Does an online college class have to be accessible?

Q: Does an online college class have to be accessible?

A: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individuals with disabilities must have an equal opportunity to access the services and activities of colleges and universities. Both the Department of Justice and the Department of Education recognize the need for this equal opportunity under the ADA as well as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Online course accessibility means that a student using a screen reader form of assistive technology can read and manipulate an online learning management system and the documents provided by faculty. It means that a student who is Deaf or hard-of-hearing has access to captions for videos and other multimedia. Accessibility in the digital environment requires thoughtful planning and preparation by institutions and faculty in how they deliver virtual learning.