Introduction

Faculty are increasingly being asked to consider accessibility, copyright, licensing, accommodations, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) when selecting course materials. These topics are related, but they are not the same thing.  A common misconception is that providing a library permalink automatically makes a resource accessible. In reality, accessibility depends on the specific resource, database, format, and student needs. Similarly, creating a more accessible version of a resource may not automatically grant permission to redistribute copyrighted content.

This guide is intended to help faculty:

• Understand the difference between accessibility and student access.

• Make informed decisions about library links, PDFs, and course readings.

• Navigate the relationship between accessibility and copyright.

• Understand when accommodations may require alternative formats.

• Identify when to seek assistance from the IDEA Team, ESDS, or the library.

Frequently Asked Questions

Accessibility Ranking

How do we know if a resource meets both students needs and compliance standards?

Accessibility and Library Access Are Two Different Things

One question that frequently comes up is whether linking students to materials available through the library automatically makes those materials accessible. Unfortunately, the answer is not always.

Providing a library permalink improves student access and may support copyright compliance, but it does not guarantee that the article, chapter, or resource is accessible.

In the past, many institutions (including ours) often encouraged faculty to replace uploaded PDFs with library links. While this can improve an Ally score by reducing inaccessible uploaded files, it does not necessarily mean that students are receiving content they can actually use.

Over time, we have learned that many library journals and database resources are not fully accessible, and there is currently no simple way to determine accessibility by journal or database alone. While the library continues to improve access options, there is not currently a comprehensive list identifying which databases consistently provide accessible content.

In addition, when faculty rely solely on library links, students lose access to Blackboard Ally's alternative formats, which can provide valuable support for many learners.

Faculty Responsibilities

Faculty are responsible for ensuring that the materials they assign are accessible.

The IDEA Team can:

• Provide guidance

• Review Ally reports

• Offer training

• Assist with complex accessibility issues

• Improve shared course resources when time and capacity allow

The IDEA Team cannot serve as the sole remediation resource for all course materials across all programs.

What happens if I want to use a reading, but I cannot find an accessible version. What should I do?

Accessibility is often a process rather than a binary yes/no decision. If you cannot find an accessible version of a reading:

1. Provide a library permalink whenever possible.

   • Even if the resource is not fully accessible, the library version may provide accessibility features that are not available in a downloaded PDF.

2. Review whether the reading is essential.

   • If a comparable resource is already available in a more accessible format, consider using that instead.

3. Consult the IDEA Team. We can:

   • Review the resource with you.

   • Help identify accessibility concerns.

   • Suggest remediation approaches.

   • Recommend alternative formats when appropriate.

   • Help prioritize work if an accommodation need exists.

4. Learn basic remediation skills. Faculty who regularly assign readings are encouraged to learn basic document accessibility practices. The IDEA Team can help connect you with:

   • Blackboard Ally training

   • Equidox resources

   • Adobe Acrobat accessibility tools

   • UMB accessibility training opportunities

5. If a student accommodation is involved, contact ESDS and the IDEA Team early. Accommodation requests often require a different response timeline than general course remediation efforts.
   
   

What should I not do?

• Don't assume a library link is automatically accessible.

• Don't assume Ally scores alone indicate that students can actually use a resource.

• Don't wait until a student reports a barrier if accessibility concerns are already known.

• Don't upload copyrighted materials without considering copyright and licensing requirements.

Remember

The goal is not for every faculty member to become an accessibility expert overnight. The goal is to make informed choices, learn basic accessibility practices over time, and seek assistance when needed. The IDEA Team is happy to partner with faculty, provide training, and help troubleshoot difficult situations, but accessibility is ultimately a shared responsibility.

Accessibility vs. Copyright

The reason the "best" solution is not always obvious is that accessibility and copyright sometimes point us in different directions. Accessibility and copyright are both important considerations when selecting and distributing course materials.

Providing an accessible resource does not automatically grant permission to redistribute copyrighted content, and providing a library link does not automatically guarantee accessibility.

Special Note: Providing Alternative Formats for Students with Accommodations

Meeting the needs of a specific accommodation request and distributing a resource to an entire course are different situations and may be governed by different accessibility, licensing, and copyright considerations

When responding to a documented accommodation request, creating an alternative accessible format may be an appropriate way to provide access to course materials

In many cases, this is the fastest way to provide access is by converting a journal article to a word documents because most faculty are already familiar with reviewing and editing Word documents.

Because faculty are the subject matter experts, they are often better positioned than students to ensure that content remains in the correct order and context after conversion.

However...

A version created to meet the needs of an individual student accommodation is not necessarily appropriate for broad distribution.

Faculty should generally avoid:

• Uploading converted Word versions of copyrighted journal articles for all students.

• Removing publisher formatting, citations, or metadata.

• Replacing licensed library resources with locally distributed copies without verifying that distribution is permitted.

Accessibility accommodations and course-wide redistribution are not the same thing.

If a resource will be used repeatedly across semesters, faculty should work with the library, ESDS, and appropriate University resources to identify a sustainable and compliant long-term solution.

Accessibility, Copyright, and Supporting Diverse Voices

As faculty work to diversify course materials and incorporate a broader range of perspectives, it is important to consider both accessibility and the rights of the authors whose work we assign

Many of the scholars, practitioners, journalists, and community voices we intentionally seek to include in our courses rely on copyright protections and licensing agreements to support their work. While accessibility may sometimes require the creation of alternative formats for individual students or accommodation purposes, faculty should be cautious about distributing modified or downloaded copies of copyrighted materials more broadly than necessary.

Whenever possible:

• Use library permalinks and licensed resources.

• Preserve citations and attribution.

• Respect publisher licensing agreements.

• Consult library staff when fair use or redistribution questions arise.

• Consider both student access needs and the rights of content creators.

Accessibility and copyright should not be viewed as competing priorities. Instead, our goal is to provide students with equitable access to learning materials while respecting the intellectual property and labor of the individuals who created them.

As we expand our reading lists to include more diverse authors and historically underrepresented voices, it becomes especially important that we model ethical use of those materials and support sustainable pathways for future scholarship and publishing.

Please review the accessibility documentation and training resources documented on our main accessibility page for more information and links to training resources.