Help from the Accessibility Team

The Accessibility Team is a group of skilled and knowledgeable student workers who assist instructors in making courses accessible. From document remediation to captioning, the team offers services that improve course accessibility and can reduce the need for individual accommodations.

The A-Team currently offers these services:

• Create, edit, or review captions for pre-recorded course materials
• Review and remediate documents to improve accessibility and usability

Help Using Accessibility Tools

Get guidance on using accessibility tools that can help identify and fix accessibility issues in course content.

Accessibility Consultations

Meet with us to review accessibility basics, ask questions about new guidelines, or explore best practices for accessible teaching.

Upcoming Federal Requirements and Support for Instructors

New federal regulations governing the accessibility of digital content in higher education will take effect on April 24, 2026. This includes course materials in Canvas and on instructional websites. Recent campus communications from Interim CP/EVC Paul Koch and the Teaching and Learning Center have provided instructors with guidance, tools and timelines to support compliance. To ensure that this information is easy to find in one place, the key resources and links from those messages are compiled below.

New Tool in Canvas: UDOIT

UDOIT (“You Do It”) is now available for early adopters in Canvas. It scans your course for common accessibility issues, such as missing alt text or non-structured headings, and provides step by step guidance for making improvements.

• Available now for early adopters
• Automatic rollout planned for Winter 2026
• Visible only to instructors and TAs
• UDOIT Getting Started Guide

UDOIT was funded through a UC Office of the President grant and selected by the Technology Enhanced Teaching and Learning committee to support instructors in meeting upcoming federal requirements.

Getting Started with UDOIT Workshops

In addition to the support listed below, the TLC will offer two Getting Started with UDOIT workshops:

• Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 10am PT (registration here)
• Thursday, Dec. 11 at 2pm PT (registration here)

What These Requirements Mean for You

Between now and April, instructors are asked to review their course materials for potential accessibility barriers and begin addressing them. Common issues include:

• Images without descriptions
• Documents that cannot be read by screen readers
• Videos without captions
• Links or headings that are unclear or missing

The amount of work will vary by course. Some will require only small updates while others may need more attention. These requirements are federal regulations that apply to all courses and all digital instructional content.

For students who receive accommodations through the Disability Resource Center, the DRC will continue to support instructors in implementing those accommodations.

Expanded Support from the Teaching and Learning Center

The TLC has developed additional accessibility support to assist instructors during this transition.

• Accessible Courses and Teaching (ACT) virtual drop in hours for help with UDOIT and accessibility questions
• TLC Guide: Creating Accessible Course Materials
• Accessibility resources in the TLC Resource Library

Recommended Timeline

Fall 2025 and Winter 2026
Begin reviewing the courses you will teach in spring using UDOIT. Attend ACT office hours or workshops as needed.

Spring 2026
Use TLC support and campus resources to update remaining course materials before the April 24 deadline.

Ongoing
Integrate accessibility practices into course design and continue engaging with campus resources for support.

Learn More About the Requirements

• U.S. Department of Justice: Fact Sheet on the New Rule for Web Content and Mobile Apps
• U.S. Department of Education: Digital Accessibility Video Series
• UC Santa Cruz: Digital Accessibility Fundamentals
• UC Santa Cruz: Make IT Accessible

If you have questions or would like support, please contact the TLC at tlc@ucsc.edu.