Boldly Accessible at Illinois answers the call of the Boldly 2030 Strategic Framework by embedding accessibility into the heart of our digital infrastructure, culture and innovation. It is a part of our campuswide movement to ensure that digital environments are accessible by design, informed by lived experience and sustained through collaboration and leadership.
Boldly Accessible is a call to action! It’s a commitment to:
- Design for everyone from the start.
- Empower our campus community with knowledge and tools.
- Lead with innovation in digital inclusion.
A framework for action
Boldly Accessible follows a strategic, research-informed framework for change that guides our university from awareness to action to sustainability. Illinois has a historic commitment to ensuring equal access and opportunity for all members of our community, and the Boldly Accessible framework is helping us take it to the next level, fostering new capabilities in the digital accessibility space that demonstrate leadership and excellence.
Action phases
Phase 1: Creating a climate for change
We begin by understanding where we are and building momentum for where we need to go.
Signs of Success
- Shift dialogue from “Why must we?” to “How do we?”
- Defined and supported strategic vision for accessibility.
- Establish a steering team with broad representation.
Phase 2: Engage and enable campus
We activate the university community with role-based education, tools and structural support.
Signs of success
- Integrate digital accessibility into university identity.
- Foster widespread engagement and highlight progress.
- Meet compliance targets consistently.
Phase 3: Maintain and improve
We maintain accessibility as part of the fabric of university life and continue to improve accessibility policies, resources and practices.
Signs of success
- Continually improve policies, resources and practices.
- Reaffirm commitment regularly.
- Celebrate progress and leadership in accessibility.