From Backlog to Practice: Building an Accessibility Practice Inside a University
Addressing a document backlog while helping staff change how new content was created and published.
A backlog that kept growing
Documents had accumulated across academic departments, admissions, and student services without a consistent accessibility review. Many were difficult or impossible to use with assistive technology, preventing students and families from accessing information they needed.
Staff wanted to address the problems, but responsibilities and standards were unclear. New documents were being published every day. Fixing the existing files wouldn’t be enough on its own.
How I approached it
The key decisionI started with the documents students needed most, instead of working through the inventory in order.
What I ruled outFixing every file after it was published. New documents went up every day, so that approach would never catch up. The plan put accessibility into how documents were created.
- AuditInventory the documents and sort issues by severity, from critical to low.
- PrioritizeFix the most urgent files, and decide with staff which of the rest to fix, replace, or retire.
- TrainProvide accessible templates, written guidance, and hands-on sessions.
- SustainAdd checks to publishing, assign owners, and set a review schedule.
What I did
I audited the document inventory and sorted issues by severity, from critical barriers to minor fixes. That gave leadership a view of the scope and a basis for deciding what to address first.
I remediated the highest-priority documents, focusing on information students needed right away. For the rest, I worked with staff to decide which files to fix and which to replace with accessible versions.
I created guidance and accessible templates, then provided hands-on training. We focused on steps staff could take while creating documents rather than leaving all the fixes until after publication.
I also added accessibility checks to the existing publishing process, documented review responsibilities, and established a review schedule and a way to track progress.
I’ve done similar work in public schools. In both settings, the process has to fit staff time and resources if people are going to keep using it.
What changed
The university had a documented remediation process, assigned content owners, and accessibility checks in its publishing workflow. More than two dozen staff members received direct training.
The project addressed priority documents and gave staff guidance for reviewing new content as it was created.
Related reading: The PDF Problem Nobody on Your Team Has Time to Fix