Product Updates
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October 9, 2025
How Flexible Audio Description Options Make Compliance Achievable
WCAG 2.1 Level AA, which is the conformance level required by the Department of Justice, mandates audio descriptions for pre-recorded videos by April 2026 for larger institutions and April 2027 for smaller institutions. The good news for institutions that haven’t started on this requirement yet is that new technology can remove the manual burden from your team.What Are Audio Descriptions and Why Are They Important?
Audio descriptions narrate visual information that can’t be heard during your video. They cover things like actions, on-screen text, charts, scene changes, gestures, body language, and more, to help give users with visual impairments a full picture. Without them, students could be missing important learning content. Audio descriptions are the most likely accessibility feature to be postponed. While the perception may be that captions equal accessibility, this isn’t true. Further, cost concerns, significant backlogs, and industry changes, such as cielo24’s recent acquisition, have left some institutions feeling lost.Different Approaches are Available
Flexibility is the key to scalable audio descriptions. Institutions need different approaches for different situations, and the ability to choose the right solution is critical. For example, YuJa’s GenAI Video PowerPack includes AI-powered enhanced audio descriptions that can analyze video content and generate editable pause-and-play descriptions. This type of technology is great for:- Lecture capture recordings
- High-volume content libraries
- Rapid deployment across existing content
- Complex demonstrations that require technical accuracy
- Detailed data visualizations
- Legal or medical materials
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September 26, 2025
Understanding #A11Y: Building Inclusive Learning Environments
“A11Y” stands for “accessibility,” with the 11 representing the number of letters between the “A” and the “Y.” It’s more than an abbreviation, though. For educational institutions, A11Y ensures students can engage meaningfully with digital learning content, regardless of their abilities. According to The A11Y Project, one in four people in the United States has a disability, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological disabilities. With 1.3 billion people worldwide living with disabilities, accessible educational materials aren’t just good practice; they’re critical for reaching all learners and meeting accessibility mandates set in place to ensure people can interact with content. “Accessibility compliance allows access to print, audio, and visual media for users to choose the best medium for their learning needs,” said Amanda Rosenzweig, Ph.D., Canvas Administrator, Biology Professor, and Department Chair at Delgado Community College in a case study. “Accessibility allows for inclusion of all users by all people being able to perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the electronic information.”Why A11Y is Important in Education
Students with diverse needs rely on accessible platforms every day to:- Participate in online discussions.
- Access multimedia content.
- Complete assignments independently.
- Navigate learning management systems without barriers.
The Regulatory Landscape
Accessibility is also shaped by evolving policy. In the United States, the Department of Justice requires public agencies, including schools, colleges, and universities, to ensure digital content meets WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. Globally, regulations are also expanding. For example, the European Accessibility Act took effect in June 2025, requiring businesses serving EU customers to comply with WCAG 2.1 AA.Beyond Compliance: Building an Inclusive Culture
Effective A11Y implementation requires more than technology; it demands a cultural shift. Educational institutions can foster inclusion by training faculty on accessibility principles, establishing accessibility requirements in technology procurement, and including students with disabilities in user testing processes. By making A11Y a priority, educational institutions can not only meet legal requirements but also create better learning environments for all students and expand their reach to underserved populations. -
September 12, 2025
How Video Chaptering Supports Learning in Higher Education
Video chaptering helps break down content into manageable segments, making it easier for students to find, revisit, and absorb the information they need most.Video Chaptering Benefits Students and Instructors
Research shows that structured video content improves learning outcomes. One study, published in the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education found that shorter, well-organized videos increased student engagement by nearly 25 percent and improved final exam scores by nine percent. Video chapters provide:- More efficient navigation: Students can quickly jump to specific sections without re-watching an entire lecture. This saves valuable study time and reduces frustration, particularly during exam preparation when students need to review specific topics quickly.
- Improved retention: Chapters encourage focused, bite-sized learning that supports long-term understanding. The cognitive science principle of “chunking” shows that breaking information into smaller units helps move knowledge more effectively from short-term to long-term memory.
- Accessibility and flexibility: Learners balancing coursework, jobs, or family responsibilities can study more effectively. Students can create personalized study schedules by focusing on chapters that match their availability, whether that’s a 5-minute review or a 30-minute deep dive.
- Clearer teaching structure: Instructors can highlight key themes and guide students through complex material at the right pace. Chapters also enable instructors to track which sections students revisit most frequently, providing valuable insights into areas that may need additional explanation or reinforcement.
Accessibility Impacts of Video Chaptering
Beyond improving general learning outcomes, video chaptering makes educational content accessible to students with diverse needs. Chaptered videos provide navigation support for screen readers, allowing visually impaired learners to understand content organization and move efficiently between sections. Students with cognitive differences, such as ADHD or processing disorders, benefit from the reduced cognitive load that chaptering provides. Rather than processing lengthy lectures entirely, these learners can focus on individual concepts without becoming overwhelmed. The structured format also supports neurodivergent learners who prefer organized, predictable content. When combined with captions, it helps deaf and hard-of-hearing students quickly locate specific topics. Students with motor limitations can navigate directly to relevant sections instead of using fine controls to scrub through long videos. By implementing video chaptering, institutions not only help ensure compliance with accessibility standards like WCAG and Section 508, but they also deliver measurable improvements in student engagement and learning outcomes for all. -
September 5, 2025
Supporting Students with Role-Based Accessibility Workflows in Higher Education
Meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standards across websites, course content, and digital tools will require institutions to clarify who does what and what that looks like in practice. Despite its importance, compliance alone doesn’t guarantee students equal access. Accessibility only becomes truly effective when institutions align workflows with the people doing the work. Instructors, instructional designers, accessibility coordinators, and administrators all touch the learning management system (LMS) in different ways, and each role has unique opportunities to improve digital accessibility and student experience. While budget constraints and competing priorities can make accessibility feel overwhelming, breaking down responsibilities by role creates manageable pathways to compliance.For Instructors: Improving Content at the Source
Instructors shape the daily learning experience, which gives them a unique opportunity to improve accessibility at the source. Automated accessibility checks surface issues like missing headings or low contrast as soon as content is uploaded, helping instructors correct problems in the moment. At the same time, alternative formats are generated automatically, giving students immediate access to materials in the way that works best for them. Instructors don’t need to be accessibility experts; their role is to teach, supported by workflows that make their content accessible by default. Action steps for instructors:- Review and act on automated accessibility suggestions as content is uploaded.
