According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, as many as 1 in 5 undergraduate students (and 1 in 10 graduate students) has some kind of disability. Supporting and educating the whole person—cura personalis—is at the heart of the Le Moyne mission. Ensuring our digital course materials are accessible is a key part of fostering an inclusive and just learning environment.

Not only is digital accessibility the right thing to do to strengthen and maintain a welcoming and inclusive educational environment, it’s the law. Just as our physical spaces must and should be accessible for those with disabilities, so must and should be our online spaces. The Department of Justice updated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that digital content and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Title II and its implications for other federal compliance requirements such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (for private institutions who receive HHS funding) were effective in 2024, the compliance deadline is May 2026. The updated federal regulations require that all digital content used in our courses meet established web accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 Level AA) by May 11, 2026.

Le Moyne College is committed to providing the resources and training necessary to help faculty meet this milestone with confidence. These resources are designed to help faculty and staff identify accessibility issues and take practical steps to address them.

Defining Digital Accessibility

Digital accessibility focuses on ensuring that digital materials can be accessed and used by people with disabilities, including individuals who rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers, captioning, or keyboard navigation. This means taking specific steps to ensure that those materials are usable by all people, including those with visual, hearing, cognitive, or motor impairments. These practices improve usability for a broad range of users and support compliance efforts.

While accessibility needs are different for each individual, it may be useful to watch the video below depicting use of a screen reader for an example of how inaccessible materials can affect students’ and colleagues’ ability to access learning and work materials.

Digital Accessibility Resources and Support

1. Core Digital Accessibility Support: Panorama

Yuja Panorama is a comprehensive digital accessibility checking tool available in Canvas and as a standalone platform that can be accessed using ECHO login.

Available remediation features with Panorama

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Yuja Panorama Logo

2. Document Creation and Editing: Microsoft Suite & Adobe Pro

Microsoft offers an ecosystem of accessibility tools designed to help every user create, collaborate, and communicate with confidence. You can use the Make Your Content Accessible to Everyone guide to learn quick, practical ways to make your documents, slides, and emails more accessible—things like adding clear structure, using alt text, and checking for common accessibility issues.

Licenses for Adobe Acrobat Professional, which can be used to make PDF files more accessible, are available by submitting an IT Service Desk request. Acrobat includes tools to convert text from scanned images with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and add alt text or tags.

3. Captioning Videos: Kaltura

Kaltura is a secure video platform for capturing, managing, and sharing video content. All Le Moyne faculty, staff, and students have the ability to create, edit, and share recordings in Kaltura. Kaltura generates automated closed captions for videos, which can be easily edited for accuracy to comply with accessibility standards. To access Kaltura, click the “My Media” button on the Canvas global navigation menu.

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Kaltura Video Platform Logo

 

4. Digital Accessibility Fundamentals Asynchronous Course

The Instructional Design & Academic Technology (IDAT) team created a Digital accessibility fundamentals course as an asynchronous resource for the campus community. In this asynchronous course, you will learn about the basics of digital accessibility, the accessibility checking tool available in Canvas, and remediation tips and tricks. If you would like to be enrolled in this self-paced course, please contact the IT Service Desk at servicedesk@lemoyne.edu or 315.445.4579 and indicate your intention to be enrolled in the Digital Accessibility Basics course, and the IDAT team will enroll you in the course.

5. More Complex Materials: Licensed and External Resources

Making features such as equations, graphs, and complex graphics accessible can depend upon both the context and intent of the material and the platform you create it in. A few great resources are provided below; please share additional useful resources with us by emailing us at academictechnology@lemoyne.edu

• Complex Images – guidance from the Web Accessibility Institute

• Image Description Guidelines for Assessments - general guide for creating descriptions for images in assessments.

• Accessible Math Languages & Tools – collaboratively resourced compilation highlighting different tools

• Preparing Accessible Math Content - a 14-page document designed to provide concise guidance and examples to help authors prepare accessible mathematical content for books, journals, and other scholarly outputs.

• Overleaf – a LaTeX editor that has accessibility features and meets WCAG 2.2 standards

• Desmos – a free math tool with an accessibility focus

• Data, Charts, and Graphs – a useful resource from Harvard University

• Accessible Image Sample Book - a free online resource that shows you what some of the many options are for creating accessible versions of digital images

• Equatio (LMC Licensed) - an accessible tool integrated in Canvas as an external application, can be added to the browser as an extension, and is available as downloadable software on your desktop.

6. Digital Accessibility Support Series

There are various support sessions offered to the campus community in multiple formats to accommodate preferences and schedules.

1. Looking for more info? Our FAQ section covers the essentials of digital accessibility at Le Moyne, helping you find the answers you need to keep your courses on track

2. Digital One-on-one Consultations - If you need more tailored support, schedule a one-on-one session to get personalized support from our Instructional Design and Service Desk team at a time that fits your schedule.

3. Spring 2026: Panorama New Toolkit Walkthrough - A hybrid session offering the tools in action. Details and registration included. Recordings of these walkthroughs are available on the dedicated Panorama page.

4. Digital Accessibility Open Office Hours - We will be holding open sessions to help assist faculty with questions regarding Panorama in their courses. To make our time together as productive as possible, please follow this quick checklist before you arrive. Sessions will take place on Wednesday, March 25, Friday, March 27, Tuesday, March 31, and Wednesday, April 1. Space is limited - register for a session using this link.

   1. Upload Your Content Early: Our accessibility tool, Panorama, needs a little time to work its magic. Upload any documents (PDFs, PowerPoints, Word docs) to your Canvas Files or specific modules. Please do this at least 2–3 hours before you stop by. This allows Panorama to scan your files and generate a detailed accessibility report, so we can dive straight into the solutions when you arrive.

   2. Bring Your Device: Since we’ll be working directly within your course, please bring the device, preferably a laptop (and charger, don't forget the power brick!). Ensure you are logged into Canvas and have your MFA device handy if needed.

   3. Identify Your Priorities: You don't have to fix everything in one sitting. Think about: Which course is your current priority? Are there specific "problem files" (like old scanned PDFs) you're worried about? Do you have specific questions about Alt-Text, Heading structures, or Captioning?

7. Document Accessibility Remediation Support

We have increased our team of Document Accessibility Remediation (DART) experts to offer direct support. If you have a document that is taking longer than 10 minutes to fix, or if the automated tools aren't quite working out, consider DART services! Simply fill out this DART Request Form and contact the Le Moyne College Service Desk by phone at (315) 445-4579 or by portal by creating an IT service request after submitting this form. 

Get Help & Support

• Instructional Design & Academic Technology: The best way to request support is by submitting a service ticket with the IT Service Desk at (315) 445-4579, or email at serviedesk@lemoyne.edu or via portal servicedesk.lemoyne.edu

• Disability Support Services (DSS): For questions regarding student accommodations, contact the DSS office in the Noreen Reale Falcone Library (1st Floor) at (315) 445-4118.