Resources & Organizations for Higher Education Accessibility
On this page:
- AHEAD (Association on Higher Education And Disability)
- CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology)
- DO-IT Center (University of Washington)
- NCCD (National Center for College Students with Disabilities)
- WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
- W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
- UDL in Higher Education (CAST Higher Ed Hub)
- Section508.gov
AHEAD (Association on Higher Education And Disability)
- What it is: The premier professional association for individuals involved in the development and implementation of accessibility services in higher education.
- Why it’s valuable: Offers professional development, white papers, legal updates, and research-backed guidance on accommodation standards and disability culture in college settings.
CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology)
- What it is: The nonprofit education research and development organization that created the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework.
- Why it’s valuable: Provides comprehensive guidelines, research, and practical strategies for applying UDL principles across higher education curricula.
DO-IT Center (University of Washington)
- What it is: Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology—a nationally recognized center dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities in education and careers.
- Why it’s valuable: Features extensive faculty training resources, step-by-step publications on accessible course materials, and real-world case studies for STEM and lab access.
NCCD (National Center for College Students with Disabilities)
- What it is: A U.S. Department of Education-funded center based at AHEAD that serves college students, parents, faculty, and staff.
- Why it’s valuable: Hosts a rich clearinghouse of free educational materials, research reports, and technical assistance regarding college students with disabilities.
WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
- What it is: A non-profit organization based at Utah State University specializing in web accessibility.
- Why it’s valuable: The go-to authority for accessible digital document design, clear color-contrast checkers, screen reader simulation articles, and simple WCAG guidelines.
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
- What it is: The international standards organization for the internet that develops the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
- Why it’s valuable: Serves as the definitive global authority for digital accessibility compliance, offering core principles (POUR) and practical tutorials for web authors.
National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC)
- What it is: A technical assistance center funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
- Why it’s valuable: Provides specialized, free courses and guides for faculty on serving deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deafblind students in college classrooms and remote settings.
UDL in Higher Education (CAST Higher Ed Hub)
- What it is: CAST’s specialized portal designed specifically for postsecondary educators and instructional designers.
- Why it’s valuable: Features faculty-tailored case studies, syllabus design templates, and media accessibility guidelines structured around college environments.
Section508.gov
- What it is: Managed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to provide guidance on federal accessibility standards.
- Why it’s valuable: Excellent source for federal accessibility compliance tools, practical tutorials for creating accessible Microsoft Word and PDF files, and procurement guides.