At the Open Learning Initiative (OLI), we believe every learner deserves an equitable and inclusive educational experience. The OLI Torus platform is designed to support diverse learners and instructors by removing barriers to access and continuously improving usability for all.

OLI Torus is committed to making Torus accessible in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA standards. We are also mindful of our responsibilities under Title II Revision of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and are prioritizing the remediation of platform features to ensure alignment with these requirements.

Accessibility is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing practice. We are embedding accessibility considerations into every phase of our design, research, and development processes.

Our team has conducted an internal accessibility audit that combines both manual and automated testing. Using automated testing tools such as axe DevTools, Siteimprove, and WAVE, along with manual screenreader, keyboard, and zoom to 200% testing, we have identified gaps that will be addressed in our upcoming release, in advance of the April 24, 2026 deadline set by Title II.  Our accessibility goals go beyond the regulatory requirement, however, so our research and development work to improve the user experience for all Torus users will continue beyond April 2026.

Through this process, we have identified issues related to color contrast, keyboard navigation, link clarity, page hierarchy, and semantic markup. Design tickets have been created with solutions to remediate these issues, and they are scheduled for release in Torus V32 B (February 2026 estimate).

While we continue to improve, some areas of our platform may not yet meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards today. Specifically, we are addressing color contrast inconsistencies, keyboard-focus visibility, and certain semantic and heading-structure issues. These items are actively being resolved as part of our accessibility roadmap in preparation for the April deadline.

You can review our 2024 Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) that we will be updating as we identify and remediate accessibility issues.

By April 2026, OLI Torus will publish a public Accessibility Roadmap outlining our milestones, priorities, and future commitments, including:

• Achieving WCAG 2.1 AA conformance with Title II Regulations and working above and beyond to meet WCAG 2.2 AA guidelines.
• Expanding usability testing with participants who use assistive technologies.
• Strengthening our Accessibility Committee’s role in monitoring progress and advancing accessibility initiatives.
• Collaborating with Carnegie Mellon’s Digital Accessibility Office to ensure alignment with institutional standards.

Seeking teamwide training in inclusive UX principles and accessible design best practices.

We welcome and value your feedback. If you encounter accessibility barriers, have questions, or would like materials in an alternate format, please contact our Support Team:

📧 support@oli.cmu.edu

Our support staff will respond or route your inquiry directly to the product team, where it will inform our accessibility roadmap and help guide ongoing improvements.

Last updated: December 2025
(Next update scheduled for February 2026)