Digital Accessibility Plan

Planning for Equitable Access Across All District 49 Communications

Overview

School District 49 is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all users, including individuals with disabilities. This multi-phase plan outlines our progress, priorities, and commitments to creating inclusive communications across web, print, video, and digital tools.

 

Phase One: Foundation & Immediate Response

Timeline: 2024–2025
Objective: Build the framework for accessible communications and respond to immediate compliance needs.

Compliance Response

• Responded to Office for Civil Rights (OCR) complaint regarding prior website.
• Completed accessibility audit of the former district website.
• Updated District Accessibility Statement to align with WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

Website Transition

• Migrated to Finalsite platform with built-in accessibility tools in August 2024.
• Prohibited the use of text-heavy graphics and inaccessible PDFs.
• Created a centralized Google Shared Folder for accessible document storage.
• Implemented updated calendar tools with better screen reader compatibility.

Accessible Publications

• Began publishing bilingual (English/Spanish) editions of the Discover D49 Magazine.
• Printed 300 Spanish-language copies for CLDE distribution.

New Position: Compliance and Customer Service Specialist

• Hired to support ongoing accessibility and user support efforts.
• Participating in professional development and sharing knowledge across departments.

Leadership & Staff Awareness

• Communicated accessibility goals to school and district leadership.
• Messaging included the prohibition of text-heavy graphics and PDFs in school communications.
• Presented at Cabinet, VCT, and district-level Administrative team meetings.
• Created a dedicated accessibility page on the Communications Team site under “Training.”
• Created dedicated “best practices” pages for newsletters and social media, which includes accessibility information.
• Created a dedicated page on submitting accessible flyers / graphics that meet accessibility standards. 

 

Phase Two: School Engagement & Expanded Standards

Timeline: 2025
Objective: Extend accessibility practices to school-level communication and audiovisual content.

School Leadership Support

• Host spring meetings with principals and building leaders; provide brief of key insights and lessons learned.
• Discuss accessibility in school communications and newsletters.
• Review teacher-to-family documents and platform use for compliance.
• Begin auditing school-based websites and family communications.

Audio & Video Accessibility

• Promote the use of auto-generated closed captions on YouTube and Facebook videos.
• Encourage use of audio descriptions where appropriate (i.e., for non-verbal visual content).
• Require speaker identification in podcast content.
• Limit or adapt heavy-text graphics used in videos.

Marketing & Graphic Design Protocol

• Create an internal procedure to check accessibility during the marketing request process.
• Train Marketing & Communications staff to ask targeted questions about graphic intent.
• Create a translation workflow for graphics and collateral as needed.

 

Phase Three: Social Media, Training & Monitoring

Timeline: 2025–2026
Objective: Embed accessible practices districtwide and implement systemwide training.

Social Media Accessibility

• Require alternative (alt) text on all social media graphics and images.
• Monitor video content for captioning and accessibility compliance.
• Develop and implement social media accessibility training for school/district users.

Training & Capacity Building

• Launch awareness training for:
  • Cabinet-level leadership
  • Building and department leaders
  • Teachers (specific to approved platforms and communications)
• Introduce “snackable tips” (short reminders or guides) for everyday accessibility.

 

Additional Areas of Focus

Communications Monitoring

• Perform periodic manual audits of:
  • School and district websites
  • Email newsletters
  • Social media platforms
• Use assistive technology to assess compliance from a user perspective.

Other Key Areas

• Ensure Board of Education management software and documents meet accessibility standards.
• Audit email signatures across departments for readability.
• Evaluate vendors and third-party platforms for compliance.

 

Accountability Structure

 

Exploring Funding Opportunities

• Researching and applying for grants that support accessibility tools, training, or technology.

 

For questions or to report an accessibility issue, please contact our Communications Department at info@d49.org or 719-495-1148.