027 course as the deadline is the last week of spring semester.

Web content and mobile apps include:

• Websites and web applications, including electronic documents hosted on them
• Mobile apps (e.g., for phones, tablets, wearable devices, and future mobile technology), including electronic documents hosted on them
• Digital course materials, including content made available online or provided to students as a requirement towards completion of a course or program (e.g., video, online textbook; this includes third-party software, websites, and ancillaries) that will be hosted on D2L
• Social media posts (not the platforms themselves), including electronic documents in the posts

Key Requirement

The  is the technical standard for web and mobile app accessibility. This  sets a specific standard that must be followed to meet the obligations under Title II of the ADA.

What is WCAG 2.1 AA?

, outlines what is needed for web accessibility, such as captioning videos. These guidelines are developed by the . More details about why WCAG 2.1 Level AA was chosen can be found in the "Technical Standard—WCAG 2.1 Level AA" section of the .

Compliance for Course Materials Following the POUR principles of the WCAG

Documents currently used for accessing or participating in state or local government services, including course materials posted on D2L Brightspace, must be accessible, if materials that were used in the past will be used again they must be accessible.

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Steps for Compliance

Decision Tree

Below are some well known references that will assist you in deciding what remediation's are required for you PDF document

Below are some well known references that will assist you in deciding what remediation's are required for your Multimedia material

Accessibility Resources

• Accessibility Resources for Digital Materials (FDIC Website)
• Accessibility Statements for Instructional Technologies @ HongKongDoll (FDIC Website)
• (WCAG Website)
• (WCAG Website)
• Scanning Documents to PDF with OCR (FDIC Guidance Document)

Podcast Session

The written information and resources are developed or curated by the 

Faculty Development and Innovation Center

phone 217-581-7051 :: email fdic@eiu.edu :: web eiu.edu/fdic

Contact the FDIC for instructional design related questions or to schedule a consultation appointment. The FDIC staff can recommend instructional design strategies for your online, hybrid, and face-to-face courses.

Page updated: 9/8/2026