CHICAGO (WAND) - Gov. JB Pritzker has signed a bill meant to ensure equitable access to digital education tools for students with disabilities.
House Bill 26 requires that content available on any third-party curriculum service used in all public and private K-12 schools to be Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 complaint and readily accessible to people with disabilities, beginning in August 2022.
“This legislation truly meets the moment when it comes to giving our students the most fulfilling education possible in an increasingly online world,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “As online educational tools become further integrated into school curriculums, we need to be sure that these tools are properly addressing the needs of all the students and families they’re designed to serve. I am proud to mark another achievement as we pave the way for an education system that meets the challenges of the 21st century.”
Officials said WCAG guidelines provide "a single, shared standard for web content accessibility and explain how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities, through features like text-to-speech, captions for videos, text alternatives for non-text content, and color-blind alternatives." By passing this bill, these accessibility features will be standard for digital tools used to educate children.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for accessible online learning, especially for the nearly 18% of students who use an Individualized Education Plan or report having a disability or developmental delay,” said State Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D- Chicago). “Accommodating students with diverse needs is a top priority, and these accessibility guidelines will ensure all students get the necessary access to educational materials online when needed.”
The measure takes effect Aug. 1, 2022.
