On April 24, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published a new rule on digital accessibility under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This rule requires all university content and technology — including websites, documents, videos, learning systems, mobile applications and other digital tools — to meet federal accessibility standards as specified by the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

On April 20, 2026, this deadline was extended by one year to April 26, 2027. Despite the extension, the university’s efforts at ensuring compliance are moving forward with the same urgency as before.

In addition to the UT system’s policy on accessibility, the following have been established or are being developed for implementation in accordance with the 2024 ADA Title II rule:

• A University of Tennessee, Knoxville, steering committee to address the accessibility of information, instructional materials, and technology on campus;
• Resources and tools for faculty and staff to improve the university’s digital content;
• Training for faculty and staff on identifying and using accessible materials and technology in the classroom and in all communications;
• Internal monitoring of compliance in accordance with the system policy; and
• Ongoing evaluation for the effectiveness of our campus program.

Accessible experiences are everyone’s shared responsibility. All UT community members—faculty, staff, students, and guests—have a right to access and equal opportunity.