Standards and Resources

Standards and Resources
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Digital Accessibility Standards & Resources
Explore digital accessibility standards, tools, and resources to help you create accessible content. Have questions or need guidance? Reach out to
[email protected]
to request a consultation.
Resources
Review the
CU Anschutz Campus Standards for Digital Accessibility
Complete
CU Accessibility Fundamentals (Skillsoft)
introductory course on digital accessibility and ADA compliance for digital communications.
Download and refer to the
Digital Accessibility Essentials Checklist (DOCX)
Use the
digital accessibility planning template
to prioritize your efforts.
Additional Resources:
CU Boulder Digital Accessibility Office
– Resources on accessible content, documents, events, teaching, and Canvas.
CU Anschutz Accessibility Testing Tools
- Overview of tools you can use to test the accessibility of your digital content.
WCAG 2.1
– Official web accessibility guidelines from the W3C.
WebAIM
– Offers tutorials, articles, and discussions on web accessibility for all skill levels.
State of Colorado OIT
– Guides on creating accessible websites, documents, and IT services.
LinkedIn Learning Accessibility Trainings
– Free trainings curated by CU Anschutz OIT. Access via
MyCU.edu
portal.
Images
Color Contrast
Headings
Links
Lists
Tables
Text Accessibility Guidelines
Visual Style
The CU Anschutz standards for digital accessibility adhere to the FCC closed captioning rules.
Visit the FCC website for closed captioning guidelines
Recommended Captioning Tools:
Panopto
(preferred),
Anthology Ally
Zoom Captioning
For web-hosted videos, review the AtWeb guides on
video captioning
and
creating accessible videos
For pre-recorded content, review the ODAI's
guide to creating transcript files
CU Boulder Resources:
Automated Captioning Tools
Live Captioning Tools
Creating Accessible Videos
, and
how to filter YouTube search results by captioned videos
Additional Resource:
W3C Making Audio and Video Media Accessible
For instructors using Canvas,
Anthology Ally
helps improve the accessibility of course materials, ensuring that all students have equal access to learning resources.
The Office of Digital Learning offers
live and on-demand training
to sharpen your online teaching skills, including accessibility best practices. Designed for CU Anschutz faculty and instructional staff, these sessions focus on practical strategies, tools, and techniques to elevate digital learning.
Review
teaching resources related to digital accessibility
from ODAI, including tips for universal design for learning.
Use the
Digital Accessibility Checklist for Faculty
to help guide your accessibility efforts.
Additional Resources:
The
CU Boulder Digital Accessibility Office
provides resources for instructors and additional help with Canvas accessibility.
The
CU Denver Division for Teaching Innovation and Program Strategy (TIPS)
provides a variety of digital accessibility resources for faculty and staff.
Creating Accessible Equations and Formulas
Review the
Digital Signage Accessibility Requirements
(scroll to bottom of the page).
PDFs
PDF Accessibility Guide
Canva PDF Workflow
Word
Understanding Word Accessibility (CU Boulder)
Create accessible Word documents (Microsoft Training)
PowerPoint
Understanding PowerPoint Accessibility (CU Boulder)
Create accessible PowerPoint slides (Microsoft Training)
Emails
Create Accessible Emails (CU Boulder)
Create accessible Outlook emails (Microsoft Training)
Excel
Create accessible Excel workbooks (Microsoft Training)
Forms
Accessible Forms (State of Colorado OIT)
Formstack Best Practices
Qualtrics Recommendations (CU Boulder)
Qualtrics Inaccessible Question Types (CU Boulder)
Review
key guidelines for digital asset accessibility
from the CU Anschutz Office of Communications.
The CU System eComm program offers tutorials and best practices for Marketing Cloud and Cvent. Visit the
CU eComm Wiki
for more information.
Additional Resources:
Accessibility Best Practices
Creating Accessible Content
Review the CU Anschutz guides for
Event Accessibility
and
Accessible Presentations
The University of Colorado Anschutz strives to ensure that ICT products developed at, purchased by, or used at the university are accessible to all faculty, students, and staff. To reach this goal, those responsible for making decisions about which ICT product to procure must consider accessibility as a key criterion for acquisition. This is especially important for enterprise-level systems and other technologies that affect a large number of students, faculty, and staff. Learn about
procurement and accessibility assessments (requires SSO authentication)
In order to facilitate the procurement of accessible ICT, CU Anschutz adheres to the
State of Colorado Office of Information Technology's process steps to procuring accessible IT
, as outlined at the link below.
Resources for Procurement
All CU Anschutz websites are required to comply with
WCAG 2.1 guidelines
Members of the university web community can access
tools and best practices for building accessible websites
For support and guidance on web accessibility, contact the CU Anschutz OIT Web Services and Development team by
submitting a help request
or emailing
[email protected]
To learn more about web accessibility, explore these recommended resources:
Web Accessibility Laws & Policies
WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
Tips & News
Quick tips, updates, and ideas to help make your digital content more accessible.
Join the
CU Anschutz Digital Accessibility Community
to connect and stay informed.
Celebrate Colorado Assistive Technology (AT) Week!
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Apr 22, 2026
Colorado officially recognizes April 20–24 as Assistive Technology (AT) Awareness Week, highlighting how AT empowers people with disabilities and older adults to live, learn, and work on their own terms.

