On Monday April 20^th, the Justice Department issued a ruling extending the accessibility compliance deadline from April 24^th, 2026 until April 26^th, 2027. This means that we’ve been granted extra time before federal compliance is expected for our instructional materials.

For those of us who have been racing towards this deadline, doing everything we can, sacrificing hours with family or other enjoyments to the countless hours with our buddy Panorama, it can almost feel a little cruel. For those of us who have been in an absolute panic, fighting against our shared nemesis, the PDF, with a long list of “still to-do’s” it feels like breathing room. And for those of us who are eyeing those red and green icons in our Canvas courses, but aren’t quite sure what to do with them yet, it feels like a second chance.

It’s important to reframe this moment and take stock of what comes next. Yes, we have an extra year. No, this isn’t an invitation to lose momentum; it’s an invitation to revisit and refine. As we’ve been rushing towards this deadline, how many times have we told ourselves “eh, good enough” or wished we had a little bit more time to make it “better”. As someone capable of earning a gold medal in procrastination (but I’ll work on that tomorrow), this summer represents a precarious time in our accessibility practice.

We know accessibility isn’t just about compliance; it’s about doing our best to ensure our students can do their best. We know accessibility is a practice, and like anything we practice, we get better with time. And we know we have a little extra time to practice… so now what?

If you’ve ever run (to the end of the block or a marathon), you know one of the worst things you could possibly do is stop moving. Walk, skip, shuffle, anything, but don’t let your body stop moving, or it’ll be much harder to get going again (and this goes for after you cross the finish line too!). The same applies to our sprint towards accessibility… don’t stop moving. Or as Dory from Finding Nemo says, “Just keep swimming.”

For our colleagues with an army of “Little Green Men” who have defeated those issues found throughout their courses. First off, congratulations! Second off, I invite you to use the next year to review your efforts, polish, and reflect on what you’ve gained and lost in this transition. We all have that proverbial closet where we tossed in those amazing worksheets, videos, slide decks, and other resources that we didn’t have the time or the skillset to make accessible. Over the summer, consider (carefully) prying open that door to see what falls out… what treasures can you spend these extra months making accessible and adding back into your course? What do your students rely on or severely benefit from that you had no choice but to set aside?

For our colleagues who are still drowning in piles of work, waiting for guidance from on high (because there’s always that one resource we just aren’t sure about), or who have taken on a few lofty (but time-stealing) projects and are falling behind. First, breathe. You’re so close. Take a step back from the work and celebrate your progress, review what’s working, reevaluate your workflow and processes and prepare to dive back in. Those inaccessible but essential resources that don’t have accessible solutions? Take the time to reach out to our sister colleges, what are they doing? So often when faced with a deadline, we revert to isolation thinking it will be “faster and easier”. That’s not always the case. Dive back into this meaningful work at a manageable pace. As Mo Martinez reminded each of us during our Access in Action conference, we have to eat the elephant one bite at a time!

For our colleagues who are still tentatively starting down this path, welcome. It’s never too late to start. Whatever your hesitation or whatever has been holding you back, know that you have a strong community here to support you. From training, 1:1 support from the CTLE and our accessibility champions on campus, and colleges who have “been there, done that”, you’re safe to start, and we’re all ready to support you.

As we start to wrap up this semester, don’t forget that accessibility is a journey… a long one. And it doesn’t end when we get all the little green men. We’re going to be spending the rest of our teaching careers reevaluating what’s working, discovering and adapting new and better resources, and identifying ways to serve our students. We’re looking towards the Summer and excited for the opportunity to offer more accessibility training and opportunities to collaborate in this practice. We invite you to start looking at how all of this accessibility practice aligns with pedagogy, UDL, and best practices that we know support our students and discovering how to bridge that gap… and look out for upcoming opportunities to share your discoveries with your peers!

Don’t let this momentum fade, use it as a sling-shot back to what we do best… making incredible learning opportunities for our students.

Personally, I’m excited for what this extra year will bring for my own journey of discovery in accessibility, and I’m so excited to see what incredible work each of you accomplishes in your own practice.