- Encourage students to use the alternative formats generated automatically and verify that they meet their learning needs.
- Use real-time feedback to build accessibility awareness for future content creation.
For Instructional Designers: Building Accessibility Into Course Design
Instructional designers influence how entire courses are built and reused over time, which makes their role critical for lasting accessibility. Remediation engines streamline complex tasks, such as ensuring PDFs are properly tagged, and course-level reports highlight recurring issues across multiple modules. This helps designers apply fixes consistently, so every student benefits from accessible course structures semester after semester. Action steps for designers include:- Collaborate with administrators to configure scoring rubrics and severity weighting that reflect institutional priorities.
- Use course-level reports to identify and address recurring accessibility patterns.
For Accessibility Coordinators: Monitoring and Reporting
Coordinators and support staff provide oversight across an institution, allowing them to turn accessibility into measurable progress. Dashboards and analytics supply visibility into accessibility scores, trends, and areas that need extra attention. With data in hand, coordinators can prioritize training, provide targeted outreach, and ensure compliance aligns with student needs. For example, Northshore Technical Community College improved from 62 percent to 93 percent accessibility by taking a targeted approach where faculty learned to think about accessibility choices on the front-end rather than as an afterthought. Their role connects institutional goals with everyday teaching and learning. Action steps for coordinators include:- Set up regular accessibility score monitoring and reporting.
- Identify departments or courses with the lowest scores for focused support.
- Distribute support guides and resources to help faculty with common accessibility questions.
For Administrators: Aligning Policy With Practice
Administrators set policy and allocate resources, which puts them in a unique position to create a culture of accessibility. Centralized reporting shows where departments or campuses need additional support, while insights from accessibility data guide strategic planning and budgeting. This allows administrators to align compliance obligations with institutional priorities, ensuring accessibility efforts are both sustainable and student-centered. Immediate action steps for administrators:- Integrate accessibility metrics into departmental performance reviews.
- Allocate a dedicated budget for accessibility tools and training.
- Establish clear accountability measures and compliance timelines.
Accessibility Is a Shared Responsibility
Title II regulations define what must be done, from technical standards to compliance deadlines, exemptions, and more. But ultimately, how these goals are achieved will determine whether students truly benefit. Sustainable progress comes when accessibility is integrated into the workflows of every role, including instructors, course designers, coordinators, and administrators. Together, these role-based workflows transform accessibility from a compliance requirement into a meaningful student experience. -
August 27, 2025
Accessibility vs. Compliance in PDFs and Why Both Matter
This assessment captures a fundamental challenge in higher education: the same features that make PDFs attractive to educators often make them barriers for students with disabilities. While institutions work to meet compliance standards, many discover that technically accessible documents can still create frustrating user experiences. The difference between checking accessibility boxes and creating truly usable content often determines whether students succeed or struggle with course materials.Understanding PDF Accessibility vs. Compliance
PDF accessibility and compliance are related, but distinct concepts. Compliance focuses on meeting technical standards, such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), Section 508, and ADA requirements for proper tagging, alternative text for images, structured headings, and reading order. Compliance is crucial for institutions to reduce legal risk and avoid costly lawsuits, especially with increasing regulatory scrutiny. Accessibility centers on whether students or users can actually use the document effectively. A PDF might pass compliance tests and still frustrate users. For example, a research paper with alt text of “image1.jpg” is technically correct, but isn’t accessible because it doesn’t describe the image or graphic in a useful way. Or consider a syllabus where headings are tagged, but the reading order jumps between columns. While both examples might meet technical requirements, they would fail real users and students. Likewise, a document might provide clear navigation, meaningful descriptions, and logical flow, yet fall short on technical standards. The goal is to achieve compliance and usability to best serve those interacting with your content.Starting With the PDF Accessibility Basics
Institutions don’t need to solve every PDF accessibility challenge at once. Start with high-impact improvements such as:- Document Titles and Language: Ensure every PDF has a descriptive title and specified language in the document properties. This simple metadata helps screen readers understand and announce content properly.
- Meaningful Alternative Text: Replace generic image descriptions with text that conveys meaningful, useful information and details.
- Proper Heading Structure: Use actual heading tags (H1, H2, H3) rather than just making text bigger or bold. This creates a navigation roadmap for assistive technology users.
- Reading Order Review: Test documents with screen readers or use accessibility checkers to ensure content flows logically from beginning to end.
Helping Students Succeed
Effective PDF accessibility requires both meeting compliance standards to protect institutions from legal risk and ensuring genuine usability so students can actually engage with content. When a biology student using a screen reader can navigate through a research paper’s headings, or when a student with dyslexia can access alternative text-to-speech formats, accessibility becomes what it should be: invisible infrastructure that works. The most effective institutional approaches remove the burden of compliance tracking and manual accessibility remediation through automation, taking PDF accessibility from a complex technical challenge into a seamless part of content creation. When the heavy lifting happens behind the scenes, faculty can focus on teaching while students gain barrier-free access to learning materials.
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