Accessibility of CWU’s Public Website

Initiative to strengthen the accessibility of CWU’s public website and online materials

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As part of Central Washington University’s ongoing commitment to maintaining a high-quality and compliant digital experience, Web Services is beginning an initiative to strengthen the accessibility of our public website and online materials.

This work supports CWU’s compliance with new federal accessibility regulations under the Department of Justice’s 2024 rule for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title II, as well as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. These rules require all public institutions—including CWU—to ensure that their websites and digital content meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards by April 24, 2026.

Why This Matters

Accessibility is about more than compliance—it’s about ensuring that every student, employee, and visitor can access and use CWU’s digital resources without barriers. This includes people who use screen readers, rely on keyboard navigation, or need captioned video, sufficient color contrast, and clear structure in web content

What to Expect

Over the coming months, Web Services will begin rolling out several key initiatives: 

• Accessibility Reviews: Department websites will undergo automated and manual scans to identify accessibility issues using CWU’s tool, DubBot. 
 
• Training & Resources: Updated training materials and guides will be shared to help content managers recognize and correct accessibility issues directly within Cascade CMS. 
 
• New Requirements: All published web content—including text, images, documents, and videos—must meet accessibility standards before approval. 
 
• Support from Web Services: Our team will provide checklists, quick-reference guides, and one-on-one support as needed. 

Next Steps

In the coming weeks, Web Services will reach out with your department’s accessibility report and action plan. We’ll also host short virtual workshops to walk through common issues and fixes.

This work will take time and collaboration, but together we can ensure that CWU’s digital presence reflects our values of access, opportunity, and digital accessibility for all.

Thank you for your attention and partnership in this important effort.