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Accessibility

Digital Accessibility at IECC

Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is committed to attaining and maintaining WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for digital communications and software interfaces by April 24, 2026. Check this page for resources and training opportunities for IECC employees.

IECC Employees: Training sessions on digital accessibility are being developed. Topics will include making documents more accessible, accessibility spot checks, and creating accessible course materials. Contact the Web Accessibility Team for more information.

Quick Resources

What Materials Must Comply?

Documents that must comply with the standard include:

  • Course materials
  • Digital documents created in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.
  • Email messages, including newsletters and e-blasts
  • Social media posts
  • Videos
  • Websites and web portals, including IECC's external websites, MyIECC, Entrata, Canvas, Catalog, Class Schedule, etc.
  • Exceptions: Archival material, documents generated for an individual person or account (e.g., a billing statement), documents created before April 24, 2026 (as long as they are not required for participation in an IECC program)

Software that must comply includes:

  • Browser-based software or apps that are necessary to participate in an IECC program or service

Who Is Responsible for Ensuring Accessibility Compliance?

You are responsible for ensuring compliance with the documents you make and the software you purchase or use. While the district is providing education, guidance, and resources to the IECC community, each employee is responsible for reviewing and ensuring compliance for documents and materials within their area.

How Is IECC Responding?

Each area should begin evaluating and addressing accessibility issues in their digital communications and software. At the district level, IECC is coordinating information, training, and other resources about digital accessibility across all four colleges.

Best Practices

Though there are some exceptions, using Microsoft products to create and distribute documents is generally a better practice than using PDF documents. It is also recommended that forms be created and distributed using accessible form builders. If you do need to use a PDF, ensure it is properly remediated for accessibility.

Creating Accessible Documents

Training Opportunities

Learning Paths

AI-Powered Accessibility Tools

  • CeCe - IECC Accessibility Assistant (AI-Powered)
  • Upload PDFs for instant accessibility analysis
  • Get AI-generated alt text suggestions for images
  • Check color contrast for WCAG AA/AAA compliance
  • Canvas course content accessibility guidance
  • Quality Matters standards 8.3 and 8.4 support

IECC Accessibility Assistant - CeCe

IECC has developed an AI-powered accessibility assistant called CeCe to help faculty and staff create accessible course content quickly and confidently. CeCe provides instant feedback and guidance for Canvas courses, PDFs, images, and more.

What CeCe Can Do:

  • PDF Accessibility Analysis: Upload your PDF files to check for machine-readability, proper tagging, reading order, and accessibility issues. Receive specific remediation recommendations.
  • Image Accessibility: Upload images to get AI-generated alt text suggestions with brief, standard, and detailed options. Learn when images should be marked as decorative.
  • Color Contrast Checker: Test your color combinations to ensure they meet WCAG 2.1 AA and AAA standards for text readability.
  • Canvas Course Content: Get specific guidance for making your Canvas LMS content accessible, including best practices for headings, links, and multimedia.
  • Quality Matters Support: Receive explanations and examples aligned with QM Standards 8.3 (accessible text and images) and 8.4 (equivalent alternatives).

Access CeCe - IECC Accessibility Assistant →