The accessibility landscape is shifting rapidly as digital legislation matures, requiring organizations to ensure their digital products and services are accessible from the start. This evolution is more than just adopting best practices—it’s about meeting specific legal standards that serve persons with disabilities at a fundamental level.
With critical accessibility deadlines fast approaching, stakeholders in education and publishing are paying close attention to the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and upcoming U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Title 2 regulations. Both sets of regulations, though long established, are now entering the enforcement phase, with the EAA’s enforcement deadline set for June 2025. The stakes are high: failure to meet these mandates could result in fines, legal action, and even the loss of federal funding.
Both the EAA and DOJ regulations require organizations to align with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards, established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This alignment is a major step toward standardization, across international regulations. For VitalSource partners, there’s peace of mind in knowing that these upcoming deadlines are no surprise to us, and we are delivering on our commitment that our products and services are built to meet these same rigorous standards. Read on to understand how enforcement of these regulations affects key stakeholders.
Understanding the Impact on Key Stakeholders
Students: This legislation emphasizes the vital role that accessibility and content discovery play in the educational journey. Students need to be able to make informed choices about learning resources before purchasing or opting in to use them. This includes having transparent information on available accessibility features and understanding how this impacts the learning experience. Surprisingly, according to the world health organization, while we all understand there are numerous people worldwide with a disability, in higher education just 37% of students engage with their institution's disability services. Nearly two thirds of learners with a disability are trying to find their solutions without help. They need transparency and easy access to information.
Institutions: Educational institutions face both financial and reputational risks under these new requirements. They must verify and document the accessibility of their resources, remediating any gaps to avoid potential lawsuits and protect federal funding. Administrators and course designers rely on accurate metadata to understand what’s available in accessible content and to recognize platform limitations. For these systems to work effectively, institutions need vendor partnerships that help them stay compliant through continuous evaluation and improvements.
Content Providers: With vast catalogs to assess, publishers face one of the biggest challenges in meeting accessibility standards. Many are turning to trusted partners to evaluate and improve the accessibility of their content, especially as digital platforms grow. Encouragingly, 60% of submitted EPUB files from our publishing partners now include accessibility metadata, a clear sign that awareness is increasing. Yet, the work to achieve full compliance is ongoing, and publishers must stay committed to accessibility for all their offerings.
VitalSource’s Role in the Higher Education Ecosystem
For three decades, VitalSource has led the way in creating and adopting accessibility standards across the educational content industry. Named “Most Innovative Ed Tech Company” by the SIIA 2024 CODiE Awards, and the winner of the 2019 Daisy Award for Accessibility in Publishing, we’ve consistently redefined how accessible and affordable digital learning can be. Our team’s work on the award-winning Bookshelf CoachMe® tool and our collaboration with Benetech on the Born Accessible initiative showcase our dedication to student success. We know that accessible education requires strong partnerships, and we work closely with publishers and institutions to ensure they have the tools and support needed for compliance.
VitalSource is committed to transparency and continuous improvement, making certified accessible content available to institutions seeking to minimize legal risks. Through our partnership with Benetech, the VitalSource/Benetech virtual bookstore offers Global Certified Accessible (GCA) content, allowing institutions to select low-risk, fully accessible digital materials. We believe "Born Accessible" is a standard, not a suggestion—it’s essential for every learner to have barrier-free access to digital content.
A Call to Action
With the countdown underway, it’s crucial for institutions, content providers, and partners to unite in understanding the landscape, identifying compliance gaps, and embedding accessibility into the core of educational equity. We encourage stakeholders to reach out with questions or concerns and start a proactive dialogue with our team.
To learn more about VitalSource’s dedication to accessibility and the solutions we’re bringing to support compliance, visit our Accessibility Resources Page.