Virginia Tech's second annual Accessibility Awareness Week is March 31-April 5.

This six-day event provides a wide array of learning opportunities and resources that engage the university community to think, discuss, learn, and take action regarding digital and physical accessibility. This year's theme is Accessibility by Design: How the intentional design of systems, spaces, and experiences helps improve accessibility across all areas of campus life.

"Accessibility Awareness Week is an opportunity to engage our community in meaningful conversations and actions that build a more accessible environment for all," said Kelly Oaks, associate vice president for civil rights and prevention education. "Our focus on accessibility by design underscores the many ways we can help create a better learning and working environment for employees and students."

Senior Director of Universal Design and Accessible Technologies Mark Nichols said, "This week-long celebration highlights our shared commitment to creating accessible educational materials using innovative tools and resources that break down digital barriers. And in many ways, it shows that yes, digital accessibility can be fun."

Event highlights

Accessibility Awareness Week will feature numerous ways to participate, including open houses, workshops, challenges, demonstrations, and screenings, all designed to promote accessibility. Key events include:

  • Accessible Technologies Open House: Explore tools and resources that make learning and working at Virginia Tech more accessible for everyone.
  • Kiri-Spoon Showcase: Learn about the design, manufacturing, and testing of an assistive feeding device.
  • The Fix Your Content Day Canvas Challenge: The 24-hour challenge invites all Canvas course instructors to make their digital content more accessible.
  • Workshops on accessibility tools: Sessions are focused on tools such as EquatIO and Read&Write, designed to simplify the creation and sharing of accessible content.
  • Social media best practices: Learn to create and post accessible social media content.
  • Screenings of "Normal Isn’t Real": A documentary showcasing the talents and strategies of individuals with learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Sponsors and support

Accessibility Awareness Week is sponsored by the Office for Civil Rights Compliance and Prevention Education, the Campus Accessibility Working Group, the Division of Information Technology, and Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies. These organizations are committed to fostering a welcoming and accessible environment at Virginia Tech.

Participation and registration

There is no charge to participate in any of the events. Registration for specific sessions is now open, and university community members are encouraged to join and contribute to the discussions and activities. To review the schedule and to register, please visit accessibility.vt.edu/aaw2025.html. 

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