Instructional Media Remediation Priority Matrix

How to Read This Matrix

Priorities run in numerical order (1–8) from highest to lowest.
Numbers increase from left to right (by audience type) and top to bottom (by content type).
1 = Highest priority and 8 = Lowest priority — all items must eventually meet accessibility standards.
Archived materials should either be taken offline or remediated if they remain accessible.

Visual guide: → Left to right = lower priority ↓ Top to bottom = lower priority

Accessibility remediation priorities by media type and audience
Type of Remediation	Students with Accommodations (Priority 1–2)	Current & Future Large Enrollment Courses (Priority 3–4)	Repeating Smaller Courses (Priority 5–6)	Past or Archived Courses (Priority 7–8)
Video Captioning	1. Apply auto-captioning immediately if none exist. Human-correct to ≥85% before use. Provide transcript until finalized.	3. Use platform auto-captioning as baseline; review before each new term.	5. Prepare captions before the next course run.	7. Caption only if the material remains online or public; otherwise restrict access or unpublish.
Documents (DOCX, PPTX, PDF)	1. Fix headings, alt text, descriptive links, tagged PDFs, and table headers. Replace scanned or image-based text.	3. Prioritize current readings, assignments, and slides.	5. Update templates before the next offering.	7. Remediate if reused or keep offline until corrected.
LMS Pages / Online Content	1. Ensure headings, contrast, descriptive links, and readable fonts. Avoid layout tables or scanned text.	3. Review key pages for structure, readability, and color contrast.	5. Integrate accessibility checks into regular updates.	7. Correct before reactivating or limit access until fixed.
Images & Figures (Alt Text / Long Descriptions)	1. Provide meaningful alt text or long descriptions for all instructional visuals.	3. Add alt text for visuals that convey key information.	5. Add as part of next update cycle.	7. Add before reuse or take offline if non-compliant.
Transcripts (Audio or Video)	2. Provide auto-generated transcript first, then verify accuracy. Use as accessible text alternative if captions incomplete.	4. Enable auto-transcripts for recorded media; verify before term start.	6. Finalize transcripts before next offering.	8. Add when reused; otherwise archive privately.
Color & Contrast	2. Ensure contrast meets WCAG 2.1 AA. Don’t rely on color alone for meaning.	4. Apply corrections to templates and media.	6. Review during next update.	8. Correct before reuse or remove from public view.
Font & Readability	2. Use sans-serif fonts that are large and bold enough for visibility.	4. Apply to LMS and slide templates.	6. Integrate during design refresh.	8. Review before republishing legacy materials.
Audio Description / Visual Description	2. Add for essential visual content as needed.	4. Add descriptions for core videos or demonstrations.	6. Incorporate during course redesign.	8. Add if reused or shared publicly; otherwise restrict access.

Implementation Notes

Priorities 1–2: Students with accommodations — immediate legal requirement.
Priorities 3–4: Current and future large courses — highest institutional visibility; fix before next term.
Priorities 5–6: Repeating smaller courses — address during upcoming refresh cycles.
Priorities 7–8: Past/archived courses — remove from access or remediate before reuse.
Always use auto-captioning and auto-transcription as a temporary accessibility step before human verification.
Integrate accessibility into course creation for long-term sustainability and compliance.

Time-Based Prioritization When Multiple Needs Overlap

When multiple high-priority remediation needs occur at the same time, follow this sequence: prioritize by population first, then by class size, then by time and course week.

Simplified prioritization steps when multiple remediation needs overlap
Step	Primary Focus	Examples / Description
1. Population Priority	Address students with accommodations first.	Resolve all accommodation-related issues across courses before moving on to other groups.
2. Course Priority	Next, focus on large active courses, then repeating smaller courses.	Follow the institutional remediation order from the main matrix.
3. Time Priority (Course Schedule)	Work week-by-week, starting with the earliest materials used in the term.	Remediate Week 1 materials first across all courses, then Week 2, Week 3, and so on.
4. Within Each Week	Prioritize guiding and required materials before learning modules.	First: Syllabus, course overview, expectations. Second: Introductory videos or “Start Here” pages. Third: The first learning module (e.g., Chapter 1).
5. Document Type Priority	Within each week, follow the remediation type order from the main matrix.	Captioning → Documents → LMS Pages → Images → Transcripts → Color/Contrast → Fonts → Audio Descriptions.
6. Rolling Review	After initial pass, continue refining upcoming weeks ahead of instruction.	Always stay one to two weeks ahead in remediation relative to the course schedule.