Digital Accessibility

On April 20, 2026, the Department of Justice published the Extension of Compliance Dates for Nondiscrimination of the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities. This Interim Final Rule (IFR) extends the compliance deadlines for the accessibility of web content and mobile applications under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by one year.  Under the IFR, the compliance deadline for large public entities like VCU is now April 26, 2027.  No other provisions of the 2024 final rule have been changed.  

In April 2024, the Department of Justice issued the final rule on Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities. The rule requires provisions “for making accessible the services, programs, and activities offered by State and local government entities to the public through the web and mobile applications.” More specifically, the rule mandates “ease of use” of web material by people with disabilities, with “ease of use” defined as use with “timeliness, privacy, and independence.” The standard of accessibility is prescribed as W3C’s WCAG 2.1 AA. The rule went into effect June 24, 2024, and entities serving populations of over 50,000 people have until April 24, 2026, to comply. VCU falls under this timeline as an institution serving the State of Virginia.