Accessibility Guidance for Faculty

Why Accessibility Matters

It’s more than compliance—accessible materials help all students learn more effectively. The extra effort to create accessible materials is minimal compared to the barriers encountered by students with disabilities.

Faculty are responsible for creating accessible and compliant course content on Blackboard or any online platform in a manner that adheres to Title II and WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.

Deadline for full compliance expected by April 24, 2026.

Legal foundation:

  • ADA Title II ensures equal access to education.
  • WCAG 2.1 AA provides technical standards for digital content.
  • New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) prohibits discrimination.

  1. Provide Course Materials on Blackboard Using a Basic and Consistent Layout

    • Organize course material using logical modules or thematic "chunks".
    • Use clear, detailed instructions—especially helpful for students with cognitive or learning challenges.
    • Keep formatting consistent: fonts, headings, spacing, etc.

  2. Ensure Accessible Content Elements

    • Always include clear alternative text (alt text) for images.
    • Provide detailed descriptions for complex images or treat purely decorative images as decorative in accessibility checkers.
    • Learn the 7 Core Accessibility Skills - Alternative Text
    • Use captions for videos and transcripts for audio. Google provides information for adding captions
    • Add audio descriptions when visuals are essential to understanding.
    • Learn the 7 Core Accessibility Skills - Audio and Video
    • Never rely on color alone to convey meaning.
    • Maintain contrast ratios of at least 4.5:1 for small text, 3:1 for large text—test with tools like WebAim.
    • Learn the 7 Core Accessibility Skills - Contrast
    • Use standard, readable fonts of at least 12 px.
    • Structure content using built-in heading styles (H1, H2, etc.), not just bold or size changes. (Heading Styles in MS Word)
      • Learn the 7 Core Accessibility Skills - Headings
    • Avoid blinking or moving text—it can distract or even trigger seizures.
    • Choose descriptive link text (avoid “click here”).
    • In your Blackboard course, set links to open in a new window, to ensure browser security settings don’t obstruct the loading of content.
    • Learn the 7 Core Accessibility Skills - Links

    Digital Accessibility Quick Cards

    Microsoft Word

    PowerPoint

    Adobe Acrobat Pro

    MS Excel

    Keyboard Shortcuts

    All Quick Cards

    Be ready to offer alternative formats or exam accommodations when needed.

    Check with the publisher of a textbook or platform regarding compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA standards.  Some publishers will provide a VPAT document with an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) providing a standardized way to understand a publication’s accessibility features and limitations. VPATs allow faculty to compare the accessibility features of different textbooks before deciding to use published content in the course.

  3. Use Blackboard’s Ally Tool

    • Ally is integrated into Stockton’s Blackboard, working behind the scenes to automatically scan text-based course content for accessibility issues. It provides accessibility scores along with actionable guidance to help faculty improve materials and create a more inclusive learning environment.

    • In addition, Ally enhances access for everyone by offering a variety of alternative formats for uploaded accessible files. Whether it's tagged PDFs, OCRed PDFs, ePub, HTML, or audio, these formats empower both faculty and students to engage with content in ways that best suit their needs and preferences—supporting diverse learning styles and increasing overall accessibility.

  4. Tap into Campus Resources

  5. Extend Beyond Compliance: Embrace Universal Design

    • Use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to proactively design inclusive learning experiences—not just react to specific needs (Every Learner Everywhere, Wikipedia).
    • Check our Events page for sessions on accessibility in Blackboard Ultra. 

Important: This page is a starting point to help faculty begin conforming to Title II requirements by using available tools and good practices. CTLD provides resources and guidance but does not convert or remediate documents for you. For course-specific decisions and requirements, contact your Dean’s Office.