2026-2027 University Disability Access and Inclusion Obligations and Resources

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Disability rights are civil rights. Ensuring qualified disabled individuals have access to the university’s programs, services, activities, workspaces, and digital tools and electronic resources is everyone’s responsibility and obligation. Designing programs to be seamlessly and readily accessible is in line with UW–Madison’s commitment to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability nondiscrimination laws.

The university provides resources and information to assist everyone – from faculty and teaching assistants to staff, managers, and supervisors – with proactively designing programs, classes, events, and digital content to be accessible and minimize the need for reasonable accommodations. The resources below will help you do your part to create accessible programs, so disabled individuals can more independently and easily access the university, as well as support reasonable accommodations, when necessary.

Accessibility Resources:

• To support an inclusive digital ecosystem:
  • Center for User Experience:
    • Partners to create accessible, usable, and inclusive digital spaces
    • Manages new Digital Accessibility @ UW–Madison hub containing digital accessibility fundamentals and “Make it accessible” guides
    • Offers Digital Accessibility office hours for guidance on how to design accessibly and meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (plain language version)
  • Office of Compliance:
    • Provides information on the ADA’s digital accessibility requirements
    • Advises on the Digital Accessibility policy, including accessible procurement
    • Hosts digital accessibility ADA Office Hours
• To ensure physical spaces are accessible:
  • Facilities Access Program:
    • Reviews construction plans for accessible code compliance
    • Manages physical barrier removal
    • Offers Disability Resource Guide on:
      • Accessible pedestrian routes and building entrances
      • Internal building passageways (PDF)
      • Snow removal
      • Emergency evacuation guidelines
  • Accessible parking and transportation:
    • Accessible parking
    • Accessible transit
    • Campus Construction Impacts
• For general information to support our shared responsibility for inclusive design:
  • • Accessibility @ UW–Madison: central university accessibility resource website, including:
      • Accessible events guide
      • University wheelchair loan programs
      • Disability and Ableism Awareness training
      • Assistance and service animals
      • Libraries accessibility guide

Accommodation Resources:

• For managers and supervisors of employees needing accommodations, or for employees or job applicants seeking accommodations:
  • Employee Disability Resources Office:
    • Oversees and informs about the ADA’s employment provisions, the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, and the Pregnant Worker’s Fairness Act
    • Provides guidance and information on the reasonable accommodation process for employees, student-employees, and job-applicants with disabilities and pregnancy-related limitations, including lactation, to advance access and inclusion
    • Manages the Divisional Disability Representative program; the point of contact for employees and student-employees needing a job-related accommodation for a disability or pregnancy-related condition
    • Provides virtual and in-person training for managers and supervisors, including an Introduction to Reasonable Accommodations online module
• For faculty and instructors, teaching assistants, and staff engaging with students or program participants with disabilities:
  • McBurney Disability Resource Center:
    • Supports students with disabilities who need an academic accommodation to engage, explore, and participate in their classes and the Wisconsin Experience
    • Offers four-topic Instructor Guide to Student Accommodations for faculty, instructors, and teaching assistants and steps to prepare for the semester and support course accessibility
    • Consults with instructors, teaching assistants, and staff on how to implement accommodations and follow the Access for Students with Disabilities policy
    • Assists units, including Division of Extension programming, with Program and Event Host information to follow the Access for Guests, Program Participants, and Visitors with Disabilities policy

Thank you for your efforts in making UW–Madison inclusive and accessible to everyone. If you have questions, want to learn more about your role and obligation in creating an accessible experience, or need this message in an alternative format due to disability, email us.

Wishing you a great start to the term,

Ruben Mota, Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator
Mark Whittaker, Deputy Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator