Understanding ADA Compliance in Education
Education accessibility falls under several key U.S. laws, ensuring every student has access to the tools they need to succeed.
Key Legal Requirements:
**Title II of the ADA:** Applies to public schools and universities, requiring all digital content and programs to be accessible.
**Title III of the ADA:** Covers private institutions (colleges, trade schools) for places of public accommodation.
**Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act:** Mandates equal access for all institutions receiving federal funding.
Legal Requirements and Risks of Non-Compliance
**DOJ and OCR Investigations:** Federal bodies actively enforce accessibility requirements in academia.
**Public Lawsuits:** Hundreds of schools face actions for inaccessible LMS platforms, videos, and course content.
**Financial Penalties:** Costly settlements, mandated accessibility overhauls, and compliance monitoring fees.
Accessibility Is Education’s Foundation
Education is built on the principle that everyone deserves an equal opportunity to learn. For millions of students, parents, and educators with disabilities, that promise can be broken by an inaccessible website, learning platform, or course material.
For academia, ADA compliance is more than a legal obligation — it’s an ethical responsibility to ensure that every learner, regardless of ability, has access to the tools they need to succeed.
The Role of WCAG 2.1 in Educational Accessibility
PERCEIVABLE
Ensures course materials, online applications, and learning management systems (LMS) can be perceived via screen readers and captions.
OPERABLE
Guarantees students can complete forms (admissions, financial aid) and navigate online classes using keyboard-only control.
UNDERSTANDABLE
Requires course content structure, assignment portals, and syllabus formatting to be clear, predictable, and easy to follow.
ROBUST
Ensures compatibility between your LMS, student portals, and assistive technologies used by students, such as screen readers and dictation software.
FUTURE PROOF
Adopting WCAG standards ensures your digital infrastructure is scalable, maintainable, and minimizes the need for costly future remediation.
PROFESSIONALLY CODED
Our audits guarantee code integrity, ensuring your platform is fully compliant with modern web standards and Section 504/ADA criteria.
Legal Requirements and Risks of Non-Compliance
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) have made it clear: institutions must make their digital environments accessible, especially learning management systems and video content.
Hundreds of schools and universities have faced ADA and Section 504 investigations for inaccessible websites, learning platforms, and digital course content.
Common ADA Compliance Issues in Educational Institutions
Uncaptioned video lectures or webinars for deaf or hard-of-hearing students.
Inaccessible PDF documents (syllabi, policies) lacking proper tagging and reading order.
Keyboard navigation failures on student portals or assignment submission pages.
Real-World Consequences for Non-Compliance
High-profile **DOJ settlements** and **OCR compliance monitoring** (e.g., Harvard, MIT, UC Berkeley).
Mandatory, costly remediation of thousands of course videos and documents.
Damage to brand reputation and compromise of the institution's core mission of inclusion and equality.
Why Get ADA Compliant Now
The Benefits of Getting ADA Compliant
- Greater inclusion and diversity in education.
- Enhanced student satisfaction and engagement.
- Improved retention and academic success.
- Reduced risk of complaints or federal investigations.
- Better SEO visibility for admissions and outreach.
How Get ADA Alert Helps the Education Sector
At Get ADA Alert, we make ADA and Section 504 compliance achievable for schools, colleges, and universities.
- Full Accessibility Audits (Websites, LMS platforms, Repositories).
- Code and Content Remediation (Technical fixes and document tagging).
- Section 504 & ADA Compliance Reports (Critical for OCR).
- Ongoing Monitoring & Maintenance (Consistent health checks).
- Accessibility Certification.
Take the First Step Toward Accessibility
Your mission is to educate. Ours is to ensure that mission reaches everyone — without barriers. Let Get ADA Alert help your school, college, or university achieve full compliance efficiently.
TAKE ACTION TODAY: EMPOWER EVERY LEARNER
Contact Get ADA Alert today to schedule your accessibility audit and start your journey toward full compliance.