USM Accessibility in Action October 2026 Issue

Welcome to October! As we continue toward the midpoint of the fall semester, it's a good time to check in on how our courses and communications are working for students and colleagues. This month, we're focusing on the structural elements that make digital content navigable and usable, particularly for people using assistive technologies. We're also excited to officially launch the USM Digital Accessibility Communities of Practice, creating dedicated spaces for faculty to collaborate, share strategies, and tackle discipline-specific accessibility challenges together. Inside this issue, you'll find insights from WebAIM’s latest screen reader user survey, practical guidance on tables and lists, an opportunity to learn more about our new communities of practice, and a celebration of faculty leading accessibility work across our system. 

USM Digital Accessibility Communities of Practice Launch

On Friday, October 2, nearly 50 faculty from across the University System of Maryland and partner institutions will gather in person at Coppin State University to officially launch the Digital Accessibility Communities of Practice in STEM and Music & Arts.

These discipline-specific communities bring together faculty leaders who recognize that accessibility isn't one-size-fits-all. From chemical equations and data visualizations to musical notation and performance-based assessments, STEM and Music & Arts present unique accessibility challenges that require specialized knowledge and creative solutions.

Throughout the 2026-2027 academic year, CoP members will:

• Identify accessibility barriers specific to their disciplines
• Share what's working and learn from peers across institutions
• Develop practical solutions, workflows, and tools faculty can use immediately
• Create resources for colleagues across Maryland and beyond

Help Shape the Work

To ensure these Communities of Practice address the real challenges faculty face, we've launched discipline-specific surveys to gather input from STEM and Music & Arts faculty across Maryland:

• STEM Faculty Digital Accessibility Survey
• Music & Arts Faculty Digital Accessibility Survey

Your responses, whether you teach biology or sculpture, mathematics or theater, will directly inform the resources, guidance, and solutions these communities develop. The surveys take approximately 15 minutes to complete and are IRB-approved through the University of Maryland, College Park. 

Why Structure Matters: The Power of Lists, Tables, and Meaningful Markup

When we design syllabi, lecture slides, or department documents, visual layout is often top of mind. We use bold text, indents, bullet points, and tables to make information clean and easy to scan.

But what happens when someone doesn't experience your document visually?

According to WebAIM’s Screen Reader User Survey #11 (2026), 83.9% of screen reader users report that well-structured, accessible content makes a far greater difference to their digital access than assistive technology upgrades alone. When documents lack underlying semantic structure, assistive technologies can't help learners navigate efficiently.

This is why true structure matters. This month, we offer suggestions on how to add structure across Word, PowerPoint, and everyday documents:

1. Lists: More Than Visual Indents

Why it matters: When you type a dash (-) or asterisk (*) and hit enter, a sighted reader recognizes a list. But a screen reader sees raw, disconnected text. When you use built-in list formatting, assistive technologies announce: "List with 5 items," allowing users to know the scope of the list, jump through items one by one, or skip past it entirely if it's not what they need.

Best Practices in Practice:

• Use Ribbon Formatting: In Word, Google Docs, PowerPoint, or your LMS text editor, always click the Bulleted List or Numbered List tool rather than typing symbols manually.

• Choose the Right Type: Use numbered lists when step sequence or priority matters; use bulleted lists when order does not matter.

2. Tables: For Data, Never for Layout

Why it matters: Tables are designed to show relationships between data (like course grading scales or assignment due dates). Sighted readers quickly match a cell to its row and column headers with their eyes. A screen reader user relies on software to announce the header before reading each data cell (e.g., "Week 3, Topic: Cell Division").

Without designated headers, or in tables with merged and split cells, assistive technology can lose track of where data belongs, which can create confusion and disorientation for the user.

Best Practices in Practice:

• Data, Not Layout: Never use a table just to place text side-by-side or format a page layout. Use columns or tabs instead.
• Designate a Header Row
• Keep Structure Simple: Avoid nested tables, merged cells, or empty header rows. If a table becomes too complex, split it into two simpler tables.

