Digital Accessibility is the ability for people with disabilities to effectively and efficiently access digital resources with substantially equivalent ease of use and timeliness.
Per The Ohio State University Digital Accessibility Policy (PDF), “all digital information and digital services acquired, developed or delivered by any unit must be accessible and in compliance with the Minimum Digital Accessibility Standards.” Anyone, including faculty, staff and students, who creates or publishes digital content at Ohio State is responsible for making it accessible. If your department or area does not have a Digital Accessibility Coordinator, Designee, or support for this work, please speak with your supervisor or department leadership about how best to support these requirements moving forward.
To help us work together to meet these requirements, the list of resources below provides links to more information, training and frequently asked questions.
Learn more about making your content digitally accessible
Resources
Digital Accessibility Center
The Digital Accessibility Center is a partnership between The Ohio State University ADA Coordinator’s Office, part of the Office of Institutional Equity and the Office of Student Life Disability Services.
- The Ohio State University Digital Accessibility Policy (PDF)
- Minimum Digital Accessibility Standards (MDAS)
Digital Accessibility Services
The Ohio State University’s Digital Accessibility Services provides resources and assistance to those producing digital content, acquiring or building digital products, or who are serving as a Digital Accessibility Coordinator.
Frequently Asked Questions
All documents posted to our websites must meet accessibility standards, including Microsoft Office documents.
The preferred file format for posting documents to our websites is a PDF. Microsoft Office documents should only be posted when that file format is required for the function of the document (e.g. templates meant to be edited or data shared in an Excel file).
Yes, there are some third-party vendors that specialize in document and PDF accessibility remediation. Check with your Accessibility Coordinator, department designee or manager for options. There is a cost associated with working with third-party vendors, but your department or area may find this a good solution.
These requirements apply to all documents. An audit of all documents currently posted on our websites is underway.
When submitting a Workfront Web Request, the requestor is required to note if documents attached to the request are intended to be uploaded to the website. If they are, the documents must be fully accessible and a passing accessibility report must be included.
The Ohio State University Digital Accessibility Center staff provide weekly office hours every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to help answer your questions about accessibility topics. Visit the Digital Accessibility Center website to learn more and get the Zoom link for the virtual office hours (OSU login required).
Note: Please ensure you've used all available training and resources before seeking help with content accessibility.