Compliance
On this page:
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Compliance
- Looking ahead: ADA Accessibility Essentials
- Why Quality Matters Alone is Insufficient
Compliance with regulations such as ADA, WCAG, Attribution, Copyright, Fair Use, Patent, and Trademark is crucial in higher education, particularly in the classroom, as it directly affects faculty, students, and the overall teaching and learning environment.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Compliance
Introduction
All courses must align with key accessibility fundamentals. Most of these are the sole responsibility of the faculty, although some accommodation requests, such as equipment rental, can be coordinated with the Office of Disability Services.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from discrimination.
In April 2024, the U.S. Attorney General signed a final rule addressing the specifics of digital accessibility compliance under Title II of the ADA. This requires that state and local governments ensure that all programs, services, and activities meet web accessibility standards. This includes all web content, mobile apps, and social media.
The ruling requires that all digital content meets WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA at minimum.
For more detailed information on ADA Title II, visit the ADA website:
More Information
For more detailed information on WCAG’s standards and best practices, visit their website:
- WCAG 2.1 Guidelines
- How to Meet WCAG (Quick Reference)
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provides a wide range of recommendations to make digital content more accessible. There are four qualities that the guidelines are grouped into:
Perceivable
Information and user components must be presentable to users in a way they can perceive.
Operable
User interface components and navigation must be operable.
Understandable
Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable.
Robust
Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.
Looking ahead: ADA Accessibility Essentials
Four-Year Compliance Plan for Wright State University
Note on Asterisks
Those items marked with an asterisk (*) indicate faculty participation.
Year 1: Foundational ADA Compliance (Academic Year 2024–2025)
- Captioned Multimedia*:
- Ensure all video and audio content across all courses is provided with closed captions.
- WSO guide: Closed Captioning for Audio and Video (PDF)
- Alternative Text Descriptions*:
- Include alt text for all images, graphs, and charts to support students using screen readers.
- WSO guide: Alternative Text (PDF)
- Accessible Course Syllabus*:
- Provide syllabi in accessible formats such as HTML and accessible PDFs for all courses.
- WSO guide: Accessible Text Based Material (PDF)
- Text-Based Materials*:
- Ensure all text-based materials (PDFs, Word documents) are formatted to be accessible by using structured headings, readable fonts, etc.
- WSO guide: Accessible Text Based Material (PDF)
- Accessible Assignments and Assessments*:
- Ensure all assignments and assessments are accessible, offering alternative formats where necessary.
- Training and Support for Faculty:
- Implement faculty training on ADA standards and best practices to empower them to create accessible content.
Year 2: Enhanced Compliance and Strategic Implementation (Academic Year 2025–2026)
- Keyboard Navigation*:
- Ensure all course content can be navigated using a keyboard, catering to students with mobility impairments.
- Accessible Discussions and Forums*:
- Provide accessible online discussion boards and forums, ensuring compatibility with screen readers.
- Interactive Content Accessibility*:
- Ensure interactive content (e.g., quizzes, forms, simulations) is accessible and meets ADA standards.
- Consistent and Clear Navigation*:
- Standardize course layout and structure to provide consistent and clear navigation for students.
- Enhanced Intellectual Property Compliance:
- Beyond Quality Matters, provide detailed guidance on copyright, fair use, and trademark regulations.
- Offer additional resources and training to ensure that all instructional materials comply with these legal standards.
- Collaborative Initiatives:
- Collaborate with other institutions to share best practices and enhance compliance and quality standards.
Year 3: Full ADA Compliance and Institutional Excellence (Academic Year 2026–2027)
- Classroom Accessibility:
- Ensure that all physical classroom spaces are fully accessible, including seating and assistive technology.
- Lecture Accessibility:
- Ensure all lectures are accessible through the use of microphones, captioned videos, and accessible lecture notes.
- Regular Accessibility Audits:
- Conduct regular audits of courses to ensure ongoing compliance with ADA standards.
- Comprehensive Legal Compliance:
- Implement ongoing audits that cover ADA, copyright, fair use, patent, and trademark laws to ensure that all courses meet these requirements comprehensively.
- Strategic Leadership and Support:
- Strengthen leadership and support systems, including the role of Wright State Online, to ensure continuous compliance and quality improvement beyond the QM framework.
Year 4: Sustainability and Continuous Improvement (Academic Year 2027–2028)
- Sustainability and Ongoing Support:
- Continue providing training and support for faculty, ensuring that all ADA compliance measures are sustained and updated as needed.
- Compliance with New Educational Technologies:
- Integrate new educational technologies and tools that enhance online learning while ensuring they comply with ADA, copyright, and other legal standards.
