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Answers to your questions
Below are questions submitted by the UI Community with the answers to help all Hawkeyes.
Documents, Social Media, and Video
Is my classroom content in scope?
Yes, all visible classroom content must be in compliance by April 24, 2026. We recommend you start now with these steps:
- Remove all old content from ICON you are no longer using, even if it is not visible to the students.
- Learn and use Anthology Ally and go through training sessions through CAFÉ
Use the summer session of 2025 to bring yourself up to speed so you are ready this Fall!
How do I make sure a Word document is accessible?
All the details are listed by visiting the Accessible Documents: Microsoft Word page.
To start, as you are working on a Word document, go to the Review tab and click on Check Accessibility. As you develop the document, the panel on the right will evaluate your work and suggest changes to make to ensure accessibility.
It is key to make this practice a part of each document you create and make sure all our content is accessible to all Hawkeyes.
How do I make sure a PDF is accessible?
All the details are listed by visiting the Accessible Documents: Adobe Acrobat page.
To start, as you are working on a PDF, go to the Prepare for Accessibility under the All Tools tab. Walk through each area of the accessibility tools to make sure your PDF is compliant.
It is key to make this practice a part of each document you create and make sure all our content is accessible to all Hawkeyes.
Should we be using PDFs moving forward?
PDFs can be used, but only if accessibility standards are followed as detailed above.
To support the campus-wide effort to improve PDF accessibility and compliance, the Accessibility Task Force has launched a PDF Remediation Tiger Team. This team will review the vendor market, open-source tools, and national practices for solutions that provide scalable accessibility remediation for our campus. More updates will follow in the coming months.
Remember: If it’s not accessible, it’s not compliant—even if it’s in PDF format.
How do I make sure a PowerPoint presentation accessible?
All the details are listed by visiting the Accessible Documents: Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.
To start, as you are working on a PowerPoint presentation, go to the Review tab and click on Check Accessibility. As you develop the presentation, the panel on the right will evaluate your work and suggest changes to make to ensure accessibility.
It is key to make this practice a part of each document you create and make sure all our content is accessible to all Hawkeyes.
Does this apply to my social media content?
Yes. Social Media content must be accessible. Check out Social Media Accessibility to learn what you can do now so your social media content moving forward is in compliance.
Am I expected to go back and fix my old social media content?
No. Moving forward, please make sure you are following our Social Media Accessibility guidelines starting today. Once April 24, 2026 arrives, all social media content must be in compliance.
How is creating video impacted by these changes and is it for any video?
Yes, any and all video content for any and all platforms must be compliant. Primarily, captions are needed and we have all the answers for you. Please review our Video Captioning guidelines.
And yes, all published University of Iowa web video must include captions. If a video is still available for public viewing, it needs to include captions in order to comply with university policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Website questions
What is the accessibility goal for all UI Websites?
The goal is to make all websites accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. We follow internationally recognized accessibility standards to guide this work. A helpful benchmark is achieving a Siteimprove score of 94 or higher, which suggests a strong level of accessibility. Once that score is reached, we recommend additional manual checks to ensure the site meets accessibility expectations.
How can we make sure CAPTCHA is in compliance?
The University has not approved a centralized CAPTCHA provider. Please check back for more information when a provider is chosen.
What are best practices for Excel spreadsheets online?
What is the best practice for handling Excel files on websites? Should they be removed and the content be recreated as a page on the website? Or is it better to delete the Excel file, make it accessible through Microsoft Excel, and then re-upload it to the site?
If the content of the Excel file is simple and can be easily converted into a web page, this is often the best approach. Web pages are generally more accessible and easier to navigate for users with disabilities. This also ensures that the content is responsive and can be accessed on various devices. However, if the Excel file contains complex data or interactive elements that are best presented in a spreadsheet format, you should make the Excel file accessible and then re-upload it to your website. Microsoft Excel has a built-in Accessibility Checker that can help you identify and fix accessibility issue
Additional steps:
- Add alternative text (Alt text) to images, charts, and graphics.
- Use dashes (-) to separate words in your Excel file name and keep the total number of characters between 20-30.
