Source Communication Support Materials for School Districts

This resource guide provides school districts with communication support strategies that promote equitable access and compliance with accessibility requirements. It is designed to help districts communicate effectively with all stakeholders—including students, parents, staff, and community members with disabilities.

1. Accessibility on School Websites

Accessibility Link on Homepage
Place a clearly labeled link to the Accessibility Page on the district’s homepage. Best practice: position the link in both the header navigation and footer, ensuring it can be easily found by screen readers and all users. Example text could be “Accessibility and Support” or “Accessibility Help.”

Commitment to Accessibility Statement
Publish a district-wide commitment statement affirming the school system’s dedication to providing accessible communication and resources. This statement should reference compliance with ADA, Section 504, and Section 508, emphasize the district’s commitment to equal access for all students, parents, and staff, and reassure stakeholders that feedback is welcomed and valued.
Example statement: “Our district is committed to ensuring all communications, digital resources, and learning materials are accessible to students, parents, staff, and community members with disabilities. We actively work to identify and remove barriers to accessibility and welcome feedback to improve our services.”

Contact Information
Provide a dedicated email address and phone number for accessibility-related concerns. Ensure the inbox is actively monitored by a staff member trained in accessibility. Avoid personal staff emails that may change; instead, use a role-based email such as [email protected].

Response Time Statement
Clearly state how quickly individuals can expect to receive a response. Best practice: acknowledge receipt of requests within 24 hours and provide a full response within 3–5 business days.
Example: “We are committed to responding to accessibility requests within 3 business days. Complex issues may take longer, but you will receive a status update within 5 business days.”

2. Sample Communication Templates

Districts should provide ready-to-use templates for staff to ensure consistent, accessible communication. Templates should be customizable and follow accessibility guidelines such as plain language, alt text for images, and accessible formatting.

Examples of Templates

• Sample email to families announcing accessibility efforts or policy changes.
• Newsletter blurbs highlighting accessibility services and updates.
• Public service announcements for local radio or community boards promoting accessibility awareness.

Tip: Always provide information in multiple formats—digital, print, audio, and translated versions when needed.

3. Effective Approaches to General Education and STEM

General Education
Use plain, clear language in parent communications. Provide accessible PDFs, Word documents, or HTML pages instead of scanned images. Ensure translation services are available for families with limited English proficiency.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
Adopt tools that support MathML for digital math accessibility. Ensure STEM graphics and diagrams include alt text and, where appropriate, extended or long descriptions to convey complex visual information. Provide teachers with training on making math accessible, including using the Word equation editor. Labs are a complex area; districts should explore accessible lab manuals where possible.

4. Resources for Development

Districts can leverage the DAISY A11y/Math Repository and other listed sources to build accessible content. Note: The repository currently focuses on math in Word.

• MathML content ensures mathematical notation is accessible for screen reader users.
• Word writing tools, such as the built-in accessibility checker, can help identify and fix issues before documents are shared.
• Reading support through accessible ePub and DAISY formats provides equitable access to students with reading disabilities.

5. Improving Communication Accessibility

Outgoing Communications
All letters, announcements, websites, and newsletters must be designed to meet WCAG 2.1 standards. Avoid using only images of text—always provide text equivalents. Pay attention to complex tables, such as those in emails, which can be difficult or impossible to read without proper structure.

Addressing Parent Barriers
Parents with disabilities, and parents of students with disabilities may face barriers accessing school communications. Provide information in alternative formats upon request, such as Braille, large print, accessible PDFs, or audio.

Community Resources
Partner with local disability advocacy groups, libraries, or state education agencies to review communication practices. Example: invite community members to test website navigation with screen readers.

Training and Staffing
Provide ongoing accessibility training for staff responsible for communication. Recruit or designate staff to support accessibility compliance across departments.

6. School Board and Accessibility Efforts

Inclusive Representation
Encourage the recruitment of individuals with disabilities to serve on school boards or advisory committees. Diversity in leadership ensures lived experiences guide decision-making.

Accessibility Communications Monitoring
Maintain an accessibility communications channel for reporting issues. Monitor regularly to ensure timely responses. Failure to address accessibility issues could result in complaints or legal action under federal law.

Accessible Board Communications
Board agendas, minutes, and meeting notices must be digitally accessible and available in alternative formats upon request. Provide automated captions and ASL interpretation, or live captioning upon request.

Outcome and Benefits

By implementing these practices, school districts will strengthen compliance with accessibility laws such as ADA and Section 504/508, build trust and inclusion with parents, students, and the community, provide equitable access to education and communications for all stakeholders, and reduce risk of legal complaints due to inaccessible practices.