The ADA Requirement Lab: Meeting the Federal Mandate for WCAG 2.1 Level AA

Under the Department of Justice's 2024 ADA Title II rule, all digital content in public entities must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA, and with compliance deadlines arriving in 2027 and 2028, accessible documents, slide decks and videos are now a legal mandate, not just a best practice. This round table discussion turns the federal to-do list into practical action. Participants will unpack the technical requirements and specific deadlines, then learn to spot the hidden barriers that traditional checks miss, such as incorrect reading order in slide decks and untagged PDFs. We will share techniques in Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace for building hierarchical heading structures, writing descriptive hyperlinks, meeting color contrast thresholds and using built-in accessibility checkers to find and fix errors. Leaders will also discuss how to use a checklist to catalog and prioritize district essential services for remediation, and how to draft a culture of accessibility plan so new materials are inclusive from the start. Move from compliance anxiety to a proactive, actionable strategy for a fully inclusive digital environment.