- Strategic Partnerships and External Funding:
- Establish strategic partnerships and secure external funding to support ongoing compliance and instructional design initiatives.
- Risk Management and Monitoring:
- Regularly monitor and evaluate compliance efforts, addressing potential risks and ensuring alignment with federal regulations and institutional goals.
- Continuous Development and Resource Allocation:
- Ensure continuous development of staff and optimal allocation of resources to maintain high standards in compliance and instructional quality.
Checklist
Attribution
Faculty:
Faculty members must give proper credit to the original creators of content used in their teaching materials. This not only models academic integrity but also respects the intellectual property of others.
Students:
Students learn the importance of acknowledging sources, which is a fundamental aspect of academic honesty and integrity. It also helps them understand the value of original work and the ethical use of information.
Teaching and Learning:
Proper attribution fosters a culture of respect for intellectual property and encourages critical thinking and ethical research practices among students.
Copyright
Faculty:
Faculty must ensure that the materials they use in the classroom are either within copyright guidelines or fall under exemptions like Fair Use. Unauthorized use of copyrighted materials can lead to legal consequences and undermine the institution's credibility.
Students:
Students are also taught the importance of respecting copyright in their academic work—understanding the legal boundaries of using published materials.
Teaching and Learning:
Compliance with copyright regulations protects the rights of content creators and ensures that educational institutions avoid legal liabilities, maintaining a lawful and ethical learning environment.
Fair Use
Faculty:
Faculty members often rely on the Fair Use doctrine to use copyrighted materials in their teaching. Understanding and applying Fair Use correctly allows them to use these materials to enrich the educational experience without infringing on copyright.
Students:
Students are introduced to the concept of Fair Use, learning how to apply it in their own academic work, which is essential for research and creative projects.
Teaching and Learning:
Proper application of Fair Use provisions enables educators to incorporate diverse materials into their teaching while staying within legal boundaries, enriching learning and understanding.
Patent
Faculty:
Faculty involved in research and innovation must be aware of patent regulations to protect their intellectual property and avoid infringing on existing patents. This is particularly important in STEM fields, where new inventions and technologies are developed.
Students:
Students working on innovative projects or research need to understand patent laws to protect their own creations and respect the inventions of others.
Teaching and Learning:
Awareness of patent regulations in the classroom encourages innovation while ensuring that students and faculty understand the importance of intellectual property protection, promoting a culture of creativity and respect for others' creations.
Trademark
Faculty:
Faculty must be careful not to misuse trademarks in teaching materials, as this could lead to legal challenges. Understanding trademark laws helps faculty avoid unintentional infringement.
Students:
Students learn the importance of respecting trademarks, which is crucial in disciplines such as business, marketing, and design, where brand identity plays a significant role.
Teaching and Learning:
Compliance with trademark laws ensures that the use of branded materials in the classroom is legal and ethical, preventing potential legal issues and teaching students about the importance of brand integrity and intellectual property.
Why Quality Matters Alone is Insufficient:
While the Quality Matters (QM) rubric is an excellent tool for guiding the quality of course design, it falls short in several key areas of compliance, including ADA, copyright, fair use, patent, and trademark laws. The QM rubric focuses primarily on course structure, alignment, and general accessibility, but it does not provide the comprehensive compliance guidance necessary to ensure full compliance with these complex and evolving standards.
Wright State University must go beyond the QM rubric by providing additional resources, detailed guidance, and continuous support to ensure that all courses meet the full spectrum of regulatory requirements. This approach not only safeguards the institution from legal risks but also ensures that all students receive an equitable, high-quality educational experience.
ADA Compliance
QM addresses some aspects of accessibility, but it lacks detailed guidance on ensuring full ADA compliance, particularly for real-time accommodations like live captioning or accessibility of third-party content in use in courses and instructional materials.
QM standards for accessibility are also much less stringent than ADA requirements. For example, while QM requires only 85% accuracy on closed captioning, ADA requires a minimum of 99% accuracy.
Copyright, Fair Use, and Trademark Compliance
QM suggests the need for properly credited instructional materials but does not offer specific guidance on determining copyright status, applying fair use principles, or handling trademarked materials. This leaves faculty without the necessary tools to navigate these compliance complexities confidently.
Patent Compliance
QM does not address patent compliance at all, which is critical for faculty using patented technologies or methods in their teaching.
Summary
Compliance with these regulations is essential to creating an ethical, inclusive, and legally sound educational environment. It ensures that faculty can teach effectively without risking legal repercussions, that students learn and practice integrity in their academic work, and that the teaching and learning process respects the rights of all parties involved. This compliance also fosters a culture of respect for diversity, creativity, and intellectual property within the classroom.
