ATI Newsletter - Spring 2025
April 25, 2025
A Message from our Accessibility Technology Initiative (ATI) Executive Sponsors
Dear Campus Community,
As our campus executive sponsors for the CSU Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI), we are pleased to share with you the latest edition of our ATI/Title II Compliance Newsletter. This newsletter is part of our ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment for all members of our campus community.
In this issue, we highlight ATI training opportunities that underscore our dedication to compliance with the CSU ATI requirements and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title II regulations. Our goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, has equal access to the resources and services available at our university.
Highlights of this issue include a summary of the Department of Justice’s new rule on the Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps, ATI/ADA/Title II compliance training opportunities, and tips for creating ADA/ATI compliant digital flyers and email announcements. We believe that accessibility is a shared responsibility and invite you to join us in our efforts to create a more inclusive campus. Your feedback and participation are invaluable as we continue to enhance our accessibility initiatives.
Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to making CSULB a welcoming place for everyone.
Go Beach!
Beth Lessen, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs
Accessible Technology Initiative Sponsor & Co-Chair
Min Yao, Ph.D.
Vice President & Chief Information Officer
Accessible Technology Initiative Sponsor & Co-Chair
Department of Justice’s New Rule on the Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps
On April 24, 2024, the Federal Register published the Department of Justice’s final rule updating its regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The final rule has the following specific requirements:
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA is the technical standard for state and local governments’ web content and mobile apps.
- State and local governments’ web content needs to meet WCAG 2.1, Level AA.
- State and local governments’ mobile apps usually need to meet WCAG 2.1, Level AA
- The requirements must be met by government agencies with 50,000 or more people by or on April 24, 2026.
ADA Title II Campus Resources
We are a year away from the deadline for complying with the Department of Justice’s Americans with Disabilities Act Title II Accessibility of Web and Mobile Apps ruling. CSULB is collaborating with the Chancellor’s Office to provide updates and resources for our campus. For more details, please visit the CSULB ADA Title II Update webpage. We will use this page to keep the campus informed about responsibilities and resources as they become available.
Accessibility Training through Allyant
We have partnered with Allyant to provide accessibility training to the campus community. No registration is required for these trainings.
Accessibility Designer Training
In depth training on Color Contrast and/or Images. We go through the ins and outs of how to select color pallets, write an alt attribute, etc. as well as general design best practices.
Intended Audience: Designers and Content Creators
Skill Level: Beginner
April 14 @10:00 - 11:30am
Accessibility Designer Training on Teams - (Recording available)
Accessibility Testing 101
Introduction training for accessibility with Keyboard, Screen Reader, and Color Contrast
Intended Audience: Developers and Programmers
Skill Level: Intermediate
April 16 @10:00am - 11:00am
Accessibility Testing 101 on Teams - (Recording available)
Intro to Digital Accessibility
Building a base layer of understanding of why Accessibility and Web Accessibility is important. It also includes screen reader and keyboard demo.
Intended Audience: General
Skill Level: Beginner
June 2 @10:00 - 11:30am
Join Intro to Digital Accessibility on Teams
Accessible Customer Support Training
Ensure customer support service remains compliant with the essential aspects of accessible customer support.
Intended Audience: Anyone who interacts with the public or students
Skill Level: Beginner
June 4 @10:00 - 11:30am
Join Accessible Customer Support Training on Teams
Accessibility Training Workshops through Academic Technology Services (ATS)
As our campus prepares for the upcoming changes to ADA Title II, we’re committed to ensuring that all members of our campus are informed and equipped to create accessible learning environments. To support this effort, our instructional designers have been providing accessibility workshops designed to help faculty and staff understand these new requirements and implement best practices. Keep an eye on our Events and Workshops page for upcoming trainings and access past recordings. Stay ahead of the changes and join us in fostering a more accessible campus for everyone!
Demystifying ADA Compliance
Intended Audience: Faculty
Skill Level: Beginner
April 22 @1:00pm
Register for Demystifying ADA Compliance
Accessibility Training through Bob Murphy Access Center (BMAC)
Unlock the power of accessibility with the Bob Murphy Access Center’s Accessible Technology Program (BMAC-ATP)! Enroll in their Canvas courses for Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and PDF to master the basics of document accessibility. To register, please fill out the Canvas Accessibility Course Enrollment Form. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your skills and ensure your documents are accessible to all!
Tips and Tricks: Email & Web Flyers
Many campus offices and units use digital flyers in emails or on their website to inform students and the public about upcoming events. Any communication provided on behalf of the campus, including student events, must be accessible.
If you send this graphic in an email by itself, this is not accessible. You can attach your flyer image to your email, and in the body of the email put the event information in text. You can also embed the flyer image in the body of the email with the alt text for the image labeled as “event flyer”. You should then put actual text in the body of the email. Attaching a PDF is unnecessary, more difficult for most users and likely to be less accessible.
In addition to this being an accessibility best practice for flyers, this provides a variety of other benefits:
- Any links can be clicked.
- The text is searchable and discoverable, making it easier to find in previous emails or on the website.
- Text can be highlighted to copy and paste, making it easier to move details to other apps (for instance, a calendar).
This guidance has been updated based on changes to the WCAG Understanding Success Criteria Document: Understanding S.C 1.4.5
Did You Know…
Closed captions on videos benefit not only those who are deaf or hard of hearing, but also people in noisy environments and those learning a new language.
Questions about accessibility?
Please contact ATI-Compliance@csulb.edu
