The ADA Title II web rule, in plain words.
In April 2024 the Department of Justice published a rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It sets a technical standard for the websites, apps, and social posts of state and local governments, which includes public schools and universities, and it sets the dates by which they must meet it. This page is a plain summary, with links to the rule itself.
What the rule says.
Four things worth knowing before anything else.
Who it covers
State and local governments, which includes public K-12 districts, community colleges, and public universities. Private schools fall under a different part of the ADA and are not covered by this rule.
What it requires
Web content and mobile apps a covered entity provides must meet WCAG 2.1, Level AA, a published checklist of accessibility standards. The first item on that checklist is a text alternative for every image, which on a social post is the alt text field.
Social media counts
Content an entity posts on platforms it does not own, such as Facebook, Instagram, and X, is covered. Posts made before an entity's compliance date are exempt. Posts made after it are not.
Two dates, by size
Entities serving 50,000 or more people, including every state university, comply by April 26, 2027. Entities under 50,000 and special districts comply by April 26, 2028.
Read it for yourself.
This page is a summary, not legal advice. Which date applies to your institution, and what else the rule covers, is a question for your accessibility or legal office. These are the documents they will be reading.
The alt text part, handled.
The standard asks for a written description of every image. Every photo you publish through atTeam goes out with one, on Facebook, Instagram, and X alike, without anyone on your staff typing it. The description is stored with the post, so you can show what went out and when.