The CU Denver Center for Innovative Design and Engineering (CIDE) is celebrating this week by sharing stories and resources about the impact of AT. CIDE provides device loans, demonstrations, expert guidance, and financing support to help people get the technology they need.

This week also aligns with National AT Awareness Day on April 22, amplifying the message that AT is access, independence, and opportunity for all.
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Accessibility Quick Tips: Make your communications more accessible
Feb 11, 2026
Here are a few accessibility tips you can start using today in email, Microsoft Teams chat, and virtual meetings.
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Advancing Digital Accessibility at CU Anschutz
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Jan 7, 2026
Over the past year, CU Anschutz has made meaningful progress in advancing digital accessibility across our campus. From expanding our resources and training to increasing our engagement and accessibility scores for websites and course materials, these efforts reflect our shared commitment to creating a digital environment with equal access for all. As we celebrate these achievements, it’s important to stay informed about how we can continue to meet the requirements of Colorado’s Accessibility Law (HB21-1110) and build on the momentum we’ve created together.
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New Accessibility Planning Template
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Nov 3, 2025
Ready to improve the accessibility of your digital content but not sure where to start? This Digital Accessibility Planning Template will help you identify what needs attention, prioritize fixes, and plan next steps in line with Colorado’s Accessibility Law. Use it to take action, stay organized, and make sure your content works for everyone.
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Educational Toolbox Series: Digital Accessibility 101 now available
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Sep 30, 2025
The Digital Accessibility 101 presentation from the September 24, 2025 CU Anschutz Educational Toolbox Series is now available online! You can watch the presentation and download slides to access the resources shared at the following link (under the “Recent Toolbox Series Presentations” section").
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Understanding HB21-1110 Compliance
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Sep 10, 2025
Colorado’s Accessibility Law (HB21-1110) requires public entities—including CU Anschutz—to make digital content accessible to individuals with disabilities. Compliance goes beyond technical standards; it includes responding to accommodation requests and actively supporting users with disabilities.

Not sure where to begin? Explore the HB21-1110 FAQ to learn about your responsibilities and how to take meaningful steps toward accessibility.
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Register for Digital Accessibility 101
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Sep 4, 2025
Join us on September 24, 2025, for the Digital Accessibility 101 Lunch and Learn! This session introduces the basics of digital accessibility, reviews key compliance requirements, and offers practical strategies to improve websites, communications, course materials, and accommodations for students and employees.

Learn tips to help your digital content meet established standards and enhance usability for everyone!
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Tips for Accessible Presentations
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Jun 2, 2025
Accessible presentations enhance the experience for everyone in your audience, including people with disabilities. Important considerations are presentation materials (such as PowerPoint slides), presentation structure, presentation format (in-person, virtual, or hybrid), and the needs of your audience.
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Celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 15, 2025
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May 15, 2025
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is celebrated on May 15, 2025. At CU Anschutz, we are committed to fostering an accessible environment for all members of our campus community. Our initiatives align with Colorado House Bill 21-1110, ensuring that people with disabilities have equal access to the university’s services, digital content, and technologies. Join us in recognizing GAAD by learning about digital accessibility.
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Image Accessibility Tips
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Apr 1, 2025
Accessible image practices enhance the user experience for everyone, including people with blindness, low vision, other vision impairments, and cognitive disabilities. Using alt text and avoiding images of text enables assistive technology users (such as screen reader and magnifier users) to access the information conveyed through an image.
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