ADA Compliance & Digital Communications
What does it mean to be ADA-compliant in digital communications?
This means people with disabilities, including those with blindness, deafness, and low vision, can access information from the district’s website or other digital resources.
These tools or resources maintained by the district or a school, including websites, email, documents, forms, and more, are subject to the standards outlined in RSMo 161.935 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), updated April 2024 by the Department of Justice (DOJ). To learn more, view the Department of Justice (DOJ) Title II Final Rule on Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps Provided by State and Local Governments (April 2024) Plain Language Fact Sheet.
For example, someone who is blind and doesn't use a mouse should be able to use the tab key to navigate the website. Additionally, people who are blind or have low vision may use screen-reading technology to listen to content on websites or social media pages. It may also impact the coding/metadata of a PDF document or website, and more.
State and local governments, including public school districts, must ensure that their web content and mobile apps meet WCAG 2.1, Level AA within 2 or 3 years of the rule's publication on April 24, 2024, depending on their population. Fulton Public Schools' deadline is April 26, 2027.
What is included?
Digital items that must be ADA compliant include the following, but are not limited to:
Web content
- Web pages: The design, code, and content of all web pages must be made accessible, including navigation, structure, and readability. This applies to government portals, e-commerce sites, and business websites alike.
- Online forms: These include applications, sign-up pages, surveys, and payment forms. They must have clear labels and instructions for all input fields and provide accessible error alerts.
- Documents: Any digital documents available for public use or download must be accessible. This includes PDFs, Microsoft Word files, PowerPoint presentations, and spreadsheets.
- Interactive elements: All buttons, links, and other interactive user interface components must be operable and understandable through various input methods, such as a keyboard.
- Social media: Posts on official organizational social media accounts must include features like alternative text for images and captions for videos.
Multimedia content
- Videos: All prerecorded and live-streamed videos must include accurate and synchronized captions for individuals with hearing impairments.
- Audio content: Podcasts and other audio-only media should be provided with transcripts.
- Visual media: Any images, infographics, or charts must include descriptive alternative text (alt text) so that screen readers can convey their purpose to users with visual disabilities.
Software and mobile applications
- Mobile apps: Software developed for smartphones and tablets must be accessible to users with disabilities.
- Software interfaces: Any software/instructional resources, including learning management systems (LMS) for schools, must be designed to be compatible with assistive technologies.
- Third-party content: If an entity uses a third-party vendor for a service such as a payment processor, ticketing system, or links to a site outside its own website, that system must also be accessible.
Technical and informational elements
- Color contrast: The text and background must have sufficient color contrast to be readable for individuals with low vision or color blindness.
- Text size and zoom: Users must be able to adjust the text size and zoom levels without losing content or functionality.
- Consistent navigation: Menus and site navigation should be consistent across all pages to provide a predictable user experience.
- Compatibility: Digital content must be compatible with assistive technologies like screen readers, voice recognition software, and screen magnifiers.
Important Note: Not all resources from other companies are accessible; therefore, it is important to review compliance before purchasing or linking to resources from other companies.
Who does this impact?
This impacts all stakeholders from students to parents to faculty and staff to community members, or a person from another state who may want to access our website, digital communications, or resources.
Not only will it affect the platforms and tools we use, but it will also impact routines, procedures, and processes for providing information internally and externally, as well as our instructional resources and materials.
Accessibility Implementation Timelines
Based on the scope of updated ADA requirements for digital communications accessibility, Fulton Public Schools began working toward compliance during the 2025-26 school year.
District & School Content
At the start of the 2026-27 school year, Fulton Public Schools staff using digital communications tools to post, distribute, or publish content will strive to comply with Level AA of the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1). Where compliance is not technically feasible, staff must consider how to make the content available in an alternative format accessible to all individuals, including individuals with disabilities.
Existing District or School IT and Content
Priority will be given to public information that provides the most essential functions and is most widely and regularly used by faculty, staff, students, parents/guardians, and the community, such as our district website and newsletters.
Responsibility
Ensuring digital accessibility requires the attention and commitment of every Fulton Public Schools staff member.