Title II ADA Web Accessibility: A Comprehensive Guide for Public Schools
When schools shifted to online learning during the pandemic, it became apparent that many school websites were non-ADA compliant. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) investigated several cases related to digital accessibility. To this day, public schools continue to grapple with complaints due to inaccessible websites.
In this increasingly digital age, students are utilizing the internet more and more to perform various school-related tasks, such as completing assignments, submitting papers, and accessing resources like report cards, the syllabus, and course catalogs. However, students with disabilities may find it difficult to navigate their school’s website, especially if it lacks features like alt text for images, closed captions for videos, or keyboard navigation, which could impede their learning and be a frustrating experience overall.
Public schools have a crucial role in promoting inclusivity. It’s important that all educational websites are accessible to people with disabilities, including students, family members, guardians, teachers, and staff, as this ensures no one feels discriminated against. By taking steps towards web accessibility, school districts are not just complying with the law but also fostering a more inclusive and equitable learning environment.
To address this problem, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently proposed specific regulations under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These technical requirements aim to provide clear guidance for public entities—which includes public schools, districts, and universities— on achieving ADA compliance and ensuring digital accessibility.
Web accessibility platform EcomBack has created an extensive guideline explaining Title II, what public school districts are required to do, and how to have an accessible website.
What is ADA Title II?
The ADA ensures that people with disabilities have the same access to public life and online services as everyone else. Under ADA Title II, digital platforms that are part of the school experience, such as the school’s main website, online learning platforms, and student portals, must be usable by people with various disabilities, such as visual, hearing, motor, and cognitive disabilities.
How to know if a school is a public entity
Since Title II only applies to public entities, it’s important to know the difference between public schools and districts versus private ones.
Public schools are funded and operated by the government (either at the federal or state level) and are subject to government regulations. They are also open to all students within their district and don’t require tuition fees.
Private schools, on the other hand, rely on tuition and donations for funding. In terms of web accessibility, they are required to follow the rules set forth under Title III of the ADA.
When do public entities need to follow Title II requirements?
- April 24, 2026: Larger public entities with a population over 50,000.
- April 26, 2027: Special district governments and smaller entities with fewer than 50,000 residents.
ADA Title II Requirements in the Education Sector
Public school and university websites must comply with web accessibility standards set forth by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA standards, which entails ensuring that all website content is perceivable, operable, and understandable to users with disabilities. EcomBack provides further insight into WCAG 2.1 and its specific criteria in our other blog posts.
ADA Title II requires that all new and updated content, as well as frequently accessed older content, be accessible. This includes digital documents in PDF, Word, Excel, or PowerPoint formats, along with web content like text, video, audio files, and social media posts.
Along with digital content, all parts of the website should be accessible, including functionality and design. Public schools and universities need to ensure their websites have consistent navigation options, alternatives for text, images, and other media, identifiable interactive elements, and a distinct contrast between the text and background.
You can read the official rule here.
Other Web Accessibility Laws That Public Schools Should Know
In addition to Title II of the ADA, schools and districts need to be aware of two other sections: Section 504 and Section 508.
As required by Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, all public schools that receive federal funding must show that they provide equal access to services for people with disabilities.
Meanwhile, Section 508 underlines more specific guidance on access to digital resources. All federally funded public schools must make online information accessible for individuals with disabilities.
EcomBack Can Help with Web Accessibility Services
We understand that achieving web accessibility can be a complex process, but with the right resources and support, it can be achieved. EcomBack is here to provide the services your school needs to ensure your website is ADA compliant.
As a member of the W3C and the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, we provide expert Web ADA Accessibility Services, including:
- Web Accessibility Audits: A thorough assessment to identify accessibility barriers.
- Remediation Services: Our developers promptly fix any issues found in the audit to ensure ADA and WCAG compliance.
- Accessibility Testing & Monitoring: We conduct continual testing to ensure ongoing web accessibility.
For more information, visit EcomBack’s website for more information, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
