Digital Equity Champions: Leading the Shift to New ADA Accessibility Mandates

Presenter(s)

Event Details

Topic:

accessibility & UDL

Format:

lecture

Subject Level:

intermediate

Age Span:

kindergarten - grade 6
grades 7-12

Target Audience:

AT specialist
deaf / hard of hearing
educator
K-12 administration
special educator
teacher of the visually impaired
vision impairment specialist

Professional Development Credits

IACET CEUs:

0.01

ACVREP CEs:

1

Presentation Length: 1 hour

Location:

Atrium 4

Description:

This session will equip educators and assistive technology specialists with the knowledge and tools needed to lead digital accessibility compliance in their districts. Presenters will begin by grounding the 2024 ADA Title II update and WCAG 2.2 requirements in a real student case study, illustrating how inaccessible digital materials create invisible barriers. Participants will explore the four POUR principles through concrete classroom examples, including accessible versus inaccessible PDF use, font selection, color contrast, and slide layout design. The session will highlight practical assistive technology tools and built-in device accessibility features that support students across a range of disabilities, as well as automated accessibility checkers for evaluating existing digital assets. The session will conclude with a facilitated peer discussion in which participants share strategies their districts are currently using to advance digital equity practice.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

• As a result of this activity, participants will be able to identify the key legal requirements of the 2024 ADA Title II update, including the applicable WCAG 2.2 compliance deadline for their district, and classify their current digital content against at least two of the four POUR principles to determine areas of strength and gaps.

• As a result of this activity, participants will be able to apply at least four accessible design strategies to an existing digital document or presentation, explaining how each modification reduces barriers for students.

• As a result of this activity, participants will be able to compare at least one digital equity practice currently in use in their own organization to approaches shared by peers during the facilitated discussion, and propose one concrete action step they will take to advance accessibility implementation upon returning to their organization.

Disclosures:

Salary from employment in Huntley School District 158