Creating Accessible Online Resources for Students with Disabilities

Academic courses have undergone a major shift, with online platforms now playing a central role in how learning is delivered. Learning Management Systems (LMS) and digital tools are reshaping higher education, making it more flexible and responsive to student needs.

As digital learning expands, so does the need to provide accessible digital resources for students with disabilities. An estimated one in five college students live with a disability, and digital accessibility regulations are tightening—making it more critical than ever for colleges and universities to prioritize every student’s needs. So, how ready is your institution to offer equal access to online services, programs, and resources?

If you’re uncertain, this blog is for you. We’ll outline practical steps and highlight proactive measures institutions can take to advance their accessibility efforts.

The legal case for digital accessibility in education

In the U.S., many educational institutions have a legal obligation to provide accessible digital experiences. For example, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that public higher education institutions ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to all programs, services, and resources—including digital content.

Under growing legal scrutiny, an increasing number of academic institutions are facing lawsuits for failing to provide learning resources that people with disabilities can access. To avoid legal risks, colleges and universities need to treat digital accessibility as a priority—not an afterthought.

That means websites, online courses, PDFs, videos, and LMS must be accessible. It’s important for institutions to be aware that accessibility requirements are not limited to content created internally. Third-party tools like e-learning platforms, virtual labs, interactive simulations, digital textbooks, and assessment software also need to meet accessibility requirements if they’re part of students’ learning experience.

For more information on how the ADA applies to higher education, explore our blog, ADA Compliance in Higher Education.

Designing for everyone: Accessibility across higher ed platforms

Campus-wide digital ecosystems are often broad—and usually decentralized—which makes achieving accessibility more complex. Most institutions rely on a mix of digital systems, including:

• Student enrollment and registration portals
• Financial aid systems
• LMS
• Mobile apps and campus-wide communication tools
• Department-specific tools and software
• Course-specific platforms and publisher tools
• Third-party apps and integrations that vary by class or program

A one-size-fits-all solution simply won’t suffice. To ensure inclusive learning, institutions need a coordinated, comprehensive strategy—one that embeds accessibility into every platform, system, and tool that students interact with.

Three best practices for creating accessible digital resources

How can your institution begin building more accessible digital environments? Use the following best practices to start identifying barriers, addressing these issues, and supporting your institution’s ongoing accessibility efforts.

1. Conduct regular accessibility audits

Comprehensive testing—both automated and manual—can help academic institutions ensure their digital content and platforms meet established accessibility standards and are usable for people with disabilities, including those who use screen readers, keyboard navigation, and other assistive technologies.

How audits are carried out will depend on your institution’s size, resources, and maturity level. Some institutions have built internal testing capacity through investments in training, processes, and tools. Others may rely more heavily on external partners to provide deeper expertise, address gaps, or manage ongoing workflows. Many institutions use a hybrid model, combining internal reviews with external validation to maintain accountability and stay current with evolving standards.

Regardless of who conducts testing, comprehensive accessibility evaluations are essential. These can be carried out by a third-party solution provider (like Level Access) or by qualified internal staff, depending on available tools and the team’s experience with accessibility testing. What’s most important is that testing is performed regularly and informs meaningful, actionable improvements.

2. Structure your accessibility workflow

Once your audit results are finalized, it’s time to take action. But remember—accessibility cannot be a one-person job. It’s a shared responsibility that may involve developers, content creators, platform administrators, or others—depending on where the issues originate. Some issues might be tied to individual content, while others could stem from templates, system settings, or third-party code.

Institutions also need to think upstream. When working with third-party technology vendors, accessibility requirements should be built into procurement and contracting processes from the start. Vendor agreements should also clearly outline who’s responsible for the remediation of any accessibility issues in third-party products.

3. Build a sustainable remediation process

Just as accessibility is not the responsibility of a single individual, it cannot be treated as a one-time initiative. It’s an ongoing effort that requires continuous attention and improvement. Institutions should work toward embedding accessibility into digital experience creation from the outset, proactively integrating it into day-to-day work, rather than relying on reactive fixes.

In higher educational environments, where priorities shift and resources are often stretched, embracing a proactive approach is especially important. Integrating accessibility into regular workflows, academic planning cycles, and content development processes allows teams to adapt, scale, and build systems that keep moving their institution’s accessibility efforts forward. Eventually, accessibility will become a consistent and organic part of institutional practice.

Create accessible digital resources for every student

Higher education institutions manage an extensive and constantly evolving array of digital resources. By equipping faculty and staff with practical tools and training on digital accessibility, colleges and universities can remove barriers to their academic resources, support student success, increase enrollment, and create more equitable experiences for all.

Partnering with the right industry experts can help streamline this effort—supporting compliance, guiding sustainable accessibility strategies, and ensuring the entire academic community has access to inclusive digital resources.

Whether you’re just starting your accessibility journey or looking to deepen and scale your efforts, Level Access’s trusted experts can help. From auditing existing content to delivering role-specific, practical training through live and on-demand courses, we’ll support your institution in building a lasting culture of accessibility.

To learn more about how we can empower your institution to create and maintain accessible resources, contact our team today.

FAQS

Do audits cover mobile apps too, or just websites?

Yes, accessibility audits go beyond websites—they can assess mobile apps, software, online portals, and other digital platforms to ensure all users, including those with disabilities, can navigate and interact with resources effectively.

How do we make digital content accessible for students with learning needs?

Accessibility can feel complex, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Software tools are available to help identify and fix many common accessibility issues on your website. These tools can uncover barriers—such as unclear navigation, poor contrast, or inconsistent layouts—that may impact users with learning disabilities. By using these tools and implementing thoughtful design fixes, you can improve overall usability and ensure your digital content works better for everyone.

I have many accessibility issues—where do I start?

Start by fixing barriers in key user flows—these impact the most users and pose the highest legal risk. Next, prioritize issues easily detected by automated testing, as these are frequently cited in ADA complaints and are often quick to resolve. Once high-impact and high-risk issues are addressed, work through lower-priority fixes to achieve full WCAG conformance and ADA compliance.

Should we do accessibility audits in-house or hire a partner?

It depends on your resources. Some institutions build internal audit capacity, while others rely on external partners for added expertise or support. A hybrid approach can be beneficial—combining internal reviews with external validation to ensure thorough, consistent, and up-to-date testing.