Start Small. Start Now. Use the 3 Rs Framework

Summary

Imagine that you discovered that unbeknownst to you, your spell check has been turned off for the past 10 years. How would you approach fixing the content you created during that time? With what urgency and in what order? 

This is very similar to the situation many of us find ourselves in related to digital accessibility. Unbeknownst to many of us, our documents, slides, course sites, public web pages, and other digital content have not been checked for the small changes that make them accessible to all people, including those with disabilities. A recent ruling from the Department of Justice has clarified the requirement for content shared digitally to be accessible by April 24, 2026. This includes content shared on Canvas course sites, websites, emails, and more.

Start small. Start now. 

Three Rs of Digital Accessibility: Remove, revise, and right first

The three Rs framework can help you prioritize and guide your next steps. Learn about each aspect of the framework below.

The 3 R's Framework

Expand all

The 3 R's Framework

Remove

To reduce your overall effort, consider removing content that you do not need to share right now and deleting content that you no longer need. 

Revise

Revise any digital content that you need to share. 

  • Prioritize the content you need to share now or in the near term. 
  • Identify high-impact content: Focus on materials that are used frequently or are critical for success. 
  • Address accessibility for the most common disabilities, including:
    • Visual Impairments: Use alt text for images, provide screen reader-friendly formats, and ensure sufficient color contrast. 
    • Hearing Impairments: Add captions or transcripts for all audio and video content. 
    • Cognitive and Learning Disabilities: Use clear language, structured headings, and consistent layouts to improve navigation. 
  • Tackle issues identified by automated accessibility checkers - Use accessibility checking tools (PopeTech, UDoIT, etc.) to identify and prioritize fixes. Automated checkers can highlight critical errors like missing alt text, lack of structure in documents, or color contrast issues. 

Right First

Creating new content with digital accessibility in mind is crucial for several reasons:

  • The University of Minnesota values equity, diversity, and inclusion. Digital accessibility ensures all people, including those with disabilities, have equal access to materials, enhancing their engagement and success. 
  • Legal Compliance. The Department of Justice ruling requires us to bring our course sites, websites, and other digital materials into compliance by April 2026.
  • Saves Time and Resources. Proactively creating accessible content reduces the need for retrofitting and redesigning later. This saves time and resources, as fixing accessibility issues after the fact can be labor-intensive.
  • Improves Usability for Everyone. Accessible design often enhances the usability of content for all students, not just those with disabilities. For example:
    • Clear structure, headings, and consistent layout help everyone navigate and comprehend information more easily.
    • Captions and transcripts for videos can assist all students, including those learning in non-native languages or studying in noisy environments.

How You Can Make Digital Content Accessible

Expand all

How You Can Make Digital Content Accessible

Learn and Practice Digital Accessibility Skills

Use Accessibility Checkers

Accessibility checkers help you discover content that is not accessible.