Building Digital Inclusion at UIC: 2nd Annual Accessibility Liaison Workshop

Jemma Ku, Director of IT Accessibility, kicked off the UIC Accessibility Liaison Program Workshop with warmth, wit, and a powerful reminder of why this program matters. She reflected on how far the initiative has come, from the small “Accessibility Avengers” group to a network of 40 liaisons, weekly office hours, monthly webinars, and a growing suite of tools like the new Equalify platform.

Ku emphasized that accessibility is not just about compliance but about passion, persistence, and ensuring that every member of the UIC community can fully engage, learn, and thrive. Her message underscored the program’s critical role in advancing UIC’s broader strategy of equity, inclusion, and innovation.

Ku closed thanking the liaisons for their time and commitment, and highlighted the purpose of the day: to prepare liaisons for upcoming ADA Title II requirements; strengthen our skills with practical tools and resources; and bring us together to celebrate our progress as a community, reminding us that accessibility is both a shared responsibility and a catalyst for institutional excellence.

Peter Berg, ADA Coordinator from the Office for Access and Equity, guided attendees through a session on “ADA Title II FAQs and UIC DRC Services,” addressing some of the most common questions and challenges faculty encounter when implementing accessibility.

He clarified key areas of responsibility for instructors, including ensuring that course materials meet accessibility standards, properly managing archived content, and considering accessibility when adopting third-party tools and platforms.

Berg’s presentation provided practical guidance and reinforced the importance of proactive planning so that accessibility is built into teaching practices from the start rather than treated as an afterthought.

Berg also confirmed that the ADA Title II deadline remains April 2026 and will not be extended.

Sophia Hamilton, Director of the Disability Resource Center (DRC), presented “DRC Updates for IT Accessibility Liaisons”, showing that the demand for an accessible college experience continues to grow, particularly among graduate and professional students.

She shared both highlights and challenges from her team’s work: the DRC’s Alternate Format Team is actively converting weekly course materials for 15 students, while the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Specialist coordinates ASL and live captioning services for 21 students.

Hamilton reminded liaisons that the DRC is the “clean-up crew,” but mentioned notable progress across campus is being seen, including faculty who now proactively make their content accessible. At the same time, Hamilton also pointed out the scale of the work still needed, such as re-transcribing thousands of math expressions or ensuring vendors take accountability for inaccessible platforms.

Jemma Ku, Director of IT Accessibility, presented the UIC Accessibility Maturity Model, outlining the campus’s journey from being largely unaware of accessibility legal compliance in November 2020 to the establishment of the Digital Accessibility Services and Engineering Team between June 2024 and March 2025. She also shared a one-year roadmap (April 2025–April 2026) with project milestones and target dates, illustrating UIC’s strategic approach and pathway toward ADA Title II compliance. Since its inception in 2020, UIC’s digital accessibility program has grown substantially, evolving from foundational efforts to formalized policies and campus-wide initiatives.

Helen Zhou, Assistant Director of Digital Accessibility Services, highlighted that automated scanning now covers over 770 UIC websites and 3,360 courses, with Fall 2025 accessibility scores of 62.8% for courses and 39.6% for files. She also shared available resources, including the Digital Accessibility Resource Hub, monthly training webinars, weekly office hours, and expanded consultation services. Looking ahead, she discussed next steps, including developing actionable accessibility plans, co-designing tailored training, and creating practical tools to support implementation across campus.

Bertuccelli-Booth, Assistant Director of Web Accessibility Engineering, presented on Equalify, a web accessibility ecosystem designed to help identify and address digital barriers for people with disabilities. Maintained and developed by UIC’s Digital Accessibility team, this tool will enable faster detection, reporting, and resolution of accessibility issues—advancing a more inclusive digital experience for the entire campus community.

Accessibility is a journey we’re on together, and one of the most effective ways to move forward is by learning from each other. Helen Zhou, Assistant Director of Digital Accessibility Services, facilitated a conversation designed to give UIC Accessibility Liaisons the opportunity to share how their units are approaching ADA Title II compliance, the challenges they’ve encountered, and the tips and tools they’ve found most helpful.

The session featured Anitha Paruchuri, Associate Director of Web and Digital Services in the Office of Marketing and Communications at the College of Medicine. In her presentation, Anitha described how she weaves accessibility into everyday conversations, determines ownership of accessibility issues, and supports departments in developing more inclusive practices. She also highlighted practical workflows, best practices, and tools that her team uses to advance accessibility.

Following her talk, attendees reflected on their own unit’s approach, sharing perspectives and strategies with one another. The discussion provided valuable insights and reinforced our collective commitment to building more inclusive digital spaces across the university.

Bryan Libbin, Associate CIO of Academic Technology and Learning Innovation, presented “Canvas Transition & Accessibility Plan,” outlining how UIC will support instructors, students, and staff as the campus moves to Canvas as its new learning management system.

Beginning September 30, faculty will have access to Canvas using their NetID and password, along with video tutorials and training resources to help them get started. On October 1, the LMS transition project officially launches, with Learning Technology Solutions (LTS) instructional designers reaching out directly to faculty to provide one-on-one support, including assistance with remediating course content for accessibility.

Looking ahead, the LTS team will continue offering workshops, guides, and additional training opportunities to ensure a smooth transition and to help faculty build accessible and effective course materials in Canvas.

Leslie Sherman, Assistant Director of Application Development at the College of Education, UIUC, who delivered the talk “The Accessibility Shift: Cultivating a Culture of Digital Accessibility.”  Sherman described how her campus built a dedicated task force to advance accessibility efforts and introduced initiatives such as one-on-one consultations and PDF remediation services.

She emphasized that clear leadership messaging, logistical planning, and celebrating progress, no matter how small, are critical to building momentum. Her session underscored the importance of viewing accessibility as an ongoing culture shift rather than a one-time project.

To put theory into practice, attendees participated in a hands-on activity focused on evaluating document accessibility led by Mingren (Michael) Fu, Digital Accessibility Specialist and Michelle Mitchell, IT Accessibility Program Coordinator.

Using familiar platforms such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat, participants explored built-in accessibility checkers and tested strategies for creating more accessible content. These exercises allowed attendees to immediately apply accessibility principles, practice identifying issues, and learn easy ways to make digital documents more inclusive.

To keep the momentum going, the team also engaged attendees with a fun round of accessibility “myth busters” with an opportunity to win small prizes, blending learning with a bit of friendly competition.

Accessibility is more than compliance; it’s about creating a digital environment where every member of the UIC community can succeed.

The combination of peer sharing, expert insights, and hands-on practice created a collaborative atmosphere where participants left with new tools, actionable strategies, and inspiration to continue fostering digital inclusion across UIC.

Workshops like this empower our Accessibility Liaisons to lead by example, share expertise, and bring practical accessibility strategies back to their departments.

Together, we are shaping a more inclusive UIC where technology is accessible to all.