Accessibility Requirements: What We're Doing & What You Need to Do

KCC is preparing for compliance with federal accessibility requirements enforced by the U.S. Department of Justice. The college is legally required to make our documents and online content accessible. One aspect of accessibility, the WCAG 2.1 AA standards required under the U.S. Department of Justice's April 2024 Title II rule, has a compliance deadline of April 2026.

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is a rulebook to help us avoid things like tiny text, confusing layouts, and not enough color contrast.

Web Services is coordinating and guiding the college-wide compliance effort.

Every department must take ownership of the digital materials they create or manage.

We are asking departments to report their digital assets by Dec. 10. The steps to report information is below in "What Your Department Needs to Do Now." Early reporting helps us plan effective support.

Where We Are

One step toward compliance is an inventory and audit of all digital materials. This involves every department along with Web Services, Information Technology Services and Marketing. We need an inventory of:

• Department web pages, including those with a kcc.edu address
• PDFs, forms, and downloadable documents
• Videos and multimedia
• Digital forms and surveys (JotForm, Microsoft Forms, Google Forms, etc.)
• Third-party software / digital tools students use
• Shared or widely accessed Canvas content
• Department social media accounts, graphics, and posts
• Materials created in Canva (flyers, graphics, promotional posts, etc.)

What Your Department Needs to Do Now

1. Tell Us What Digital Materials You Maintain by Dec. 10
   Report all digital materials you manage. A list of possibilities is listed above. To report your materials or submit requests, please use the Web Services Request Form. If you're unsure whether something counts, submit it anyway. Missing materials pose the highest compliance risk.
   
2. Begin Creating Accessible Materials Now
   Your department is responsible for ensuring any new materials you create are accessible. Start with these basics:

• Use heading styles in Word/Google Docs
• Add alt text to images (including Canva graphics)
• Check color contrast using KCC's tool.
• Add captions to all videos
• Keep tables simple and well-labeled
• Use built-in accessibility checkers in Office, Google, and Adobe Acrobat

These steps reduce future remediation work and help students immediately.

What Comes Next

After Dec. 10, Web Services will:

• Complete an accessibility audit for each department
• Provide a clear outline of issues found in your materials
• Share updated templates, standards, and checklists
• Coordinate and promote training opportunities — including options from Web Services and external/self-paced resources
• Support departments with guidance, consultation, and centralized fixes where appropriate

 Remediation is a shared responsibility.

Some items will be addressed centrally (website edits, system-level updates, template improvements).
Other materials — especially documents, forms, videos, social media, and Canva-created content — need to be remediated within departments.
Web Services will guide, support, and equip departments, but cannot remediate every item or fix all internal processes.
Each department plays a key role in ensuring their materials meet WCAG 2.1 AA by April 2026.

Questions or Need to Report Materials?

Submit a request using Web Services Request Form.
Contact Roger Ehmpke at ext. 8282 or rehmpke@kcc.edu.
Together we will meet federal requirements and deliver accessible, equitable digital experiences for every student and community member.