Roadmap to Accessibility: How to Shift Mindsets, Culture, and Workflows

Roadmap to Accessibility: How to Shift Mindsets, Culture, and Workflows

Nonprofits carry the responsibility of reaching learners with diverse needs, often with fewer resources and tighter timelines than other organizations. Accessibility can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right roadmap, individuals, teams, and leaders can each take clear, practical steps that build toward lasting impact.

Overview

This resource is structured across three tiers of responsibility:

1. Instructional Designers (Individual Contributors)
2. Instructional Design Teams (Collaborative Workflows)
3. Organizational Leadership (Strategic Planning & Systems Change)

Each section provides key resources to create or use, actions to take, and templates or tools to adopt. It aligns with ADA Title II Final Rule and WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, with practical steps nonprofits can adopt to improve accessibility.

Instructional Designers

Goal: Empower individuals to assess and remediate their own instructional materials and support inclusive learning design.

Key Resources:

• Accessibility Audit Checklist (WCAG 2.1 AA): Review 2–3 modules per month and log results in a tracking sheet.
• Course Accessibility Review Template to document findings.
• Accessible Storyboard Template.

Instructional Design Teams

Goal: Coordinate accessibility across projects and implement shared standards and training.

Key Resources:

• Team Accessibility Workflow Chart.
• Remediation Tracker Spreadsheet.
• Barrier Prioritization Matrix.
• Style Guide for Accessibility.
• Training Slide Deck: Accessibility Foundations.

Organizational Leadership

Goal: Build a culture of digital accessibility through policies, procurement, and staffing.

Key Resources:

• ADA Title II Rule Summary for Nonprofits.
• Accessibility in Procurement Language Template.
• Accessibility in Job Descriptions.
• Quarterly Accessibility Report Template.
• Accessibility Strategic Plan Template.

Collaborative Actions Across All Levels

Goal: Align individual, team, and leadership efforts for systemic improvement.

Key Resources:

• Accessibility Roles Matrix: Defines RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed). Use during planning or audits.
• Monthly Accessibility Forum Agenda Template: Agenda for cross-functional check-ins. Hold monthly or bi-monthly forums.
• Accessibility Success Showcase Template: Slide template for recent improvements. Share at all-staff meetings or newsletters.
• Mini Case Studies: Before-and-after examples of improved accessibility. Share internally or externally as learning tools.

Conclusion

For nonprofits, accessibility is mission impact. Individuals can start by checking their own materials, teams can build shared workflows, and leaders can drive policy and culture.

When every level takes ownership, accessibility moves from an afterthought to a sustainable practice that strengthens programs, broadens reach, and ensures every learner is considered.

For a more detailed view at this roadmap and resources visit the Roadmap to Accessibility Google Doc. Available to download or copy.

To learn how one nonprofit moved from audit to action, visit this case study.