Initiatives: Digital Accessibility

Digital accessibility refers to the intentional design of electronic technologies and materials so that they are usable by all people, including people with disabilities. In the case of our increasingly technology-enhanced courses, digital accessibility means equal access to educational opportunity.

The Kirwan Center is exploring ways USM institutions—individually and collectively—can support faculty and other educational staff as they work to ensure that the instructional technologies and digital materials they use in their courses are accessible to all learners.

The key questions we are exploring include: How do we help faculty understand their role in and responsibility in digital accessibility for learning? What kind of support is available to them in the selection and/or creation of instructional materials? How do we create a “born accessible” culture within our academic programs? And how might we collaborate across USM institutions to share resources and best practices?

Our Work in Digital Accessibility

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April 7, 2025

University System of Maryland Announces Formation of Digital Accessibility Working Group

The University System of Maryland (USM) is proud to announce the formation of the Digital Accessibility (DA) Working Group, spearheaded by the Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation. This initiative brings together representatives from all 12 USM campuses, community college representatives, independent public university representatives, private college representatives, and MarylandOnline to address the critical need for accessible digital course materials across the State of Maryland.

February 27, 2025

Teach Access, a nonprofit dedicated to making digital accessibility fundamental to higher education curricula, proudly announces its newest academic hub, the University System of Maryland’s (USM) William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation. This collaboration aims to advance accessibility education, research, and practice by integrating accessibility-focused initiatives into faculty development, curriculum design, and institutional strategy across USM.The Kirwan Center + Teach Access partnership will focus on several key initiatives, including:

October 5, 2022

Resource Guide for Making an Accessible Classroom

This resource guide was created for USM institutions in support of the digital accessibility goals. For more information or resources, please contact the MDOD IT Access Initiative via email at: mdod.nva@maryland.gov or via their website mdod.maryland.gov.

The Center for Excellence in Nonvisual Access of the National Federation of the Blind is an excellent resource for learning more about nonvisual accessibility.  They can be contacted at access@nfb.org.

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