Next Steps for Becoming Compliant
To meet UW’s accessibility expectations, all website owners and editors should complete the steps below. These actions help maintain accessible and consistent user experiences across the university’s digital presence.
Complete Required Website Accessibility Training
All editors who manage a university website, whether CMS or non-CMS, must complete UW’s 2026 Website Accessibility Training. This ensures editors understand standards for headings, alt text, link language, page titles, contrast and accessible media.
Please Note: This training differs from CMS site editor training and must be completed by all existing CMS site editors by February 27, 2026. Failure to do so will result in removed access from the CMS.
Complete Social Media Accessibility Training
For Modern Campus CMS websites, editors must use approved templates without modifying structure or introducing custom code. This protects accessibility and maintains accurate monitoring.
Review Template Guidelines
For non-CMS sites, units must ensure their platform, theme or vendor-provided template
meets WCAG 2.1 AA standards and is maintained appropriately.
Review the Website Accessibility Guidelines
All site editors, regardless of CMS or Non-CMS status, should follow UW’s established accessibility guidelines, including requirements for text alternatives, captions, page structure, readable design and document accessibility. Following these guidelines supports consistent compliance across both CMS and non-CMS sites.
Use UW’s Accessibility Resources
UW provides resources that support accessible website content, including document accessibility tools and browser integrations that can help you identify violations on your web pages. These resources are available to all websites, regardless of platform.
Differences Between CMS & Non-CMS Websites
All university websites, regardless of platform, must comply with Title II of the ADA and align with WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
CMS Websites
CMS websites receive continuous monitoring from Institutional Marketing, and current audits show a 99% compliance rate. Critical errors are addressed on a regular basis by administrators, however site editors are still ultimately responsible for creating accessible content. Editors should not alter CMS templates, since doing so can introduce accessibility errors.
Non-CMS Websites
Non-CMS websites are not managed within UW's primary system, but must meet the same
accessibility standards. Institutional Marketing does not monitor or fix accessibility issues for these sites. Units with non-CMS sites are responsible for correcting errors through their vendor
or third-party developer when issues are identified. These sites are required to have
approved CMS exemption monitored and granted by the Office of General Counsel.
Website Best Practices
Common Web Violations
Common accessibility violations in website content include:
- Skipped heading levels
- Empty heading levels
- Low contrast, especially on in tables
- Using poorly described link text
- Missing or poorly described alt text
- Redundant hyperlinked text
PDF Violations
Documents available online are subject to Title II accessibility requirements. The university CMS houses over 26,000 PDFs. Take the time to delete documents you are no longer using. You may open a ticket in the CMS to request a list of PDFs to determine if they are linked on other pages.
Alt Text Generator
Save time and stay compliant with our free Alt Text Generator tool. Simply upload your website image to generate an effective alternative text designed to easily be read by screen readers. Aways review your generated alt text before placing it into your web image.
