Digital Accessibility Policy

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Last Updated: Apr 24, 2026, 12:19 PM

  1. Introduction

    Southern Illinois University Carbondale (“SIUC”) is committed to ensuring that all digital information and communication technologies are accessible to everyone, including but not limited to individuals with disabilities. By maintaining accessibility standards consistent with State and federal law, the SIUC upholds its obligation to remove barriers that hinder participation and access. This policy affirms the SIUC’s dedication to legal compliance and to foster an environment where all members of the community can effectively obtain information, engage in learning, and participate in university life.

    Adherence to this policy ensures that the broadest possible population can participate fully in and benefit from the University’s programs and services. This policy and these related procedures establish accessibility standards and expectations regarding the design, development, acquisition, and use of digital and information technologies.

  2. Definitions

    1. “Accessibility” means that individuals with disabilities are afforded the same opportunity to independently, fully and equally acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as individuals without disabilities, in an equally effective and equally integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use.
    2. “Legacy Web-based information” means any Web-based information created, adopted, or modified before April 24, 2026.
    3. “Web-based information” means web pages, websites, Web content, web-based applications, Mobile applications, online instructional content, services, and resources, and conventional electronic documents, that the University provides or makes available directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements (for example through third-party vendors or open sources).
      1. “Conventional electronic documents” means Web content or content in Mobile applications that is in the following electronic file formats: portable document formats ("PDF"), word processor file formats, presentation file formats, and spreadsheet file formats.
      2. “Mobile applications” means software applications that are downloaded and designed to run on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
      3. “Web content” means the information and sensory experience to be communicated to the user by means of a user agent (meaning any software that retrieves and presents Web content for users), including code or markup that defines the content’s structure, presentation, and interactions. Examples of Web content include text, images, sounds, videos, controls, animations, and conventional electronic documents. Content in a Learning Management System (e.g., D2L Brightspace) is considered as Web content.

  3. Scope

    This policy applies to all digital and information technology which is developed, procured, maintained, used or otherwise provided by SIUC for use by faculty, staff, students, visitors, and guests or other members of the public with disabilities. This includes, but is not limited to information and media provided on the University’s web-based information and legacy web-based information, mobile applications, Learning Management System(LMS), digital media and communications, conventional electronic documents, all course content and materials posted in the LMS, courseware, video storage systems, digital textbook platforms, content management systems, marketing and social media, and all IT-approved systems, software suites, tools and resources.

  4. Policy Statement

    SIUC will ensure that individuals with disabilities can access the educational opportunity and benefit of the institution with substantially equivalent ease of use as individuals without disabilities.

    SIUC is committed to enabling full and equal access to content available via digital and information technology resources. As such, SIUC will utilize the standards and guidelines outlined Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act (IITAA), Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA published by the W3C, or most recent guidelines or standards at its discretion.

    Requirements

    All Web-based information (including both Legacy Web-based information and newly designed Web-based information) by any SIUC administrative, academic, or programmatic unit must comply with the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, version 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) Level A and Level AA success criteria and conformance requirements and any other accessibility standards required by law or the University. All course content posted by faculty in SIUC’s learning management system (i.e. D2L Brightspace), or to any outside course content websites, must comply with the above guidelines and criteria.

    The following types of Web-based information are not subject to this requirement:

    1. Archived web content: Web content that: (1) was created before, reproduces paper documents created before, or reproduces the contents of other physical media created before April 24, 2026; (2) is retained exclusively for reference, research, or recordkeeping; (3) is not altered or updated after the date of archiving; and (4) is organized and stored in a dedicated area clearly identified as being archived;
    2. Preexisting conventional electronic documents: Conventional electronic documents that are available on a website or mobile app before the date of compliance, unless such documents are currently used to apply for, gain access to, or participate in the University’s services, programs, or activities;
    3. Third-party content: Content posted by a third party, unless the third party is posting due to contractual, licensing, or other arrangements with the University;
    4. Individualized, password-protected or otherwise secured conventional electronic documents: Conventional electronic documents that are: (1) about a specific individual, their property, or their account; and (2) password-protected or otherwise secured; or
    5. Preexisting social media posts: University social media that were posted before April 24, 2026.

    All Web-based information under an exception category must be made accessible and usable upon request.

    All Other Electronic Information Technology and Communications:

    SIUC shall not discriminate against people with disabilities by ensuring that all remaining technologies, including but not limited to those subject to the exception under Part V, meet the standards for this policy if they are part of a program, service, or activity operated by SIUC. To ensure access, the covered technologies should provide access to the information technology or communications in substantially equivalent timeliness, privacy, independence, and ease of use:

      1. Access the same information as individuals without disabilities;
      2. Engage in the same interactions as individuals without disabilities;
      3. Conduct the same transactions as individuals without disabilities; and,
      4. Otherwise, participate in or benefit from the same services, programs, and activities as individuals without disabilities.

  5. Noncompliance

    1. Consequences of Noncompliance

      Noncompliance with this policy can result in the removal of digital content and/or access to said content via university systems.

      Each employee and/or their respective department/unit is responsible for 1) ensuring that all digital content they publish complies with accessibility standards, and 2) remediating any digital content that does not.

    2. Exceptions

      If an SIUC administrative, academic or programmatic unit believes that digital content posted on university systems may qualify for an exception, the department, unit, or employee may file a a petition for an exception with the ADA Office. Exceptions should only be requested in the following circumstances:

      1. It is not possible to make Web-based information directly accessible due to technical or legal limitations conform to the requirements of this Policy to use “conforming alternate versions of Web Content,” as defined by WCAG 2.1.
      2. Noncompliance with the requirements would have such a minimal impact on access that it would not affect the ability of individuals with disabilities to do any of the following in a manner that provides substantially equivalent timeliness, privacy, independence, and ease of use: (a) access the same information as individuals without disabilities; (b) engage in the same interactions as individuals without disabilities; (c) conduct the same transactions as individuals without disabilities; and (d) otherwise participate in or benefit from the same services, programs, and activities as individuals without disabilities.
      3. Compliance with the requirements: (a) would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a University service, program or activity, or (b) would result in an undue financial or administrative burden. A decision that compliance would result in a fundamental alteration or undue burden must be made by the Chancellor or their designee after considering all resources available for use in the funding and operation of the service, program, or activity, and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons for reaching that conclusion. If compliance would result in a fundamental alteration or undue burden, compliance is required to the extent that it does not result in a fundamental alteration or undue burden, and the University shall take any other action that would not result in a fundamental alteration or undue burden but would nevertheless ensure that individuals with disabilities receive the benefits or services provided by the University to the maximum extent possible.

*Adapted from SIU Edwardsville, University of Cincinnati, and University of Maryland