Web content means the information and sensory experience to be communicated to the user by means of a user agent, including code or markup that defines the content’s structure, presentation, and interactions. Examples of web content include text, images, sounds, videos, controls, animations, and conventional electronic documents.
Conventional electronic documents means web content or content in mobile apps that is in the following electronic file formats: portable document formats (“PDF”), word processor file formats, presentation file formats, and spreadsheet file formats.
Reference: Final rule revising the regulation implementing title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities (PDF)
Newsletters and email content (headings, contrast, images w/ alt text, email signatures)
Documents and files (PDFs, word processing docs, presentations, spreadsheets)
Web content and sites (public and internal)
Social Media (alt text, captions, camel case, emojis)
Interactive elements (forms, quizzes, surveys, polls)
Videos and multimedia (with captions/transcripts)
Live events and webinars (live captions, interpreters)
Software/internal systems and third-party content (intranet, CRMs, vendor tools)
Legacy/archived content and historical media (No need for remediation for archived content.)
Not everything needs to be remediated. The DOJ's rule under ADA Title II includes five specific exceptions. If content falls into one of these categories, it does not need to meet the WCAG 2.1 AA technical standard, though it's still good practice to make it accessible when possible.
Archived web content. Old content that is retained only for reference, is not being updated, and is clearly marked as archived. This lines up with the Legacy Content category above.
Preexisting documents, with a catch. PDFs, Word docs, and similar files created before your district's compliance date are exempt, unless someone currently needs that document to apply for, access, or participate in a service or program. A 2019 newsletter can stay as is. A 2019 enrollment form still in active use cannot.
Third party content, with a catch. Content someone else posts on your site or platform (comments, embedded posts, vendor widgets) is exempt, unless you have a contract or licensing agreement with that third party to provide the content. If you're paying for it or contracted for it, it counts.
Password protected personal content. Documents about a specific person's own account, property, or records (think a secured parent portal or an individual student's records) that are behind a login are exempt.
Preexisting social media posts. Posts made before your district's compliance date are exempt. New posts going forward are not, which is why alt text and captions on social content matter moving forward even though old posts get a pass.
Bottom line: the exceptions are narrow and mostly protect old, inactive, or already secured content. Anything actively in use by the public, including current forms, current documents, and anything posted after your compliance date, still needs to meet the standard.