Become an Accessibility Ambassador
Talking Points for Accessibility Ambassadors
The Department of Justice has announced a new rule clarifying and strengthening digital accessibility requirements for state and local governments, including public schools and universities like The Ohio State University.
All web content and mobile apps shared in your role as an OSU employee must comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1, Levels A and AA (WCAG 2.1).
This is a law, like FERPA, and not optional.
This rule and the concurrent compliance comes into force on April 26, 2026.
Use the following accordion menus to engage with your colleagues to spread the word for Digital accessibility and Title II.
Key Talking Points
- Legal compliance: Less than one year to achieve compliance with Title II, which isn't optional – it's federal law
- Commitment to our values: Proactive compliance demonstrates our values in action
- Scale: 130+ departments, centers, museums, labs, and research groups producing digital content across the college
- Current capacity: We are a three-person team already stretched thin with software reviews, reports, and faculty support
- Digital content: Word docs, PowerPoints, Excel files, PDFs, audio/video, multimedia, websites, social media
- What do ambassadors do: They share accessibility awareness with people they already interact with
- No extra work: We ask you to leverage your existing relationships – not to add extra work to your role
- Focus on culture change: Help make accessibility a standard consideration, not an afterthought
- Peer-to-peer education: Colleagues often respond better to messages from trusted peers instead of top-down mandatesNo extra work: We ask you to leverage your existing relationships – not to add extra work to your role
- Focus on culture change: Help make accessibility a standard consideration, not an afterthought
- Peer-to-peer education: Colleagues often respond better to messages from trusted peers instead of top-down mandates
- Practical perspective: You understand the real-world constraints and pressures your unit faces
- Network reach: You connect with people we may not regularly interact with
- Credibility: Your colleagues trust and respect your judgment
- Sustainability: Cultural change requires grassroots support, not just administrative directives
- Routine consideration: Staff regularly asking, "Is this accessible?" before publishing content
- Early adoption: New content created accessibly from the start, reducing remediation needs
- Knowledge sharing: Best practices spreading organically through professional networks
- Shared responsibility: Units taking ownership of their accessibility rather than relying solely on central support
- Lead by example: Make your own content accessible and let others see the process
- Connect people with resources: Share with your colleagues accessibility resources, best-practices, or training opportunities when appropriate
- Informal conversations: Mention accessibility in relevant meetings or discussions
- Training resources: We can provide materials and guidance for your outreach efforts
- Technical assistance: Our team remains available for complex accessibility questions
- Recognition: We'll acknowledge ambassador contributions and celebrate successes
- Flexibility: Because this shouldn’t add extra work to your role, you can tailor your role as an ambassador to fit your schedule, needs, and communication style