UNC-Chapel Hill is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment that includes making its digital resources and services accessible to all users.
The University’s goal is to provide proactive compliance with obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
To this end, in 2017, UNC-Chapel Hill formed the Digital Access Advisory Team (DAAT). The University’s Digital Access Advisory Team is charged to work on key accessibility initiatives and to optimize access in the following categories:
- Web content
- Learning tools
- Mobile applications
- Video and multimedia
ITS representatives on the Digital Access Advisory Team work with colleagues from the Office of University Counsel, Student Affairs, Accessibility Resources, Equal Opportunity and many others to develop actionable plans and recommendations for University leadership.
“It’s been eye-opening to learn about what people across campus do every day to make everything from web pages and documents to presentations and key application systems better for everyone, and to find out how all of us can be part of that,” said Kim Stahl, Senior Policy and Process Lead with the Office of the CIO and a founding member of the Digital Access Advisory Team.
In the past year, the Digital Access Advisory Team has provided training to communications and IT staff from across the University, providing information on best practices and practical steps that individuals within the campus community can take in their respective schools and units to improve digital accessibility.
Looking forward, the University’s Digital Access Advisory Team hopes to formalize additional roles and responsibilities to spread the message and impact of accessibility initiatives across the UNC-Chapel Hill campus.