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What is Alternative Text?
Alternative text is a concise description of an image embedded within a webpage’s code. The description is read aloud to visually-impaired viewers using a screen reader. Its primary purpose is to provide context and meaning to users who cannot see the image. Alt text also provides a fallback in case the image fails to load and plays a role in search engine results. ( from WebAIM)
The digital accessibility requirements in Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (2024) are broad and impact digital files shared across campus. Given breadth of these requirements, accessibility will become part of our daily work. As we advance in our accessibility compliance efforts, it will be essential for those of us creating shared documents, recording videos, and managing websites to understand the guidelines for producing accessible content.
Video Captioning Kaltura
Join the Office of Digital Accessibility and Center for Online Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½, Research, and Service to learn about the requirements for creating closed captions and how to add captions to a video in Kaltura Media, the UIS streaming video platform.
Fix it: Making Links Accessible
Join the Office of Digital Accessibility and Center for Online Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½, Research, and Service to learn about creating accessible web links in Microsoft Word and Canvas courses.
DART
Who We Are
The Digital Accessibility Remediation Team works with faculty and staff at UIS to ensure that documents, presentations, and multimedia are accessible. We are also available for short-term or long-term consultations with departments or units on campus.
Staff
Carey Applegate, Ph.D., CPACC
Director of Digital Accessibility
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Contact
Connecting with ODA Staff
For help with your digital accessibility questions or needs, please contact the Office of Digital Accessibility.
Email + Telephone Support
We are here to support UIS instructors! Call us at 217-206-8561 or email us for help with teaching strategies, technologies, and accessibility.
Accessibility Research
General Resources
Adopting a UDL Attitude within Academia by Mary Quirke et al., Routledge, 2023.
by LetÃcia Seixas Pereira and Carlos Duarte, in Universal Access in the Information Society, 2025.
Laws
Key U.S. Laws on Digital Accessibility in Higher Education
Digital accessibility is a civil right. It ensures that all students, faculty, and staff—regardless of ability—can fully participate in learning, teaching, research, and campus life. Accessible digital content and tools remove barriers to education, promote equity and inclusion, and are essential for compliance with laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Working With Vendors
When working with vendors, UIS faculty and staff should try to keep a couple of things in mind in terms of digital accessibility.
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