On March 17, 2026, the UC Information Technology Accessibility Policy (UC IMT-1300) became effective. This Policy provides direction to community members as UC prepares for new web accessibility laws that go into effect May 11, 2026 and beyond. IMT-1300 and the upcoming federal laws use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standard, a globally recognized framework. This policy removes digital barriers and ensures that all UC community members can fully engage with our digital environments and access information in an increasingly digital world.

This article outlines the guidelines, why they exist, key requirements, practical steps to achieve compliance, and resources available to the community.

What are WCAG 2.1 AA Guidelines?

WCAG is a set of technical standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The guidelines define how digital content — including websites, documents, and presentations — should be structured to be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users.

The AA level is the most commonly required standard in accessibility laws and organizational policies. It strikes a practical balance between broad usability and the technical effort needed to achieve compliance.

Why These Guidelines Exist

The WCAG guidelines were created to address a fundamental inequity: for millions of people with disabilities, inaccessible digital content creates real barriers to information, services, and participation. These barriers can be as significant as a physical barrier preventing entry to a building.

Any digital content created or maintained must meet WCAG 2.1 AA requirements. Content that remains publicly accessible — such as archived webpages from past events — must either be remediated or clearly labeled as archived. Review the U.S. Department of Justice guidance for full details.

Accessible design also improves usability for all users — not just those with disabilities. Clear document structure, sufficient color contrast, and descriptive link text benefit everyone, including users on mobile devices, in low-bandwidth environments, or in noisy settings.

10 Key Accessibility Requirements

Meeting WCAG 2.1 AA involves a range of technical and design considerations. The following requirements represent the most critical areas for document and web content creators.

1. Use Accessible Templates and Layouts

Start with accessibility built in. Use templates that incorporate proper reading order, semantic structure, and sufficient contrast. UCLA's Strategic Communications team provides pre-approved accessible PowerPoint templates.

2. Provide Text Alternatives for Images

Every meaningful image must have alternative text (alt text) that conveys its purpose or content. Alt text should be concise but specific — you do not need to write "image of," but you may specify format (e.g., "black and white photograph of..."). Purely decorative images should be marked as decorative. View UCLA alt text examples.

3. Ensure Sufficient Color Contrast

Text and meaningful graphical elements must have adequate contrast against their backgrounds. WCAG AA requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Verify color choices with the WebAIM Contrast Checker.

4. Use Meaningful Hyperlink Text

Avoid vague link text such as "click here" or "read more." Each hyperlink should clearly describe its destination or purpose so that screen reader users navigating by link understand where the link leads without reading the surrounding context.

5. Add Proper Document Structure and Headings

Use semantic heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) rather than manually styling text with font size or bold to simulate a heading. Every document and webpage should have a single Heading 1. Subsequent sections should use Heading 2 and Heading 3 in a logical hierarchy — essential for screen reader navigation and generating accessible tables of content.

6. Ensure Readable Fonts and Sizes

Choose clean, legible fonts and avoid overly decorative typefaces for body content. Font sizes should be large enough to read comfortably without magnification, and text should be resizable without loss of content or functionality. For presentations, it’s recommended that you use Sans-serif fonts such as Helvetica, Arial, and Calibri, which are visually easier to read than Serif fonts like Times New Roman.

7. Avoid Using Color Alone to Convey Meaning

Do not rely solely on color to communicate information — for example, using red text to indicate an error without any additional cue. Always pair color with text, icons, or patterns so that users who are color blind or use high-contrast modes can still understand the content.

8. Use Table Headers and Simple Structures

Tables used for data should include proper header rows and/or columns so that assistive technologies can correctly communicate the relationship between cells and their headers. Avoid merged cells wherever possible — they create significant remediation challenges, particularly when converting to PDF.

9. Check Reading Order

The logical reading order of a document must match its visual order. In PowerPoint, use the Reading Order pane to specify the sequence that screen readers use. In Word, the Navigation Pane provides a live view of heading structure. Before distributing any document, verify that the reading order flows naturally from start to finish.

10. Run Built-In Accessibility Checkers

Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat each include accessibility checkers that flag common issues — missing alt text, insufficient contrast, improper heading structure, and more. Keep in mind that automated checkers do not catch every issue and should be supplemented with manual review.

Conclusion

Accessibility is an ongoing commitment to inclusive design. WCAG 2.1 AA provides a clear, practical framework for ensuring that digital content can be used by everyone, regardless of ability. Departments should audit existing content, adopt accessible authoring practices, and build accessibility review into their standard publishing workflows. We realize the volume of materials requiring remediation varies from department to department and may feel overwhelming. The following resources exist to get you started:

Training Offerings:

• UCNet’s Practical Accessibility Webinar Series Recordings
• LinkedIn Learning Creating Accessible PDFs Course
• Office of Advanced Research Computing (OARC) Trainings, including:
  • Introduction to Document Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility Basics

Additional Resources

• UC Digital Accessibility
• UCLA DTS Governance and General Resources
• UCLA Web Accessibility Initiative
• UCLA Brand Accessibility Guidelines — pre-approved color combinations, typography, and digital element standards
• Understand Your Website’s Accessibility Readiness Using SiteImprove
• WebAIM Contrast Checker — free tool for verifying color contrast ratios
• ADA Web Accessibility Rule — U.S. DOJ guidance
• UCOP Word and PDF Accessibility Guide — in-depth guidance on interpreting and correcting accessibility checker flags
• PPTX Accessibility Cheat Sheet — quick reference for PowerPoint accessibility
• UCLA PDF Accessibility Resource
• Helpful Document Accessibility Resources
• UCOP Electronic Accessibility Standards & Best Practices
• UCLA Teaching-Creating Accessible PDFs
• Digital Accessibility at UCLA - UCLA Teaching & Learning Center
• Getting Started with Digital Accessibility in Teaching and Learning - UCLA Teaching & Learning Center
• UCLA Instructional Materials
   

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