- Fill in the Document Properties for Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Language, and Copyright Status.
- Ensure the document is free of background images or watermarks.
- Avoid using blank cells in tables.
- Do not use merged or split cells.
- Turn off track changes before publishing your Excel document to the web.
- Ensure sheet names in an Excel file are unique and descriptive.
Are there accessibility concerns in using Power BI on our websites?
Yes, there are concerns if best practices are not followed.
The accessibility of a visual report largely depends on how it was created within the tool. People creating content with PowerBI should be technical staff who can understand more detailed technical explanations. Report authors should follow accessibility best practices:
- Provide access to the underlying data in a structured, accessible format, such as an HTML table or a downloadable file (CSV, Excel), alongside the embedded visualization.
- Alternative Text (Alt Text): Meaningful alt text should be added to all visuals and important non-text elements to describe their purpose and insights to screen reader users.
- Logical Structure & Tab Order: Elements should be arranged logically on the report page so keyboard navigation follows an intuitive path. The tab order can be customized.
- Clear Titles and Labels: All visuals, pages, and key data points should have clear, descriptive titles and labels.
- Color Contrast: Sufficient color contrast between text, data elements, and backgrounds is essential for users with low vision or color blindness. Avoid relying solely on color to convey information. Use tools to check contrast ratios to meet WCAG AA standards.
- Use Tables Appropriately: For detailed data presentation, use the Table visual, ensuring it has clear headers.
- Avoid Clutter: Overly dense reports with too many visuals can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate.
Visit https://itaccessibility.uiowa.edu/dataviz for additional information.
Are sites behind authentication in scope of these accessibility requirements?
Yes, all content and systems must meet the requirements because we may have individuals who need content behind authentication fully accessible. Please work with your individual accessibility coordinator to make sure this is logged in the inventory.
Will the Office of Strategic Communications (OSC) provide services to remediate our online content?
The Office of Strategic Communication is not responsible for remediating content owned and maintained by campus partners. This work is owned by website owners or the content creator. Be sure to have your site reviewed by Site Improve which can provide information on accessibility changes that are needed. If you need additional information or support, consider training offerings at https://accessibility.uiowa.edu/accessibility-training.
General Questions
Who is responsible for making sure my materials are accessible?
We are individually responsible for ensuring our materials are accessible to our users.
Use the 3Rs framework (developed by the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Accessibility Group) to make decisions about your own content:
Remove: Remove content you do not need to share right now and delete content you no longer need.
Revise : Revise any digital content you need to share.
Right First: Create new content with digital accessibility in mind.
Accessibility requires a mindset shift and learning about best practices; we have many resources on campus to help guide you to this knowledge.
Use the accessibility tools provided on campus to ensure your materials are accessible:
Utilize trainings on campus to learn more about accessibility:
How do I know if a file I have needs to be remediated?
Ask, is the file visible to anyone other than yourself. If it is, it needs to be accessible. If it is only visible to yourself, and you don't need it to be accessible, it does not need to be remediated.
What types of content are affected?
- The rule applies broadly to most digital content provided by and on behalf of the university, including web content and applications, conventional electronic documents, web-delivered audio and video media, and mobile applications.
- This includes but is not limited to most internal and public-facing course content, web sites, ICON courses, marketing materials, mobile applications, podcasts, mandatory and elective trainings, social media, and other digital content when used for University of Iowa programs and services.
- The rule applies to the above content types regardless of whether a product is created at the University of Iowa or provided by a third-party.
What is POUR and how can I apply it to my work?
POUR is the WCAG acronym to build accessible digital content.
Perceivable
- Provide text alternatives for non-text content.
- Provide captions and other alternatives for multimedia.
- Create content that can be presented in different ways, including by assistive technologies, without losing meaning.
- Make it easier for users to see and hear content.
Operable
- Make all functionality available from a keyboard.
- Give users enough time to read and use content.
- Do not use content that causes seizures or physical reactions.
- Help users navigate and find content.
- Make it easier to use inputs other than keyboard.
Understandable
- Make text readable and understandable.
- Make content appear and operate in predictable ways.
- Help users avoid and correct mistakes.
