Justice Department's Final Rule Strengthening Web and Mobile Access for People with Disabilities Goes Into Effect

The U.S. Department of Justice's final rule to ensure the accessibility of web content and mobile applications (apps) for people with disabilities became effective on Monday, June 24, 2024. The rule, which was finalized and signed on April 8, 2024, strengthens Title II of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. This new rule sets out clear guidelines and technical requirements for state, local, and public entities to adhere to on their web and mobile content offerings. The rule also officially adopted the internationally recognized accessibility standard for web access, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA, as their technical standard.

At CourseArc, we celebrate and welcome this new ruling. While it applies to public entities, we believe it is a great first step in moving the needle forward towards a more inclusive world, and as a guiding light for private entities to follow suit.

CourseArc’s founding story centers on creating better lifelong learning opportunities for all and removing barriers so everyone can learn. We saw firsthand the limitations that many products on the market had—especially regarding accessibility—and worked to build a course authoring tool to address it. That drive and commitment to create accessible online course content has remained at the forefront of everything we do.?

In October 2023, WCAG announced additional criteria for addressing accessibility barriers that extend beyond its 2.1 AA guidelines. As a company committed to ensuring our product and the experience are fully accessible, we just recently announced that we are fully compliant with WCAG 2.2 AA.

We are always learning and striving to improve our product and the experience for everyone, and that means that accessibility is a built-in feature. We agree with the U.S. Department of Justice that it is critical to ensure that individuals with disabilities access important web content and mobile apps with ease, and independently, privately and equally.

We understand that this ruling can seem like a daunting task for organizations, large or small, to meet and remain in compliance. CourseArc understands the challenges many organizations face and has the expertise and knowledge to help address them. We can help you ensure your organization is in compliance with Civil Rights, ADA, and WCAG 2.1 AA laws and regulations. We also provide risk assessments, compliance training, and other accessibility services.

In the meantime, check out some of our valuable resources on accessibility topics to help you and your organization thrive.

Check back for more updates and guides on accessibility, and this important ruling by visiting us at www.coursearc.com.