Spring digital accessibility reminders and resources
As we start off the spring semester, this is a good time to recognize the progress we've made, and to renew our focus on Accessible Iowa initiative. Thank you for all the ways you have worked to create a welcoming environment for our community.
This spring, the University of Iowa Accessibility Task Force has compiled several resources, training sessions, policies, and tools to help you achieve compliance with digital accessibility standards by April 24, 2026. These resources can also be found on the Accessibility at Iowa site. Follow these steps to keep you and your unit on track:
- Strengthen your skills in creating accessible content training on courses, documents, meetings, websites, and more. Start with the synchronous or asynchronous Course Accessibility for Everyone (CAFÉ) training. Then view the training calendar for upcoming opportunities.
- Get to know and use Anthology Ally in ICON to identify common accessibility concerns in your courses and where you can have an immediate impact. Use the QuickStart Guide or find more information at the Instructor FAQ. At a minimum, please use the accessibility tools in your current platform (e.g., Microsoft Office). You can also check out our guides to make Word or PDF files accessible.
- Use the Accessible ICON Course Template, which meets all major accessibility criteria for headings, tables, links, and color contrast. It also includes information and resources on how to continue these practices as you build your site with the template.
- Delete or archive digital course content you no longer use with TidyUp in ICON. TidyUp is a file cleanup tool built into ICON courses that allows you to quickly assess which files you want to keep, and which files can be safely deleted. The University of Iowa is also creating a content retention and archive process for all ICON courses to support accessible content. Starting in mid-spring 2026, instructors and admins may opt-in to this process, immediately archiving past courses and marking them as exempt from the Title II mandate.
- If you conduct research, reference the digital accessibility guidelines for researchers for guidance on conducting accessible research and ensuring all related websites, videos, and communication also meet accessibility standards.
How you can contribute
- Collaborate with your unit's accessibility liaison for guidance and support.
- Join training sessions to strengthen your accessibility knowledge.
- Conduct accessibility reviews of your materials and systems.
- Explore new tools that support compliance and usability.
- Leverage the resources on the Accessibility at Iowa website.
- Ask your accessibility questions via our online form or by emailing the Office of Civil Rights Compliance.
Note: this memo was also published on Jan. 21, 2026.