Long before the update to Title II, McGraw Hill has been committed to unlocking the potential of all learners and creating learning materials that are accessible to all. We are committed to creating equity in education; to do that, we must build learning experiences that are accessible to all.

What does that mean in practice? In the words of Terri Schiesl, VP of Product Development and Design, “we must make every effort to ensure all content and technology conforms to WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards (more below). In addition, accessibility doesn’t just help us stay true to our values of providing equitable learning experiences—it actually improves usability for everyone, regardless of ability.”

Below we’ve outlined some frequently asked questions about the Title II ruling, along with the answers we hope will guide you as you seek to achieve compliance to these standards.

What is Title II?

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires state and local governments, including public institutions of higher education, to make sure that their services and programs are accessible to people with disabilities. This includes any programs or services that are offered in a digital format, such as online course materials, institution websites, PDFs, spreadsheets, and other digital documents such as audio and video content and online communications.

In April of 2024, the Department of Justice updated a final ruling on Title II. The deadline for conformance for Title II guidelines is April 24, 2026 for municipalities exceeding populations of 50,000 and for those with less than 50,000, April 24, 2027.

However, deadlines may vary based on state laws, and institutions themselves may initiate an earlier deadline for conformance.

What are the guidelines for web accessibility?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are a set of technical specifications required to make your website, app, or other digital property accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities who may be using assistive technology to access that content.

WCAG applies to your website, LMS, course materials, and any other online content. Generally speaking, WCAG’s four core principles are summarized by the acronym POUR:

  • Perceivable: Information must be perceivable to people using only one of their senses.
  • Operable: End users must be able to interact with all web elements, even if they are using assistive technology such as voice control or keyboard navigation.
  • Understandable: The information and functionality of your web content must be understandable to all users.
  • Robust: Your online content must meet the needs and effectively communicate information to all users, including those using assistive technology.

WCAG has existed since 1999, and the current version that is outlined in the Title II mandate is WCAG 2.1 AA (version 2.1, standard AA). This standard includes level A (minimum requirements all online content should meet), and level AA (the level that represents strong accessibility for online content).

What does WCAG 2.1 AA address?

WCAG 2.1 is a comprehensive set of specifications for online content, covering both back-end coding of platforms as well as the front-end appearance of the content for the end user.

Some examples of the WCAG standards include:

  • Color contrast: The contrast between any text and its background needs to be high enough to be perceived by users with visual impairments.
  • Video and audio content: Content of this nature must be able to be manually started & stopped by the end user and must contain captions and transcripts.
  • Alternative text: This descriptive text explains the content of photos and other graphics for users with visual impairments.
  • Keyboard navigation: Users who navigate your content without a mouse must be able to access all of the areas of your platform and content using tab navigation or other assistive technology.

At McGraw Hill, we are committed to achieving WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards for our current and future offerings.

How is McGraw Hill preparing for Title II?

McGraw Hill is committed to building learning experiences that are accessible to all students. How it works:

  • Accessibility and universal design are central to our development efforts. From the ground up, we build content and learning tools that deliver a great user experience and meet the needs of various learners.
  • We partner with a third party to objectively evaluate our products for adherence to WCAG standards. They offer a combination of automated and manual testing to ensure the highest standards.
  • We then report on those findings through our accessibility conformance reports (ACRs), also referred to as a Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs). This document outlines the specific accessibility-related features of each of our platforms.
  • We also incorporate native testing, where we partner with users with disabilities to review our products and provide feedback on their real-world experiences.
  • We are committed to an ever-evolving cycle of reviewing our offerings, holding them to current standards, and revising any necessary content or experiences to provide accessible learning experiences for all students.

Do McGraw Hill products conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA?

“McGraw Hill has historically made significant investment ensuring our content and products are as conformed as possible to the latest WCAG standards. Accessibility is very important to us given our commitment to our mission of Education for All. Since the Department of Justice updated its regulations to Title II in April 2024, we have worked tirelessly to ensure that our content and products are conformed not only to WCAG 2.1 as outlined in the latest regulations, but also to WCAG 2.2 as we strive to conform to the most updated standards.”–Kathleen McMahon, VP of Platform and Product Delivery

Does McGraw Hill provide any documentation stating their conformance to WCAG 2.1 Level AA?

By April 2026, we will have supporting accessibility conformance reports (ACRs) and companion documents for our learning tools and platforms that demonstrate our conformity ratings. Katheen McMahon adds “the extra step of adding companion documents is to ensure our customers understand our plans for continued investment in accessibility conformance as the standards will continue to update, and our investment in accessibility will not end with this deadline.”

To obtain a copy of our ACRs, VPATs, and accompanying companion documents, you may email us at accessibility@mheducation.com. You can also reach out directly to your McGraw Hill campus representative.

Our commitment to you

We are proud to partner with higher education institutions to provide guidance and support as you endeavor to meet the requirements of Title II. This includes:

  • Partnering with administrators, instructors, and accessibility specialists to create a meaningful and engaging learning experience for all students.
  • Reviewing all options with you in order to determine the best solution when alternative content is requested.
  • Creating accessible course materials and platforms that conform to WCAG 2.1 AA standards or higher.
  • Making it easy to request digital files in alternative formats to accommodate students with disabilities—at no cost to you.
    • If not a member of AccessText Network, digital files can be requested from McGraw Hill Permissions.