Accessibility Committee Progress Report
The Accessibility Committee was established in 2019 and is composed of diverse members and stakeholders from across the University community.
View the Committee Members and learn more about our Strategic Goals.
This website will keep the Fordham community informed about ongoing progress, initiatives, and accomplishments as we work toward making the University a fully accessible and inclusive institution.
Working Groups
To address specific areas of need, the Accessibility Committee established subcommittees to focus on targeted initiatives and foster collaboration across the University:
- Academia (Faculty/Education) – Supports faculty and instructional staff in implementing accessible teaching practices
- Web and Resource Access – Ensures digital content, websites, and learning resources meet accessibility standards
- Accessibility Communication Group – Promotes awareness and consistent communication around accessibility initiatives
- Access and Culture – Fosters an inclusive campus culture that values accessibility and equity
- Technology and Equipment – Reviews and recommends accessible technologies and assistive tools
- Campus and Facilities – Addresses physical accessibility and inclusive design across University spaces
Committee members continue to serve as advocates within their respective areas, identifying and addressing accessibility challenges as they arise.
In addition, the committee collaboratively developed a proposal outlining key accessibility needs and recommendations. The group has partnered with key stakeholders to implement accessibility training and awareness programs that promote an inclusive and accessible campus environment for all.
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Web Accessibility / ADA Compliance
The Committee partners with the University's Online Engagement and Educational Technology teams to educate and assist students, faculty, and staff in creating and maintaining ADA-compliant web content.
We provide resources, tools, and guidance to support the development of accessible digital materials that ensure equal access for all users.
Learn more about:
Siteimprove
The university utilizes Siteimprove, a web-governance software to help monitor web accessibility. Reports are reviewed and remediated on an ongoing basis. Learn more on How to Make Your Site Accessible.
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Speechify
The Office of Information Technology in collaboration with the Accessibility Committee is now providing free access to Speechify for all students, faculty, and staff members.
Speechify is a powerful text-to-speech solution that converts digital content into high-quality audio, making learning and work more flexible and accessible.
You can use it to:- Listen to your course materials, research papers, and documents
- Convert PDFs, websites, and even scanned materials into clear audio
- Enhance reading comprehension with synchronized text highlighting
- Access content across all your devices through browser extensions and mobile apps
The Office of Information Technology collaborated with vendors to ensure that accessible tools and services are available for students, faculty, and staff. These resources support inclusive teaching, learning, and communication across campus.
Captioning and Transcription Tools
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Google Meet, Otter.ai, Microsoft Teams, Zoom – Built-in closed captioning and live transcription features
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CART Services (Communication Access Realtime Translation) – Provided through TotalCaption
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Panopto and VoiceThread – Integrated captioning support for recorded and interactive media
Accessible Content and Conversion Tools
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Blackboard Ally – Helps identify and improve accessibility of course materials
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SensusAccess – Converts documents into accessible formats (e.g., audio, Braille, e-text)
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Virtualized Access to Adobe Acrobat DC on Apporto – Enables accessible PDF editing and remediation through virtual access
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Accessibility Workshops
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has awarded Fordham University a grant through its new Enhancing Supports and Services for Students with Disabilities for Postsecondary Success (SWDPS) program.
This grant enabled the University to offer a series of accessibility workshops designed for faculty, students, and staff, promoting a more inclusive learning environment and strengthening support for individuals with disabilities.