The Digital Accessibility and Excellence Initiative was formed in the spring of 2024 to guide the work of addressing Department of Justice changes to requirements for governmental entity compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act related to the accessibility of all digital content, including online course content and mobile applications.

Overview

The Digital Accessibility and Excellence Initiative leverages Illinois expertise to work towards ensuring that our digital platforms are inclusive and comply with the evolving standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

The Digital Accessibility and Excellence Steering Committee and implementation groups include faculty across colleges and experts from departments and units such as the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, University Library, Office of the Chief Information Officer and Disability Resources and Educational Services.

DAESC committee structure

 
 
 
 
  • Chair
  • Membership from colleges/academic units
  • Office of the Provost representative
  • Technology leadership
  • Legal compliance/Risk management
  • Communications team
  • Others to be Identified

Supporting groups

  • Senior champions
  • College accessibility leads
  • Implementation teams

Senior champions

The Senior champions support the DAESC with outreach and advocacy, serving as champions to the wider university community in support of the steering committee's mandate and activities.

Current champions

  • Brooke Elliott, Dean of Gies College of Business
  • Ingrid Fulmer, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost (Liaison for Senior Champions Group with steering committee)
  • Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell, Dean of College of Applied Health Sciences
  • Jim Hintz, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success, Inclusion, and Belonging
  • Kevin Jackson, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education
  • Kristi Kuntz, Executive Associate Provost for Academic Programs and Policies
  • Mairéad Martin, Vice Provost for IT and Chief Information Officer
  • Nolan Miller, Chair, Senate Committee on Education and Policy, Office of the Provost
  • Clair Stewart, Dean of Libraries

College accessibility leads

The college accessibility leads play an important role in communication with colleges and in helping ensure that colleges have what they need to engage in making all their course materials, other electronic documents and software accessible.

Current leads

  • Mikael Arvola, Graduate College
  • Cathy Blake, School of Information Sciences
  • Jason Chambers, College of Media
  • Ollie Watts Davis, College of Fine and Applied Arts
  • Eden Haycroft Smothers, Labor & Employment Relations
  • Debra Korte, Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
  • Jason Mock, Gies College of Business
  • Bob Morrissey, Liberal Arts & Sciences
  • Nancy Oliver, College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Elaine Robbins, Grainger College of Engineering
  • Leslie Sherman, College of Education
  • Sara Shrader, Applied Health Sciences
  • Carolyn Turner, College of Law
  • Rob Wallon, Carle Illinois College of Medicine
  • Justin York, School of Social Work

Implementation teams

The implementation teams play a key role in putting the strategic planing of the Digital Accessibility and Excellence Initiative into action. Their are five teams that work closely with each other, key collaborators on campus and with the Digital Accessibility Program in the Office of the CIO.

Teams leads

  • Electronic documents and multimedia: Bog Dignan, Center for Innovation, Teaching and Learning
  • Web content: Jon Laskowski, University Library
  • Training and education: Marc Thompson, Center for Innovation, Teaching and Learning
  • Software and delivery platforms: Matthew McNeilly, Office of the Chief Information Officer
  • Communications: Katie Watson, Strategic Communications and Marketing

The ADA rule on digital accessibility

In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice issued an update to the Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the requirement for governmental entities to comply with the ADA. These updates clarify our obligation to make all digital content—including, but not limited to, online course content and mobile applications—readily usable by and accessible to individuals with disabilities. The university has until April 2026 to reach compliance, according to the timeline set forth by the DOJ.