Deadline extended one year by DOJ Interim Final Rule. Illinois state agencies now have until April 26, 2027 (previously April 24, 2026). Verify for yourself: Federal Register notice · Government Technology coverage.

ICJIA Accessibility Portal

Countdown to WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance

ADA Title II Digital Accessibility Compliance Deadline: April 26, 2027

Created: December 15, 2025 Updated: May 14, 2026

About These FAQs

Created by: These FAQs were created by ICJIA's IDS Unit as a best-effort translation of new ADA guidelines into practical guidance.

Corrections: We make mistakes. We welcome feedback. If you find any incorrect or incomplete information, please immediately contact ICJIA's IDS Unit with specific corrections.

Not legal advice: This FAQ provides general guidance based on public information and common practices. It is not legal advice. For specific legal questions or interpretations, consult with ICJIA's legal counsel or Illinois DoIT's accessibility guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Start (Read this first)

Executive summary: what you need to know right now

Quick Reference: Critical Actions By Role

For Content Creators

For Web Developers

For Managers

Understanding Accessibility

Why should I trust this FAQ if it wasn't created by agency leadership or official accessibility experts?

I'm already busy. Why should accessibility be a priority when I have other responsibilities?

What is digital accessibility?

Updated (May 14, 2026)How does digital accessibility and compliance fit into an agency's DEIA mission?

Getting Started

I'm a content creator. Where do I start?

How should I track my accessibility fixes as a content creator?

I'm a web developer. Where do I start?

I'm a manager. Where do I start?

I'm on executive staff. Where do I start?

What exactly am I accountable for as a manager (vs. what my team is accountable for)?

How can I track and demonstrate "good-faith progress" toward compliance?

Who signs off that we're compliant? Can we "certify" WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance?

Common Concerns

Why does accessibility compliance require everyone's participation?

I'm already overloaded — how am I supposed to add accessibility to my workload?

Updated (May 14, 2026)Who's going to notice if we're not compliant by April 26, 2027?

Given the uncertainty around enforcement, can we tell staff to continue with their current workflows for now?

Updated (May 6, 2026)What is WCAG?

Updated (May 14, 2026)What does "WCAG 2.1 Level AA" mean?

What are the most common accessibility mistakes and issues to avoid?

State Agency Applicability

Updated (May 14, 2026)Do we need an agency accessibility coordinator?

Updated (May 14, 2026)Does IAAP certification help — and can it build agency confidence in our accessibility work?

Why does your agency need to worry about digital accessibility? What does the April 2027 deadline mean?

What happens after April 26, 2027?

Why are we just hearing about this now?

After April 26, 2027, how do we maintain compliance (so we don't fall out of compliance again)?

Updated (May 6, 2026)What if we can't meet the April 26, 2027 deadline?

Updated (May 14, 2026)Are there exceptions to the April 2027 deadline? What qualifies?

How do we prioritize accessibility work with limited resources and a ticking clock?

What's the bare minimum we need to do by April 2027?

Compliance Requirements (IITAA and ADA Title II)

Updated (May 14, 2026)What is the IITAA?

Updated (May 6, 2026)Who must comply with the IITAA?

Updated (May 6, 2026)How is the IITAA enforced?

Updated (May 6, 2026)What does the IITAA cover?

Updated (May 6, 2026)When did the current IITAA standards take effect?

Where can I get IITAA training?

Who do I contact with IITAA questions?

Updated (May 14, 2026)What is the ADA Title II digital accessibility rule?

Updated (May 6, 2026)When must we comply with the ADA Title II rule?

Updated (May 6, 2026)What does the April 2027 deadline cover?

Updated (May 6, 2026)Does ADA Title II apply to internal documents?

Website Accessibility

How do I test my website for accessibility?

Updated (May 6, 2026)Why does SiteImprove (or another scanner) show 98% when axe-core shows 100%?

Do we need an independent (external) accessibility audit to prove compliance? When is it worth it?

What WCAG requirements are commonly overlooked?

Updated (May 6, 2026)What color contrast ratio is required?

What are focus indicators and why do they matter?

Updated (May 6, 2026)Do I need to caption all videos?

What about cognitive accessibility and plain language?

How do I make forms accessible?

How do I make mobile apps accessible?

Updated (May 6, 2026)Does our agency's password-protected intranet need to be accessible?

What about archived documents on the intranet?

Content Accessibility (Documents, PDFs, Presentations)

My documents look fine — why do they need to be "accessible"?

What about photos your agency takes at events — like speeches or awards ceremonies? Do those need to be accessible?

How long should alt text be?

How do I handle complex images like charts, graphs, or infographics?

Who should write the alt text for photos?

Are captions the same as alt text?

Updated (May 6, 2026)Do all documents need to be accessible?

How do I make a Word document accessible?

How do I make a PDF accessible?

Updated (May 6, 2026)Why fix the source document (Word) instead of fixing the PDF after it's published?

Is there a quick way to test PDF files for accessibility?

Is Canva accessible?

How do I make Excel spreadsheets accessible?

I work with complex data tables. Why does our website use Markdown, and how do I make my tables accessible?

How do I make PowerPoint presentations accessible?

How do I make emails and newsletters accessible?

Procurement and Third-Party Tools

What should I do when purchasing software or services?

Updated (May 14, 2026)How do we ensure accessibility compliance with third-party tools like LMSs (Docebo), DocuSign, Tableau, ArcGIS, and Canva?

What contract language should I use?

What is a VPAT? What is an ACR or MCAR?

Updated (May 14, 2026)We hired a third-party remediation firm — does that mean authors don't need to learn accessibility anymore?

Updated (May 14, 2026)Does hiring a remediator shield our agency from compliance liability?

ICJIA-Specific Information

ICJIA has many public sites. Where can I see the audit reports for each site?

Updated (May 14, 2026)How do we handle accessibility complaints?

Getting Help

Illinois Resources

Federal Resources

Free Testing Tools

Glossary

Legal and Standards Terms

Procurement Terms

Technical Terms

Content-Specific Terms

Process Terms

Keyword Index

Accessibility Basics

Getting Started by Role

Compliance & Legal

Testing & Auditing

Images & Alt Text

Documents (Word, PDF, Excel, PowerPoint)

Videos & Media

Website Development

Procurement & Third-Party Tools

Agency Management

Getting Help

ICJIA-Specific

ICJIA Accessibility Portal

About These FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Start (Read this first)

Quick Reference: Critical Actions By Role

Understanding Accessibility

Getting Started

Common Concerns

State Agency Applicability

Compliance Requirements (IITAA and ADA Title II)

Website Accessibility

Content Accessibility (Documents, PDFs, Presentations)

Social Media Accessibility

Procurement and Third-Party Tools

ICJIA-Specific Information

Getting Help

Glossary

Keyword Index