The Teaching Table

How to Start Your Course Digital Accessibility Review

• University at Buffalo Office of Curriculum, Assessment and Teaching Transformation

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In this episode, we share a practical, step-by-step approach to creating digitally accessible course content using a simple workflow—remove barriers, replace inaccessible elements, and remediate what remains. We talk about how to start small (one document, one slide deck, or one LMS page), use built-in accessibility checkers and quick fixes, and address common issues like headings, alt text, color contrast, and tables. We also cover strategies for handling PDFs and specialized formats, plus easy ways to track progress with short work blocks and checklists. If you enjoyed today’s discussion, please subscribe and leave a review, and connect with us at buffalo.edu/catt or email ubcatt@buffalo.edu.

Maggie Grady:

Welcome to a special edition of the CATT Teaching Table podcast, produced by the University of Buffalo's Office of Curriculum Assessment and Teaching Transformation, also known as CATT and supported by the Genteel's Excellence and Teaching Fund. I'm Maggie Grady, Instructional Innovation Project Manager with CATT. This Teaching Table mini-series features short episodes designed to help faculty prepare for the upcoming ADA Title II regulation changes, which are taking effect in April of 2026. Together we'll explore what these updates mean for teaching and learning at UB and share practical ways to make courses more accessible and inclusive. Joining me in these episodes is Sarah Gugliemi, CATT's instructional consultant for accessible and inclusive pedagogy. Sarah works closely with faculty to design courses that are usable, inclusive, and aligned with accessibility best practices. So thanks and welcome back, Sarah.

Sarah Gugliemi:

Thanks, Maggie. It's great to be here.

Maggie Grady:

So Sarah, let's start with what does a digital accessibility review actually help faculty accomplish?

Sarah Gugliemi:

Yeah, sure. Going through the process of a digital accessibility review, it can really help faculty build awareness around digital accessibility while also helping them create some structure to prior prioritize the process, and that can help reduce overwhelm. CATT has created a digital accessibility review checklist for faculty on our website, and we'll put a link in the episode notes for them to take a look at. An accessibility review is based on what's often called the three Rs remove, replace, and remediate. So you want to remove outdated content and then replace inaccessible content with an accessible option if that's available. And then last prioritize the remediation of the rest of your content. And to help prioritize, you can start with one course and also the easy-to-address content first. That can be things like addressing your UB Learn pages, Microsoft Word documents, and PowerPoint files. And just remember you want to keep the focus on progress instead of perfection.

Maggie Grady:

So that's a great way of looking at it. And give advice to faculty with how to get started. What would their first step be?

Sarah Gugliemi:

Yeah, the first step would be to focus on one of your spring 2026 courses. If you recall, the these new ADA Title II regulations go into effect at the end of April 2026. So keep the focus on spring 2026 courses and follow the digital accessibility review checklist that we do have on the CATT website. This will guide you through the remove, replace, and remediate process. Then, when it comes to remediating your documents, you want to start small and start with the easiest fixes. So start with one Word document, like your syllabus, and one PowerPoint file, and just one UB Learns page. Once you get familiar with the digital accessibility features, once you get familiar with the accessibility checkers, it becomes easier. There is some an initial learning curve, but once you make your way through that learning curve, it will feel more natural and habitual to create accessible content from the start. I'd also encourage faculty to review the remediation training resources on CATT's website, along with strategies on how to address PDFs and LaTeX files. We'll put the link in the episode resources to that page. Many of the programs you use have an accessibility checker with embedded help menus, including UB Learns, Word, and PowerPoint. The checkers flag issues like missing alternative text, color contrast, and table headings, and they offer step-by-step instructions on how to apply the fix.

Maggie Grady:

So that makes it feel less intimidating. And I like the fact that you can do this incrementally.

Sarah Gugliemi:

Yeah, that's what the review checklist and the prioritization helps with. It's important to start with small time blocks and to keep a checklist of what you've reviewed and definitely celebrate your progress as you go.

Maggie Grady:

And faculty don't have to go it alone, correct? What support does CATT offer for this process?

Sarah Gugliemi:

Well, in addition to our online training resources, we offer individual consultations, virtual workshops. We've also been going into departments to do different workshops as well. So we're here to help faculty organize their efforts. And if you're interested in these resources, faculty can visit CATT's website and reach out to us either through our email at ubcatt at buffalo.edu or submit an instructional support request with the link we'll provide in the episode resources.

Maggie Grady:

That's great. Having guidance and structure really helps faculty take the next steps with confidence.

Sarah Gugliemi:

Yeah, definitely. Accessibility work is most successful when it's shared and supported, and that's really what we're here for.

Maggie Grady:

So, Sarah, thank you for breaking this process down into manageable steps. Reviewing content doesn't have to be overwhelming. It's really about making steady progress toward digital accessibility.

Sarah Gugliemi:

Yeah, exactly. Every improvement, no matter how small, helps our students have a better learning experience.

Maggie Grady:

Next time we'll continue this conversation with episode three, Making Digital Content Usable for Everyone. We'll look at how design choices can make your materials more engaging and accessible for all learners. If you enjoyed today's discussion, be sure to subscribe and leave us a review. We'll be back soon with more conversations on teaching, learning, and technology. Until then, keep exploring new ways to reach and inspire your students. As always, be sure to connect with us online at buffalo.edu/ catt. Or email us at ubcatt@buffalo.edu.