Training on Digital Accessibility
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What does digital accessibility mean?
Who does digital accessibility impact?
Why does digital accessibility matter?
How do I impact digital accessibility?
When does digital accessibility apply?
Where does digital accessibility apply?
Definitions
Digital accessibility training builds capacity and skills that help make West Texas A&M University's digital resources accessible to the widest possible set of authorized users.
Digital resources are accessible, because of the direct actions taken by University employees and contractors. Thank you for your positive impact on digital accessibility at WTAMU.
Take the Digital Accessibility Awareness training course available online in TrainTraq. This course will help you meet your responsibilities for digital accessibility as a University employee or contractor.
All state agency and institution of higher education (IHE) employees have access to digital accessibility training through a web-based learning management platform, and premium live training. The platform is called Access Academy by Level Access. Registering for role-based, and self-paced courses in Access Academy is easy, and free.
To register for an Access Academy account and use the platform, send an email request with your University email address to statewideaccessibility@dir.texas.gov, or support@levelaccess.com. You’ll receive a registration link to create an Access Academy account, within one business day.
Then, you can register for the premium, live training sessions listed below, and take on demand courses from this Access Academy course catalog (opens new window).
It's worth taking a late lunch, or lunch and learn to attend these pro, premium live training sessions.
Access Academy's premium live training for January 2026 is listed below, with session links. Use the links to register for the live training.
Note: you must have an Access Academy account to register for live training sessions. See Academy Account registration instructions in the section above.
*January 13th, 12pm CST*
Introduction to Accessibility & Assistive Technology Quick Start
In this session, attendees will get familiarized with accessibility, the major disability types, and the corresponding assistive technologies people with disabilities use daily.
*January 27th, 12pm CST*
Accessibility for Developers - Structure
Developers will explore the foundations of utilizing native web standards to improve the overall UI structure. By focusing on native rather than custom solutions, developers will be armed with the necessary skills to create well-formed user experiences that meet the needs of assistive technology users.
If you have any questions or concerns about digital accessibility at West Texas A&M University, please contact Lisa Caid, Accessibility Coordinator, by email: accessibility@wtamu.edu, office phone: 806-651-1241, or cell phone: 806-231-9111.
If you need help with digital accessibility right away, please contact the IT Service Center by phone: 806-651-4357, or by email: ITSC@wtamu.edu. After operating hours, urgent matters will be routed to the appropriate person on duty.
Digital accessibility means that people with disabilities have more than just one way to get access to the electronic technology, information and services offered by West Texas A&M University.
"Digital" is shorter than some longer words that are often used to mean the same thing. Digital is used with the same meaning as these longer words, or their acronyms.
Digital accessibility makes it possible for qualified individuals with disabilities to access University activities, programs, and services quickly, easily, independently, privately, and equally.
Usability vs. Accessibility: Understanding the Relationship by Level Access.
Everyone is impacted by digital accessibility, especially people with disabilities.
University employees, students, and members of the public with disabilities are impacted, because they depend on access to the digital activities, programs, and services that are offered by WTAMU for the benefit of everyone.
WTAMU employees and contractors are impacted, because they work to meet digital accessibility requirements.
Digital accessibility matters, because it ensures “equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency” for people with disabilities, as set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (opens new window).
Physically, everyone uses a door to get into their homes, at the end of the day. Everyone needs a door that they can perceive, understand, operate, and trust to work with their keys! People with disabilities need the same things as everyone else, physical accessibility.
Digitally, everyone uses technology to get information and services, when the time is right for them. Everyone needs technology that they can perceive, understand, operate, and trust to work with their devices! People with disabilities need the same things as everyone else, digital accessibility.
You make a major impact when you’re aware of and act on your role in, and responsibility for digital accessibility at WTAMU.
If you answer yes to any of these questions, you are responsible for digital accessibility!
Digital accessibility applies at the start of and throughout any work done to make, get, keep, or use digital resources for the benefit of University employees, students, and members of the public.
Digital accessibility practices applied at the end of any work done, tend to increase the WTAMU costs to ensure access by people with disabilities.
Digital accessibility applies to these categories to ensure that no qualified person with a disability, because of their disability, is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of University services, programs, or activities.
Software designed to perform, or to help the user perform, a specific task or tasks.
Electronic information and data, as well as the encoding that defines its structure, presentation, and interactions.
Equipment used on the premises of a person (other than a carrier) to originate, route, or terminate telecommunications service or interconnected VoIP service, including software integral to the operation of telecommunications function of such equipment. Examples of CPE are telephones, routers, switches, residential gateways, set-top boxes, fixed mobile convergence products, home networking adaptors and Internet access gateways which enable consumers to access communications service providers’ services and distribute them around their house via a Local Access Network (LAN).
Digital accessibility is the practice of creating and maintaining digital experiences that are barrier-free for people with disabilities.
Logically distinct assembly of content (such as a file, set of files, or streamed media) that: functions as a single entity rather than a collection; is not part of software; and does not include its own software to retrieve and present content for users. Examples of documents include, but are not limited to, letters, email messages, spreadsheets, presentations, podcasts, images, and movies.
A tangible device, equipment, or physical component of ICT, such as telephones, computers, multifunction copy machines, and keyboards.
A set of systematically arranged alphanumeric keys or a control that generates alphanumeric input by which a machine or device is operated. A keyboard includes tactilely discernible keys used in conjunction with the alphanumeric keys if their function maps to keys on the keyboard interfaces.
Software that is not: a web page, not embedded in a web page, and not used in the rendering or functioning of web pages.
Any of various devices (including sensors) used to enter information and instructions into a computer for storage or processing and to deliver the processed data to a human operator or, in some cases, a machine controlled by the computer. Such devices make up the peripheral equipment of modern digital computer systems.
Software that interacts with hardware or provides services for other software. Platform software may run or host other software, and may isolate them from underlying software or hardware layers. A single software component may have both platform and non-platform aspects. Examples of platforms: desktop operating systems; embedded operating systems, including mobile systems; Web browsers; plug-ins to web browsers that render a particular media or format; and sets of components that allow other applications to execute, such as applications which support macros or scripting.
Programs, procedures, rules, and related data and documentation that direct the use and operation of ICT and instruct it to perform a given task or function. Software includes, but is not limited to, applications, non-web software, and platform software.
A website that is connected to the Internet and is owned, funded, or operated by or for a state agency or institution of higher education, including key public entry points.
Documentation that supports the use of ICT, including web-based self-service support.
ICT support services examples include, but aren’t limited to help desks, call centers, training services, web-based self-service support, and automated self-service technical support.
Usability refers to the overall quality of a person’s experience with a digital product, device, application, or website.