UC Merced is committed to an inclusive digital environment, so that students, faculty, staff, and visitors can reach our information and services with equal independence.
Start Here
Pick the description that fits what you are doing today.
- I create content
Documents, slides, web pages, video, email, social posts.
- I own a website
You maintain a campus site and need to know what to fix and how to test it.
- I teach
Course materials, CatCourse content, recorded lectures.
- I lead a department
You need to scope the work, plan for it, and know what it will take.
Not sure where to start? Request a consultation and we will work it out with you.
What We Support
Our work spans four kinds of digital content. All four are covered by the same standard — WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
- Websites — public and internal campus sites
- Documents — Word, PowerPoint, PDF, and other shared files
- Video and audio — captions, transcripts, and audio description
- Software — systems the campus buys, builds, or licenses
Policy & Compliance
Important dates.
Federal rules set two compliance dates that apply to UC Merced's digital content:
- April 26, 2027 — ADA Title II, for web content and mobile apps (DOJ)
- May 11, 2027 — Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (HHS)
Most UC Merced content must be accessible by April 26, 2027.
The University of California's Electronic Accessibility Policy (IMT-1300) aligns UC with WCAG 2.1 Level AA and with those federal regulations. Every UC location operates an IT Accessibility Program covering procurement, course content, web and software development, exception and complaint processes, training, prioritization, and reporting.
The Digital Accessibility Team supports IMT-1300 at UC Merced through three ongoing lines of work:
| Program area | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Preparation | Awareness, baseline assessment of current practice, and development of roles, procedures, and training plans. |
| Program management | Accessibility assessments, intake, exception paths, and complaint workflows. |
| Compliance & continuous improvement | Applying WCAG 2.1 AA to new and altered content, ongoing training, annual reporting, remediation, testing, and procurement controls. |
Who We Are
The Digital Accessibility Team sits within the Office of Information Technology (OIT). We:
- Provide guidance and consultations on accessible design, development, and procurement
- Conduct accessibility evaluations for web, apps, and software
- Support accessible course materials and instruction
- Offer training, tools, and resources for accessible content creation
We partner across campus to identify barriers and build accessibility awareness. Accessibility is a shared responsibility, and everyone has a part in it depending on their role.
Learn More
- Learning about Accessible Web Content
- Learning about Accessible Documents and Media
- W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
- UC Berkeley Digital Accessibility
- UC Irvine Accessibility
- UC Procurement Accessibility Guidelines
- UC System Electronic Accessibility
Contact the Digital Accessibility Team
| If you want to | Do this |
|---|---|
| Talk through your content with an expert | Schedule a consultation |
| Report an accessibility barrier | Report a Technology Barrier |
