Highlights
New federal deadline, shared responsibility: By April 24, 2027, Cortland's digital materials must meet Title II accessibility standards — shifting the work from "wait for a student to ask" to "build it in from the start."
Support at every step: Get hands-on help from CTL designers, research librarians, and Technology Training — whether you need to rework a Brightspace page, find an accessible reading, or learn Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Beyond compliance: This effort goes past the legal minimum to bring Universal Design for Learning practices into course materials — changes that make learning easier for every student, not just those with accommodations.
Already-reviewed materials, ready to use: Skip the searching — ONESearch, SUNY OER Services, and Interlibrary Loan put accessible, pre-vetted course content within easy reach.
This is a collaborative initiative run by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Disability Resources, Technology Services, and the Memorial Library. We're also taking the opportunity to move beyond Title II to support the integration of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) techniques because we know that all our students can benefit from broad incorporation of UDL.
What is Title II?
Beginning April 24, 2027, Cortland must ensure that all its digital materials conform to Title II Regulations. If you'd like to read the full requirement, see the Americans with Disability Act, Title II Regulations.
Title II is not a new requirement. It has been around for years. Last year, the federal government established a timeline for satisfying the requirement. In doing so, they shifted the responsibility from the individual to the university.
- Old rule: Students must request accommodations. The university must provide equal access in a timely manner.
- New rule: Digital course content must be accessible from the start.
Rather than waiting for a student to request an accommodation, we're now focusing on providing access for everyone. That's good news because Title II improves the user experience for all of us, regardless of need, and it supports Cortland's goals for equity, inclusion, and well-being.
The changes required by Title II will enhance our students' learning experience and provide everyone in our community with a more equitable digital experience.
The (slight) downside is that many of us began designing our digital materials without considering accessibility, and some of us are stuck in our ways. Revising our old materials to fit Title II requirements can feel overwhelming for those of us who have years of material, and it can feel a bit limiting for those of us who enjoy design. We will have to make a few design sacrifices and learn some new tricks to ensure our digital materials are accessible. Still, the benefits of accessible content outweigh a bit of extra work over the next year. The learning we do now will pay dividends for years to come and help us demonstrate that we support all of our students.
Accessibility is good for us all. We follow these guidelines because we believe in them, not because we are required to do so, and we hope this year's activities will give us all the support we need to become the teachers we always aspired to be.
Available Services
Library Consultations
Research librarians can assist you in finding accessible versions for PDF replacement.
CTL Consultations
Discuss your Brightspace content with a CTL designer and get support making your materials more accessible.
Technology Workshops
Book an appointment with Julia Morog, Technology Training Associate, for support with Microsoft Accessibility and Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Ask a Librarian
Chat live with a reference librarian anytime, day or night. Cortland librarians staff the chat during Research Help hours; backup librarians from other colleges monitor it the rest of the time.
Find Already-Mediated Materials
Search, request, and borrow materials the library has already reviewed and organized for you — from course readings to openly licensed content.
ONESearch
The library's discovery service. Search books, e-books, videos, articles, digital media, and more in one place.
Open Educational Resources (OER)
Free, openly licensed course materials, supported by SUNY OER Services (SOS).
Interlibrary Loan
Need a book or article the library doesn't have? We can request it from libraries across the country. 607-753-2928
Materials Requests
Ask the library to add a book, video, journal, or database to its collection.