Education Dept. expected to announce web accessibility update soon

The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice are expected to update web accessibility rules for colleges and universities soon, Kathryn Branson, partner at Ulman Public Policy wrote last week for the Educause Review.

In a joint letter published May 19, the departments said college websites are “often inaccessible to individuals with disabilities” in violation of laws designed to protect students with disabilities from discrimination and make educational materials accessible to all.

The letter is noteworthy as it indicates that both departments are close to publishing revised regulations on web accessibility, Branson wrote.

The Department of Justice plans to add new technical standards to its Americans with Disabilities Act Title II regulation. This amendment is currently being reviewed by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which is “one of the final steps before a proposed regulation is made public,” Branson wrote.

The Department of Education also intends to update its Section 504 rules to address web accessibility — rules that Branson notes “have not been updated since 1977.”