What the April 2026 ADA Accessibility Deadline Means for Your Course Catalog
January 23, 2026
If your institution publishes course catalogs or academic content online, a new rule under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will require a new level of accessibility across those documents. With full compliance required by April 24, 2026, now is the time to ensure your catalogs meet modern accessibility standards to avoid any last-minute scrambling.
What the ADA Digital Accessibility Rule Requires
In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice finalized a Title II digital accessibility rule that changes how public entities, including universities and colleges, manage their web content and digital materials. They set a deadline for two years out (April 2026) requiring that all web content, online course materials, and institutional publications must conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standards (Level AA) to ensure they’re usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. This is a significant shift away from the past “accommodation on request” approach, and toward proactive, universal accessibility for all users. Institutions are also accountable for digital content produced by third-party vendors, including software providers. If you use Clean Catalog for any digital publications, such as your course catalog, then they should already be in compliance with this new accessibility mandate.
What's the Difference Between WCAG 2.2 and 2.1?
The U.S. Title II digital accessibility rule requires WCAG 2.1 compliance, but WCAG has released 2.2 standards, and that's what Clean Catalog targets. Fortunately, WCAG 2.2 only adds requirements to 2.1, so if you meet 2.2 you will also meet 2.1.
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Why Accessibility Matters for Course Catalogs
Your course catalog is a cornerstone for academic planning, advising, and enrollment decisions for your students. When catalog content isn’t accessible, you risk excluding students with disabilities from the very information they need to succeed. Designing with accessibility in mind improves usability for everyone and supports greater equity and inclusion on your campus. If improving accessibility has been on your “to-do” list, the April 2026 deadline will add urgency to updating your institution’s publications.
How Clean Catalog Helps You Meet ADA & WCAG Standards
At Clean Catalog, accessibility isn’t an afterthought, but built into every part of our software. Our publications target WCAG 2.2 AA guidelines by default, which means catalogs created with Clean Catalog are accessible to users with screen readers, keyboard navigation, and assistive technologies from launch. You won’t have to retrofit content or patch accessibility issues manually because our platform handles it automatically.
Our accessibility features extend beyond compliance. With clean, logical navigation, clear headings, and intuitive structure, Clean Catalog makes it easier for all students to find what they need quickly. Since the ADA rule extends to third-party content you publish, having a software provider that prioritizes accessibility will help you maintain compliance long term.
Meeting the ADA digital accessibility deadline doesn’t have to mean a scramble through outdated PDFs or siloed content management systems. Clean Catalog offers free content migration and build-outs for all clients, both new and old. By transitioning your course catalog to Clean Catalog software, you’ll enjoy a responsive, searchable, WCAG-compliant course catalog that stands up in accreditation reviews, all with minimal lift required by your staff. Explore how we’ve helped other institutions enhance accessibility and usability in our case studies and blog posts, like Meeting ADA and WCAG Accessibility Standards or Accessibility for All Student Publications.
Your digital accessibility obligations don’t start and end with this deadline. Clean Catalog gives you the tools to elevate your catalog into an inclusive, modern academic resource, rather than to simply check a compliance box. Whether you’re just beginning your accessibility journey or further prioritizing it, we’re here to help you meet the April 2026 deadline with confidence and fewer headaches.