Steps for Colleges to Get Ahead

Colleges and Districts can begin working with the Accessibility Capability Maturity Model (ACMM) framework, even if the organization isn’t yet participating in the ACMM. Below are some areas that can help your College or District build a solid accessibility foundation.

Establish a Work Group/Committee/Task Force: Establish a committee of stakeholders from across the organization to begin accessibility planning efforts, discuss areas of greatest need, and strategize ACMM goals and milestones.
Promote Accessible Document Training: The foundations of accessible digital content are consistent across all platforms. Encourage or require faculty and staff to register for WebAIM Accessible Document training. This training is paid for by the Accessibility Center and is available at no cost to the CCC.
Create a Web Inventory: Gather a list of all websites and web applications under the organization's purview, including the main website, departmental pages, and other affiliated websites like Athletics, the Library and Auxiliaries. The Pope Tech Website Scanning tool can help create this inventory and identify accessibility barriers. This tool is paid for by the Accessibility Center and is available at no cost to the CCC.
Collect ACRs/VPATs for Technology Purchases: Encourage or require purchase requestors to include an Accessibility Conformance Report (also known as an ACR or VPAT) with other pre-purchase documentation. This is an important first step in evaluating the accessibility of acquired technology products and services.
Replicate Effective Processes in Other Areas: Identify successful accessibility efforts and extend them to other areas. For instance, if you have processes or procedures that are working well for online classes (such as implementing Universal Design for Learning, including accessibility statements, or selecting captioned videos), extend these processes to in-person classes. If there is one department that has robust processes for checking marketing materials for accessibility, replicate these in other departments, etc.
Address Accessibility Issues In Canvas: Instructors and support staff can quickly identify and remediate accessibility issues across one or several Canvas courses by using Pope Tech Dashboards for Canvas. Colleges and districts can install this tool in their Canvas instance and promote its use. This tool is paid for by the Accessibility Center and is available at no cost to the CCC.
Have Regular Conversations About Accessibility: Emphasize the crucial role of accessibility in larger conversations surrounding strategic planning, communications, technology acquisition and implementation, DEIA efforts, events, teaching best practices, and other relevant areas.

ACMM Visit Preparation: What Colleges and Districts Need to Know

CCC Districts with an interest in participating in the Accessibility Capability Maturity Model (ACMM) need to complete two critical initial steps:

1. Executive Sponsorship: Secure an executive sponsor who holds a senior leadership position:

For single-college districts: Vice President or higher
For multi-college districts: Vice Chancellor or higher

The executive sponsor is crucial in establishing accessibility as an institutional priority.

2. Contact the ACMM Team: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.to discuss your participation.

Participation Commitments

Time Commitments

Kick-Off Training (Zoom): 90 minutes
ACMM Training (In person): Approximately 4 hours
ACMM Assessment meetings (In person): Approximately 3 hours
Optional Post-visit Office Hours (Zoom): 1 hour

Resource Commitments

Training Space
- Must have presentation capabilities
- Should include a microphone
Assessment Spaces
- Three adjacent or nearby rooms for small group assessments
Parking passes for ACMM staff (if parking is not free)
Wireless internet access
Snacks are welcome but not required

Long-term Commitment

The ACMM Team is dedicated to supporting continuous, incremental improvements in accessibility. They will develop customized recommendations that align with each college or district's unique organizational context. These targeted strategies are designed to systematically enhance accessibility processes and build institutional capacity year after year. Participating colleges and districts will provide an annual report to the Accessibility Center, documenting progress and demonstrating ongoing commitment to accessibility.

ACMM Goals and Milestones

The ACMM consists of 89 milestones organized under 7 goals. Further explanation for each goal/milestone is detailed in an Implementation Guide that will be shared with CCC Colleges and Districts that participate in the ACMM implementation.

Digital Content Accessibility Overview

Digital content accessibility refers to the design and creation of information, media, and communication shared online to ensure inclusivity and accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

Accessible digital content, including educational materials, such as syllabi, presentations, articles, assignments, lecture notes, video and audio content, and content within the Learning Management System (LMS) are crucial in ensuring equal learning opportunities and facilitating full engagement in the learning process.

Document Accessibility

The majority of digital content, including word processing files, PDFs, presentations, forms, templates, and marketing materials, follow the same accessibility tenets. Learning the basics of accessible digital content creation can reduce barriers and remediation needs. Learn more about Document Accessibility.

Canvas Accessibility

There are numerous resources available to the California Community Colleges (CCC) to ensure all content within the Canvas LMS is accessible. Learn more about Canvas Accessibility.

Captions and Audio Descriptions

Accurate captions and transcripts for audio and video content, along with audio descriptions for visual elements, are essential for media accessibility. These elements benefit individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, those with visual impairments, and individuals who rely on written text for comprehension. Learn more about captions and audio descriptions.

California Commnuity Colleges Accessibility Center