More students are relying on accommodations to fully participate in campus life, but many schools still struggle to keep up with accessibility standards. Around 21% of college students report having a disability, nearly double the rate from 2004, due in part to increased disclosure of mental health and attention issues.
When accessibility isn’t managed correctly, students can be left without the tools and support they need to succeed. That’s why this week, we’ll explore what happens when schools fail accessibility standards and the impact on everyone involved.
What Are Accessibility Standards for Schools?
Colleges and universities must follow a mix of legal and technical standards to ensure access for students with disabilities. The most important include:
- ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act): Public schools fall under Title II, and private ones under Title III. Both require equal access to facilities, programs, and digital tools.
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act: Section 504 Applies to any school that receives federal funding. It requires that all programs and services be accessible, including online content.
- WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines): These technical standards guide how to make websites, apps, and learning tools usable for disabled users. Most schools aim to meet WCAG 2.1 at Level AA.
These standards work together to support accessibility across campus spaces, learning platforms, and digital materials.
Who Enforces Digital Accessibility in Higher Education?
Digital accessibility in higher education is mainly enforced by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). They review complaints and check whether schools are meeting accessibility standards. The Department of Justice (DOJ) can also get involved, especially in cases that raise broader civil rights concerns. While there isn’t one dedicated agency for digital accessibility, these groups work together to ensure schools follow federal law.
What Happens If a School Fails Accessibility Requirements?
When a college or university fails to meet accessibility standards, the impact can be serious. Students may be unable to fully participate in classes, campus activities, or digital coursework. Noncompliance also opens the door to a variety of risks and consequences:
- Federal investigations: The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) may launch a formal investigation in response to a complaint.
- Resolution agreements: When schools are found in violation, they are often required to create and follow a formal plan to correct the issues.
- Legal action: In some cases, the Department of Justice (DOJ) or affected individuals may pursue lawsuits under the ADA or Section 504.
- Loss of funding: Federal grants or student aid can be affected when schools fail to meet legal requirements.
- Reputational damage: A public failure to meet accessibility standards can harm trust with students, families, and faculty.
Failing accessibility requirements isn’t just a legal issue. It can create long-term challenges for student engagement, institutional credibility, and overall operations. Staying compliant is both a responsibility and an opportunity to make a better experience for everyone.
Examples of Challenges With Accessibility Standards
Even minor gaps in how accommodations are managed can create serious challenges for both students and institutions. The examples below highlight how breakdowns in coordination can lead to compliance risks under laws like the ADA and Section 504.
Course Materials That Aren’t ADA Compliant
When accessible formats are delayed or unavailable, students who rely on screen readers or other assistive tools may fall behind in coursework. These delays not only affect academic progress but also raise compliance concerns. Tools that centralize and track accommodation requests can help ensure materials are delivered on time and in the formats students need.
Delayed Housing Accommodations
Housing-related accommodations require clear communication and follow-through before students arrive on campus. If a request for a private dorm room isn’t fulfilled, it can create unnecessary stress and health concerns for the student. Centralized systems give staff better visibility into pending requests and help ensure an approved accommodation is provided without delays.
Inconsistent Accommodation Support
Without a unified system to manage accommodations, students may receive uneven support across classes. One instructor may follow the plan, while another may never receive it. These gaps can undermine compliance efforts and leave students without the support they’re entitled to. Accommodation management software helps standardize communication and ensures that faculty have the information they need to meet requirements.
How Accessibility Issues Affect Students and Staff
When accessibility breaks down, it is more than a policy issue. It becomes a personal barrier. Students with disabilities may have trouble accessing course materials, joining class discussions, or getting needed support. Even slight delays or missing accommodations can cause stress and lower performance. Over time, this can lead to isolation, missed goals, or a decision to leave school altogether.
These problems also affect the people who are trying to help. Disability services staff often manage a high number of requests with limited time and tools. Without a system that keeps things organized, they may spend hours searching for updates or fixing mistakes. Instructors can be left unsure about what is needed or how to meet those needs. This confusion can lead to frustration on both sides and cause real harm when support is delayed or overlooked.
Improving accessibility is not just about following the rules. It is about creating a campus where everyone has the tools and support to fully take part in the experience. When schools invest in better systems and stronger coordination, it improves trust, opportunity, and success.
How to Prevent Accessibility Failures on Campus
Preventing accessibility failures starts with being proactive. Students with disabilities are less likely to graduate from college than their peers, with a graduation rate of 21% compared to 38%. Colleges and universities should ensure their processes, tools, and communication can support all students, including those with disabilities.
Key steps to consider:
- Keep policies up to date: Regular reviews help ensure accessibility policies align with current legal and technical standards. Those policies are more effective when reflected in how accommodations are documented and carried out.
- Centralize accommodation tracking: Managing requests across multiple offices is easier with a single platform. AMS provides a centralized place to log, monitor, and coordinate accommodations, reducing delays and confusion.
- Train faculty and staff: Clear guidance helps instructors understand and fulfill their responsibilities. Software that provides timely, role-specific updates can reduce errors and improve classroom consistency.
- Use accessible technology: Choose WCAG-compliant platforms and ensure accommodations are applied consistently. A transparent process helps maintain accessibility across all tools and environments.
- Track and follow through on accommodations: Tools like AMS support the full lifecycle of each request, with status updates, built-in reminders, and clear documentation that helps teams stay organized and responsive.
- Build accessibility into planning: Include accessibility from the start when developing new courses, websites, or campus services. A management system can help identify common needs early and guide decisions that prevent barriers before they appear.
Even minor improvements in how accessibility is handled can make a big difference in supporting equal access and staying compliant.
Supporting Accessibility Standards with Orchestrate AMS
Accessibility problems often happen when schools lose track of requests, miss updates, or have poor records. Orchestrate AMS helps fix that by making it easier to manage and follow the full accommodation process. It keeps a complete log of every change, showing what was done, when, by who, and why. That helps staff stay prepared and lowers legal risk when issues come up.
The system supports everyday tasks, like managing letters of accommodation and keeping track of changes over time. It also helps coordinate note-takers and testing center services without relying on manual follow-up. All records are time-stamped and stored securely, making it easy to find what you need when questions come up. With Orchestrate AMS, schools can stay organized, compliant, and better support every student.
