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Wednesday, May 21
 

1:00pm CDT

Why Digital Accessibility Matters Today
Wednesday May 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Currently, there are vague digital accessibility requirements in Section 504 and in the Americans with Disability Act (Title II and Title III). By spring of 2026, there will be specific digital accessibility requirements for most public higher education institutions and any entity receiving funding from the Department of the Health and Human Services, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (Title II) and Section 504 respectfully. Regardless, whether these regulations happen or not, now is the time to be thinking about digital accessibility. We will be discussing the different legal frameworks, what does accessible in the digital environment mean, what content is covered and what are the small and large steps that need to be taken to improve your accessibility.
Speakers
avatar for Judith Risch

Judith Risch

Title IX & Equity/Access Services Special Advisor, Grand River Solutions
Judith Risch, J.D., Ph.D., is the Title IX & Equity Access Services Special Advisor at Grand River Solutions. Judy brings over two decades of invaluable experience from her tenure at the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education. Judy’s role at Grand River... Read More →
Wednesday May 21, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Louis Room A

2:45pm CDT

Demystifying Document Accessibility
Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 4:15pm CDT
When it comes to digital accessibility, documents are often overlooked. You take the time to create a professional, rigorous course, but are your documents accessible? Do you know what to look for and how to fix them? Adding another requirement seems daunting. Where do I begin? How can I find the time?

Getting started is much easier than it seems. Join our hands-on workshop as we break down the steps to fixing accessibility errors and creating accessible versions of your documents. Bring your laptop to practice the accessibility steps on sample documents.

What's in this Workshop:
  • What is an accessible document?
  • What does accessibility look like in Word and PowerPoint?
  • What does an accessible PDF look like?
  • What can we do to fix common types of documents?
  • What does the future look like?
Speakers
CC

Christine Colwell

Accessible Document Specialist, Northwestern University
RA

Rigel Anthis

Accessible Document Specialist, Northwestern University
Wednesday May 21, 2025 2:45pm - 4:15pm CDT
Wildcat Room B

3:40pm CDT

Kindred Spirits: Collaborating Across Multiple Universities to Enhance Digital Accessibility
Wednesday May 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:25pm CDT
Recent updates to the Department of Justice digital accessibility regulations mandate that all public institutions comply with WCAG 2.1AA standards by April 2026. This has prompted universities to find swift and effective ways to ensure all their digital materials meet these standards. For many institutions, this is a daunting task that is challenging to tackle alone.

Although these updated regulations do not yet apply to private institutions such as Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, they are anticipated in the future. Both universities aim to be well-prepared when the regulations take effect. As similar institutions located in the Chicago area, Northwestern and the University of Chicago have formed a collaborative partnership to share successful strategies for improving digital accessibility on their campuses.

This presentation will explore the approaches, tools, and outcomes related to ensuring the accessibility of Canvas course sites and documents at both institutions. It will also highlight how their collaboration has facilitated the implementation of effective accessibility solutions.
Speakers
avatar for Jim Stachowiak

Jim Stachowiak

Accessible Technology Strategy and Operations Lead, Northwestern IT Teaching & Learning Technologies
avatar for Emily Baker

Emily Baker

Senior Digital Accessibility Specialist, University of Chicago
Wednesday May 21, 2025 3:40pm - 4:25pm CDT
Arch Room
 
TEACHx 2025
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