University of Mary Washington Adopts New Accessibility Platform

- The University of Mary Washington, a public liberal arts university in Fredericksburg, Virginia, serves approximately 3,800 to 4,300 students. Its learning management system is Canvas, which it has used since the fall of 2011. - This technology adoption is driven by a new Department of Justice (DOJ) rule updating Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which now mandates that public universities make their web content and mobile apps accessible. - The compliance deadline for public institutions serving 50,000 or more people is April 24, 2026, while smaller entities have until April 26, 2027. - The legally mandated technical standard is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, which covers websites, course materials, and mobile applications. This requires content to be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users. - The YuJa Panorama platform integrates directly into an LMS like Canvas to automatically check for accessibility issues in documents and course materials. It provides reports on issues and can automatically suggest or apply fixes. - It also generates alternative formats for students on-demand, such as Braille, audio podcasts, EPUB for e-readers, and versions compatible with other assistive technologies. - Previously, digital accessibility for universities was often handled reactively through individual accommodations; the new rule requires proactive accessibility, meaning content must be accessible by default. - Failure to comply with the new ADA rule can lead to significant legal and financial consequences, with past accessibility lawsuits against universities resulting in settlements and jury awards in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.