Course Accessibility Resources
The Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning is here to assist faculty with ensuring their course content is accessible in accordance with the most recent ADA Guidelines. Below you will find an implementation timeline for the new accessibility plan for course content at Tennessee Tech, as well as resources and tools to help make your course(s) more accessible. If at any point you have questions or would like to know more about the technology available, you can contact the CITL. If you have questions about accessibility in general, you can visit the Accessible Education Center for more information.
- Understanding the New ADA Ruling
What's Changed
In accordance with the WCAG 2.1 AA standards, institutions are now required to make all digital media accessible. This includes, PDFs and media content such as course videos, live lecturer, content on the LMS (D2L/iLearn), and other instructional media.
What's Required?
Institutions must now meet the WCAG 2.1 AA standards for documents (books, PDFs, etc) by providing alternative formats; time-based media through live-captioning and captions with audio descriptions for pre-recorded videos; and transcripts for audio-only content.
Who & When
By April 24, 2026, public universities and colleges with 50,000+ constituents must meet the WCAG 2.1 AA standards. Tennessee Tech falls within this category.
TN Tech Action Steps
Based on the information outlined above, Tennessee Tech has purchased a new digital accessibility software, YuJa Panorama, to integrate within our learning management system (D2L) to help faculty ensure their course materials are accessible and provide alternative formats for students. The timeline below shows the process for this implementation and next steps. You can also use the resources already available on the CITL website.
- TN Tech Action Plan
Raising Awareness
Fall 2024-Spring 2025
- August 2024: The University Chief Compliance Officer, Greg Holt, presented to the President's Cabinet.
- Spring 2025: Center for Innovation in Teaching Learning Director, Dr. Jason Beach, and Accessible Education Center Director, Dr. Ed Beason, presented to various stakeholders including Faculty Senate and Department Chairs/Directors.
Rollout
May-July 2025
- Accessibility goals for Tennessee Tech established in alignment with WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
- Establish budget and select vendor for accessibility tools related to course design.
- Begin preparing for campus implementation of YuJa Panorama.
- Pilot Panorama to test captioning, audio description workflows, and refine training materials for faculty and students.
Phase 1: Scale & Train
August-December 2025
- Begin campus-wide rollout.
- Begin working with faculty on course content for Spring 2026 courses to "Go Green by Spring 2026."
- Continue to gather faculty, student, and staff feedback from pilot groups.
- Continue to refine workflows and expand training and resources.
- University representatives attend ADA conference.
Phase 2: Go Green
January-March 2026
- Continue to scale accessibility tools campus-wide.
- Go Green by Spring: Ensure current semester content is complaint.
Phase 3: Finalize & Monitor
March-April 2026
- Tag/archive exempt materials.
- Establish a review process to maintain compliance going forward.
- YuJa Panorama
To assist with all course materials being in compliance with the WCAG 2.1 AA standards, Tennessee Tech has purchased YuJa Panorama. Panorama integrates with our learning management system, D2L/iLearn, to provide accessibility checks for course content and alternative formats for students to view content.
- Technology Accessibility
Each of the supported instructional technologies on the CITL's website has accessibility information located within the Accessibility tab on that technology's page as seen below.
You can also view accessibility statements for each technology on the Learner Success Resources page.
- Document Accessibility
YuJa Panorama enables faculty to check a documents accessibility within a D2L/iLearn course, and for students and faculty to convert documents into alternative formats within D2L. However, at this time, it does not correct the documents themselves. Faculty must ensure document accessibility within the document itself using the Accessibility Checker in Microsoft Office tools. Learn how to use the accessibility tools within word documents, powerpoints, and other documents below.
- Exam Information
Alternative Testing Agreements are handled by the Accessible Education Center. To learn more, please visit the website below.
- Syllabus Information
Tennessee Tech has created a standard syllabus that can be used for all courses. Each semester the syllabus template is updated and posted on the Provost's website.
To find the most updated version, use the link below and scroll to the bottom of the page.
