Our most recent monthly Virtual Office Hour focused on the shifting landscape of accessibility compliance in K-12 EdTech. While the looming Department of Justice (DOJ) deadlines may feel daunting, the session highlighted how districts can leverage LearnPlatform to turn compliance into a standardized, manageable process—much like the evolution of data privacy agreements.
Presentation
LearnPlatform Accessibility Resources
Understanding the Landscape
Accessibility is rapidly becoming "the new data privacy." Under Title II of the ADA, state and local governments, including school districts, must ensure their services and EdTech content are accessible to everyone. This mandate covers web apps, online content, and mobile applications used at the district level.
Key Deadlines to Watch:
- Districts over 50,000 residents: Compliance deadline is April 24, 2026.
- Districts under 50,000 residents (and special districts): Compliance deadline is April 26, 2027.
To meet these requirements, digital content must conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. The goal is to ensure all digital content follows the P.O.U.R. model:
- Perceivable: Users can recognize and use information regardless of the senses they rely on (e.g., providing captions for audio or alt-text for images).
- Operable: User interface components and navigation must be functional for everyone, such as ensuring full usability via keyboard navigation.
- Understandable: Information and the operation of the interface must be easy for users to grasp and follow.
- Robust: Content must be compatible with a wide range of user agents, including various browsers and assistive technologies like screen readers.
How LearnPlatform is Supporting You
We believe in walking the talk and are currently updating the LearnPlatform UI to ensure it is fully WCAG 2.1 AA compliant.
Beyond our own platform updates, here are ways you can use LearnPlatform for your vetting process today:
- Vendor Tag Checklists: We have added a system-level WCAG feature checklist that you can include in your Provider Application forms. This allows vendors to self-identify which accessibility features—such as screen reader support or captions—are present in their products. The features or tags the vendor selects will be applied to the associated product only if the application is accepted.
- Visible Accessibility Links: Vendors can add direct accessibility documentation links to their library pages. We are working on making these products easily filterable in the future so you can quickly see which vendors have prioritized compliance.
- Note: Here is a current list of vendors that have included a link in the accessibility field of their product details. Just because they included a link does not mean that these products meet accessibility standards. However, it is an indication that they are aware of the importance and/or are working towards compliance.
- Internal Vetting Workflows: You can create custom Reviewer Forms and dedicated workflow steps for your internal accessibility experts. This ensures every new product request undergoes a standardized accessibility check before approval.
- Custom Accessibility Reviewer Form: Customize the questions completed and information collected by your internal accessibility expert. This could allow the district to give products an “accessibility rating,” or indicate that some products are not fully compliant yet, especially since some vendors might not have a completed VPAT or meet all WCAG 2.1 AA standards right now.
- Accessibility Review Workflow: One-Step, As-Needed, Manually triggered from the Admin Product library. This workflow can be used to review products already in your library that just need an accessibility review. Prioritize reviewing your highest used products first.
- Update Existing New Product Workflows: Automate compliance moving forward by adding an accessibility step to any existing workflows. This will ensure that any newly reviewed products will go through an accessibility review.
- Public Product Library (PPL): Publishing your list of accessible products in your PPL increases public transparency for your vetted tools. This public-facing list can be shared as needed or embedded directly on your district website to demonstrate ongoing compliance efforts.
Collaborative Action
We encourage districts to use their collective voice to educate vendors about the importance of accessibility in K-12 school districts. Just like data privacy, the more districts ask for and require this information, the more its sharing becomes standardized. By including specific messaging in your Provider Application invitations regarding the importance of DOJ deadlines, we can push the entire EdTech ecosystem toward a more accessible future.
Next Steps
- Check out our LearnPlatform Accessibility Resources
- Join the Early Adopter Program (EAP): Sign up to get a sneak peek of our new, accessible UI and provide your feedback.
- Mark Your Calendar: Our next Virtual Office Hour is April 15th, focusing on custom-created products. Registration Link
- Check the Community: Look for our updated product roadmap coming soon to the Instructure Community page.
