This semester the library is enhancing a few of our accessibility services and launching a new one; we are here to help you bring your library supported course materials up to compliance as the ADA Title II April 2027 deadline approaches!
What do we mean when we say ADA Title II compliance?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 sought to improve the way we interact with public spaces, aiming to allow all people to participate equitably, regardless of ability. In 2024, Title II expanded this access to online public spaces. As a state institution, Towson University is legally required to bring our digital experiences into compliance with the Title II regulations. But also, accessibility is a core value. We want to ensure all members of our community (students, faculty, staff, and more) can use the services we provide. To support equitable access, we will all need to adjust our workflows in a variety of ways; I invite you to start today by exploring your course documents.
What to do with PDFs?
Do you often share course materials such as articles, instructions, or syllabi as PDFs? PDFs have long been a standard file format in academia and beyond, but unfortunately PDFs are also notoriously inaccessible. We recommend starting with the Three Rs of Accessibility: Reduce, Replace, and Remediate.
Reduce
Remove course documents you no longer need.We all have accumulated many documents over the years. If your Blackboard course has materials that no longer serve the objectives of your course, consider removing them.
Replace
For inaccessible PDFs that do align with course objectives, consider replacing them with a Permalink.
The library has access to over 400 databases and we have amended our Course Reserves service to include more robust accessibility checks. Permalinks or HTML e-reserves should always be accessible, but with a combination of digital tools and manual remediation, we are also able to bring the PDFs linked through this service up to compliance.
Remediate
Fixing through remediation is the last stop, not the first step. The Library Accessibility Coordinator will help remediate PDFs of library owned/licensed materials for accessibility when possible, but please be aware that it is an imperfect and time-consuming process. Reducing the number of inaccessible documents or replacing them with accessible materials is always preferable.
Library Accessibility Support Form
One of the simplest ways to request help is through the library's new Report an Accessibility Barrier form. Please submit a ticket for assistance with physical or digital accessibility barriers, broken or missing content, or to request materials in an accessible format. Questions? Feel free to reach out to libraryaccessibility@towson.edu!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can help make my course compliant with the ADA Title II regulations?
The staff in the Faculty Academic Center of Excellence at Towson (FACET) office, Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS), and Cook Library are happy to help you understand Title II or connect you with someone who can. The library focuses on course materials, FACET on instructional design, and ADS on accommodations.
How do I check if a PDF is accessible or not?
Adobe Acrobat Pro offers a tool called "Prepare for accessibility." This action opens the Accessibility Checker window; when run, a checklist will appear on the right-hand side of the screen with alerts next to any section flagged for remediation.Note: Color contrast and logical reading order will always require a manual check. You can check the reading order within Acrobat Pro using the reading order tool and sites like WebAIM have effective contrast checkers. TU faculty automatically have access to Acrobat Pro as part of a limited set. If it is not on your computer yet, learn how to install at the OTS software site.
I have scanned two chapters of a book from my personal library that will be required reading for my class. How can I make sure the material is accessible?
This practice isn't recommended since sharing a text — even relatively short portions — in this way isn't always permitted under copyright law. Instead, we recommend searching for the item in Cook OneSearch and posting the Permalink that's provided. Our e-resource vendors are aware of the need for ADA Title II compliance, so items accessed on their platforms via Permalinks should meet accessibility requirements. If you can't find the item in Cook OneSearch, contact your department's Subject Librarian or use one of ourAsk a Librarian services. If not, you may be able to request an accessible copy via Course Reserves or Interlibrary Loan. The Copyright Librarian can assist with questions on fair use.
I have documents that require specialized alt text such as images of art, complex infographics, or mathematical formulas. Who can help me make sure these documents are accessible?
In the case of highly specialized documents, it is best to consider what you intend to communicate with the image. See TU's alt text best practices page or FACET's accessible images page for more information. You can also feel free to reach out to your department chair, FACET instructional designer, or subject librarian with questions about subject-specific documents. Many departments are acquiring software designed to address the particular challenges surfacing in individual subject areas.
What should I do if one of my course materials has been remediated for accessibility, but it is still not accessible to one or more of my students?
Please reach out to both the Library Accessibility Coordinator and Accessibility & Disability Services (ADS) to ensure that the student(s) can be accommodated.
How can I make sure my course textbook is accessible?
It is a library priority to support affordable and accessible textbooks. We have acquired over 600 course e-books as well as print items and continue to add more each semester. A list of current textbook holdings is available on our website along with a form to request new textbooks for the library (please check the catalogue for the title before submitting). If you have questions about purchasing departmental books for the library, please reach out to your library liaison.