US faculty seek support to boost digital course accessibility

Findings from a national survey indicate that a significant proportion of higher education faculty in the United States feel underprepared to make digital course content accessible to students with disabilities.

Anthology's 2025 Faculty Survey, which gathered insights from 2,508 instructors across two- and four-year institutions, reveals that just 11% of faculty members believe they have the right tools and training to create accessible content.

The survey data highlights a persistent gap between the intention to support accessibility and the practical implementation of accessibility measures. While 76% of faculty agree that making content accessible has a positive impact on student outcomes, most respondents identified several barriers to consistently delivering accessible materials, including limited training, lack of time and insufficient institutional resources.

"This data sends a clear message: Faculty care about accessibility, but they need help. The findings reveal a powerful opportunity for institutions to support their faculty and improve learning experiences for their students. All learners benefit from content designed following accessibility best practices," Dr. Amy Lomellini, Director of Accessibility at Anthology, commented on the findings.

One of the key findings was that only 22% of faculty routinely consider accessibility when designing course materials. Awareness surrounding legal obligations is also low, with 81% of faculty stating they require more information on the ADA Title II requirement regarding conformance to WCAG 2.1. Of those surveyed, 36% said they were not aware at all of the requirements of this legislation, while 45% were aware but unclear on the details.

Faculty identified several challenges to making their course content more accessible. Among respondents, 29% cited a lack of training, 28% pointed to a lack of time, and 27% indicated limited knowledge of available tools.

Proactive communication about accessibility resources also appears limited. Only 18% of faculty members reported that they actively tell students what tools are available to help them access coursework in alternative formats. Meanwhile, 30% do not share this information at all, and 17% are not aware of what tools their own institution provides.

The survey found the lowest confidence and engagement levels among faculty with fewer than two years of teaching experience. Within this group, 33% said they rarely or never consider accessibility when creating materials. Additionally, 74% do not use accessible design elements such as captions or structured formatting, and only 10% of newer faculty inform students about available accessibility tools. When asked about their needs, 30% ranked training as their top priority, and merely 14% were fully aware of the ADA Title II requirements regarding WCAG 2.1 conformance.

Participants in the survey called for additional support to enhance digital accessibility. The resources most frequently requested included more training on accessibility best practices (26%), time to update and review course materials (23%), content audits to highlight issues (22%), and clearer institution-wide policies and standards (20%).

"The release of this data, coinciding with Global Accessibility Awareness Day, is a timely reminder for institutions to continually promote the accessibility tools, resources, and programs available to support both their faculty and students," Dr. Lomellini stated.

The Global Accessibility Awareness Day event serves to raise attention to digital access and inclusion for people with disabilities, underscoring the significance of the survey's findings in the context of ongoing discussions about accessibility in education.

The results from Anthology's 2025 Faculty Survey reflect self-reported data on awareness, practices, available resources and faculty requirements relating to accessibility across a range of higher education settings in the United States.