Robust
- Maximize compatibility with current and future user tools.
Who can I consult with if I have more questions?
- Ask a question to the Accessibility Task Force
- Ask content questions directly to ITAccessibility@uiowa.edu.
- Ask classroom questions directly to its-helpdesk@uiowa.edu.
- Ask general questions directly to ocrc-disability@uiowa.edu.
Archiving Content
How do we address archived content?
Archived web content is not required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards if it meets certain criteria. Specifically, the content must have been created before April 24, 2026, be kept only for reference, research, or record keeping, not be altered or updated after the date of archiving and be organized and stored in a dedicated area clearly identified as being archived. However, you may still need to provide accessible versions of archived content if requested by an individual.
If you are going to keep it, then we recommend:
- Identify and Prioritize: Start by identifying all archived content and prioritizing it based on its importance and frequency of use. Focus on content that is still relevant and frequently accessed.
- Use Accessibility Checkers: Utilize accessibility checkers to evaluate the current state of your archived content. This will help you identify specific areas that need improvement.
- Clean House: Archive or remove outdated content that is no longer needed. This will reduce the amount of content that needs to be updated and maintained.
- Update Content: For content that needs to be retained, update it to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. This may involve adding alternative text to images, ensuring proper heading structure, and making sure that all interactive elements are accessible.
- Provide Accessible Alternatives: If certain archived content cannot be made fully accessible, provide accessible alternatives. For example, you can offer a text-based version of a complex PDF document.
- Label Archived Content: Clearly label archived content as such and provide a disclaimer that it may not meet current accessibility standards. This will help manage user expectations and reduce potential frustration.
Are there exceptions to the types of content?
Yes. See ADA.gov Resources for details.
- Archived content that meets four specific criteria listed in the link above.
- Pre-existing conventional electronic documents created before April 24, 2026, that are not used for University of Iowa programs and services.
- Content posted to University of Iowa sites by a third party, where that content is not provided due to a contractual, licensing, or other formal arrangement.
- Individualized documents that are password-protected.
Do I need to fix all my digital files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDFs, etc.) files?
No, unless it is going to be visible online or shared (emailed, Teams, etc.) internally or externally.
If it is archived for your use only, it does not need to be remediated.
If is is visible, it needs to be remediated.
Understanding the Changes
What are the new ADA rules on digital accessibility and WCAG?
- The new rule requires that state and local government entities, including the University of Iowa, make all forms of their digital content accessible to people with disabilities.
- This rule establishes a specific standard for accessibility conformance: WCAG 2.1 AA, by April 24, 2026, to reach full conformance.
- A Fact Sheet summarizing the rule is available at ADA.gov.
Systems and Internal Inventory
Is SharePoint in scope of these accessibility requirements?
SharePoint is in scope. Documents and files in SharePoint that are shared with others or posted for wider audience need to be reviewed and remediated by April 2026. Any files belonging to an individual, which are not shared with others, will only need remediation if they are shared in the future.
What do we need to inventory for the Task Force and do we need to capture everything in our unit?
Please review Digital Accessibility Portfolio Guidance for all the details and instructions.
Can you provide guidance for closed captions of Teams meetings?
Our team has previously shared meeting recordings so that anyone who wasn’t able to attend the meeting is able to review the content. Now that we are hosting meetings in teams, those recordings automatically show up in the feed for the meeting. What is the guidance for closed captions of Teams meetings? Is the automated transcription sufficient because they are not public facing? Or is that guidance changing with the new accessibility guidelines?
- While automated transcription is a helpful feature, it may not be sufficient to meet the new accessibility guidelines. The automated transcription provided by Teams is useful for internal purposes, but it is recommended to ensure that closed captions are accurate and accessible for all users, regardless of whether the content is public-facing or not.
- Microsoft Teams offers built-in closed captioning, and transcription features to enhance accessibility during meetings. These features can be turned on from the meeting controls and customized to suit the needs of participants. While automated transcription is a valuable tool, it is important to ensure that captions are accurate and meet accessibility standards. For public-facing content, it is advisable to use human-generated captions to ensure the highest level of accuracy.