3. The PDF Factor

The WebAIM survey also revealed that 85.6% of respondents find PDFs likely to pose significant accessibility barriers, compared to just 31% for Word documents.

The Quick Takeaway: If you create a well-structured document in Word or Google Docs using true headings, bulleted lists, and simple tables with header rows, keep it in that native format.

 

October Challenge: The Structure Check

In last month’s newsletter, we encouraged you to gather feedback from students and colleagues about accessibility barriers. This month, put what you've learned about structure into practice.

Your Challenge: Pick one document (or several!) you use regularly and check its structural accessibility:

Lists:

• Find any content that's grouped together (steps, options, requirements, resources)
• If you typed dashes (-), asterisks (*), or manual numbers, convert them to true lists using the Bulleted List or Numbered List button in your editor

Tables:

• Locate any tables in your document
• Ask: Is this table showing data relationships, or just formatting the page layout?
• If it's data, ensure you've designated the Header Row (in Word/PowerPoint: Table Design tab → check "Header Row")
• If it's layout, consider replacing it with columns or simple paragraphs

Quick Win: Even fixing one list or one table makes your content more navigable for screen reader users and clearer for everyone.

Share your before-and-after insight on LinkedIn using #USMAccessibility—what did you discover? What surprised you about the structure of your own materials?

 

Introducing the 2026-2027 Boosting Course Accessibility Faculty Fellows

The USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation is excited to welcome 21 faculty members from across the University System of Maryland to the 2026-2027 Boosting Course Accessibility Faculty Fellows program.

These faculty leaders represent diverse disciplines from nursing and engineering to communication studies and library science and span ten USM institutions. Over the coming year, they will redesign courses with accessibility at the center, implementing universal design principles that remove barriers and benefit all learners. Their work will not only improve access for students in their own courses but also model effective practices that colleagues across Maryland and beyond can learn from and adapt.

Meet the 2026-2027 Fellows:

Bowie State University

• Jerry Diabor, Adjunct Professor, Computer Science
• Elkanah Faux, Assistant Professor, Accounting, Finance and Information Systems
• Ebony Toussaint, Assistant Professor, Nursing
• Aislinn Woody, Instructor and Research Specialist, Nursing Education

Coppin State University

• Patience Ebuwei, Assistant Professor, Health Information Management
• Tammira Lucas, Assistant Professor of Marketing and Interim Director of the Center for Strategic Entrepreneurship
• Mamunur Rahman, Assistant Professor of Decision Sciences

Frostburg State University

• Stefanie Hay, Professor of Nursing

Salisbury University

• Viktoria Basham, Lecturer, Clarke Honors College

Towson University

• Audra McMullen, Professor of Communication Studies
• Zach Runge, Adjunct Professor, Communication Studies

University of Baltimore

• Praneet Randhawa, Associate Professor of Marketing

University of Maryland, Baltimore

• Jeanine Gargiulo, Didactic Director, Physician Assistant Program

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

• Milvia Hernandez, Teaching Professor, Modern Languages, Linguistics and Intercultural Communication

University of Maryland, College Park

• Rasha Alkhateeb, Lecturer, English
• Anna Greenstone, Instructional Designer, Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI)
• Helene Nguemgaing, Assistant Clinical Professor, First-Year Innovation & Research Experience (FIRE)
• Ryan O'Grady, Senior Lecturer, Master of Library and Information Science Program

University of Maryland Eastern Shore

• Jia Liu, Assistant Professor, Engineering
• Madhumi Mitra, Professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences
• Masoud Moghaddam, Associate Professor, Physical Therapy

We look forward to sharing their progress and insights throughout the year. Congratulations to all the Fellows!

 

Get Involved

Whether you’re ready to lead, want to share an accessibility success story, or are looking for practical guidance, we want to hear from you.

Share or Nominate an Accessibility Win

Visit the USM Digital Accessibility Hub