Higher Ed Web Accessibility in 2026: How to Prepare for the New DOJ Rules

It’s crucial for higher ed organizations to not only stay up-to-date on the latest accessibility regulations but also to take actionable steps to ensure your organization is compliant. Beginning in 2026, the Department of Justice (DOJ) will implement rules that set technical standards for making websites, mobile applications, and digital documents accessible to people with disabilities. Taking early action is not just a legal requirement; it’s also essential to provide an inclusive digital experience for all residents.

We’re going to cover why this new rule is important and the steps you can take in the short term to prepare for this sooner rather than later.

Why This Rule Matters

If you’re not implementing accessibility standards into your higher ed website, it’s an extreme limitation for your users. It’s more people than you might think, since according to the World Health Organization, 16% of people experience significant disability.

Take alt text, for example. It might seem like a small detail, but skipping it can make your site inaccessible to visually impaired users. Adding descriptive alt text helps screen readers convey what’s on the page, creating a more inclusive experience.

Another big part of accessibility for higher ed websites comes down to PDFs and downloadable files. If these documents aren’t tagged correctly or don’t include text alternatives, they become a major barrier for people with disabilities. In other words, if your files aren’t accessible, your content isn’t either.

Those PDFs are often shared and used across your entire organization. That’s why it’s so important to keep your content library organized and easy to manage. Tools like Acquia DAM help by giving your team a centralized space to store and access the most up-to-date documents, so everyone’s always working from the same playbook.

The new rules that will be enacted in 2026 also mention more regulations around text size, video captioning, and more. However, depending on your state and local government’s population, compliance deadlines can vary:

• Populations of 50,000+: April 24, 2026.

• Smaller populations & special districts: April 26, 2027.

Keeping all this in mind, we’re going to give you some of the immediate steps you can take to make sure you start the new year off strong, no matter what.

Steps You Should Take to Ensure Higher Ed Compliance 

First things first, identify the key players responsible for maintaining accessibility compliance within your higher education organization. This usually includes your IT team, procurement, content authors, and any third-party vendors you work with. Everyone who touches your digital ecosystem should understand how their role impacts accessibility.

Once you have your team defined, make training and education a priority. Accessibility is not a one-time checklist; it is an ongoing effort that needs awareness across every department. We recommend starting with a full accessibility audit of your entire digital footprint, including your website, applications, and social media channels. Accessibility does not stop at your homepage; it extends to every digital touchpoint your students, staff, and community interact with.

Here is a practical checklist to guide your compliance efforts:

Higher Ed Accessibility Compliance Checklist

1. Identify Stakeholders: Assign responsibility across IT, content, procurement, and vendors.

2. Provide Team Training: Ensure everyone understands accessibility best practices and their specific responsibilities.

3. Conduct a Full Audit: Review your website, applications, PDFs, and social media accounts for accessibility gaps.

4. Tag and Optimize Documents: Make PDFs and downloadable files accessible with proper tagging and text alternatives.

5. Update Content Management Processes: Ensure future content follows accessibility guidelines from the start.

6. Test with Assistive Technologies: Use screen readers, keyboard navigation, and other tools to evaluate accessibility in real-world scenarios.

7. Create an Ongoing Monitoring Plan: Set up regular reviews to maintain compliance as technology and regulations evolve.

By following these steps, your school will not only meet compliance standards but also create a more inclusive digital experience for everyone who interacts with your content.

Risks of Noncompliance

The biggest risk of not prioritizing accessibility is simple but serious: you are leaving out a large portion of your web audience. When your content is not accessible, students, staff, and other visitors may not be able to fully engage with your site. This can lead to decreased engagement, frustration, and even public backlash that can affect your organization’s reputation.

Other risks go beyond audience reach. Noncompliance can lead to legal challenges or fines, especially as accessibility regulations continue to tighten as we move into 2026. It can also make internal processes less efficient if your team struggles to maintain content that does not meet accessibility standards. Simply put, ignoring accessibility not only excludes users but also creates organizational and legal headaches that could be avoided.

Ignoring accessibility compliance is more common than you might think. AudioEye recently found that the internet has eight times more accessibility issues today than it did just two years ago. That trend doesn’t have to continue, though. With a few straightforward steps, your organization can make sure it’s not contributing to the part of the web that remains inaccessible.

Final Thoughts on Upcoming Web Accessibility Rules for 2026

Accessibility should never be an afterthought when launching a new digital project. The best time to build in accessibility is from the very beginning, and that is exactly how we approach web development and design at Hounder. By keeping accessibility front and center, we help ensure your websites and digital solutions are usable by everyone from day one.

If your current websites or technology solutions are falling short, it is not too late to make improvements. We can help you identify areas that need accessibility optimizations and provide practical guidance to bring your digital presence in line with best practices.

Accessibility can no longer be put on the back burner. We know how busy your schedule can get, which is why having a partner like Hounder can make all the difference. Think of us as an extension of your team, ready to help you meet compliance requirements and deliver an inclusive digital experience for all users.