- Workshops
Fall 2025
August 12
Getting Your Course(s) Ready with Accessibility & AI
11 AM | Teams
Join the CITL on Tuesday, August 12th at 11 AM via Teams for a practical session focused on preparing your course with accessibility and intentional design in mind. We’ll explore how AI tools can support your planning process, highlight key areas to consider as you finalize your syllabus, and share simple strategies to create a more inclusive learning experience. Whether you’re updating an existing course or building something new, this session will offer helpful takeaways for a strong start to the semester.
August 19
Course Consultations
8:00-4:00 PM
Schedule a consultation to work with a member of our team on the finishing touches for your fall courses. We are here to assist you with aligning your course objectives to assignments and activities, linking your gradebook and items within D2L iLearn, finding new ways to incorporate AI into your courses and course planning, or begin looking at the accessibility of your spring courses using YuJa Panorama.
August 26
An Introduction to YuJa Panorama
11 AM | Teams
Join us for an introduction to our university’s new digital accessibility tool, YuJa Panorama. In this session, we’ll cover the fundamentals—what Panorama is, how to access it, and the key features it offers. You’ll learn how Panorama can help you identify and improve the accessibility of your course content, as well as how to start preparing your materials for Spring 2026. This session is ideal for anyone new to Panorama or looking to build a stronger foundation in digital accessibility.
September 2
Course Consultations: Panorama and Accessibility Support
8:00-4:00 PM
Schedule a consultation to work with a member of our team. We are here to assist you with aligning your course objectives to assignments and activities, linking your gradebook and items within D2L iLearn, finding new ways to incorporate AI into your courses and course planning, or begin looking at the accessibility of your spring courses using YuJa Panorama.
September 6
Quick(ish) Changes to Make Your Course More Accessible
11 AM | Teams
Making your course more accessible doesn’t have to be overwhelming or time-consuming. Join the CITL on Tuesday, September 16th at 11 AM via Teams, where we’ll walk through a series of quick(ish) updates you can make to improve the accessibility of your course content and create a more inclusive learning environment for all students.
September 23
Fixing Issues in Panorama
11 AM | Teams
Learn about improving course content and how to fix accessibility issues flagged in Panorama.
October 7
Quick(ish) Changes to Make Your Course More Accessible
11 AM | Teams
Making your course more accessible doesn’t have to be overwhelming or time-consuming. Join the CITL on Tuesday, September 16th at 11 AM via Teams, where we’ll walk through a series of quick(ish) updates you can make to improve the accessibility of your course content and create a more inclusive learning environment for all students.
November 11
Course Consultations: Panorama and Accessibility Support
8:00-4:00 PM
Schedule a consultation to work with a member of our team. We are here to assist you with aligning your course objectives to assignments and activities, linking your gradebook and items within D2L iLearn, finding new ways to incorporate AI into your courses and course planning, or begin looking at the accessibility of your spring courses using YuJa Panorama.
November 25
Course Consultations: Panorama and Accessibility Support
8:00-4:00 PM
Schedule a consultation to work with a member of our team. We are here to assist you with aligning your course objectives to assignments and activities, linking your gradebook and items within D2L iLearn, finding new ways to incorporate AI into your courses and course planning, or begin looking at the accessibility of your spring courses using YuJa Panorama.
December 2
Course Consultations: Panorama and Accessibility Support
8:00-4:00 PM
Schedule a consultation to work with a member of our team. We are here to assist you with aligning your course objectives to assignments and activities, linking your gradebook and items within D2L iLearn, finding new ways to incorporate AI into your courses and course planning, or begin looking at the accessibility of your spring courses using YuJa Panorama.
December 8
Course Consultations: Panorama and Accessibility Support
8:00-4:00 PM
Schedule a consultation to work with a member of our team. We are here to assist you with aligning your course objectives to assignments and activities, linking your gradebook and items within D2L iLearn, finding new ways to incorporate AI into your courses and course planning, or begin looking at the accessibility of your spring courses using YuJa Panorama.
Contact Us
For assistance with these tools or improving course accessibility, please contact the CITL at citl@tntech.edu.