Alert: Changes are coming to ADA Title II. Learn more about the ATI's Digital Content Accessibility Action Plan (DCAAP)!

By April 24, 2026, George Mason University must ensure all its websites and mobile apps comply with ADA Title II and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA - making digital content accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities. Click the link below to learn more about the ATI's plan for this effort!Read more
Assistive Technology Initiative

Textbook Accessibility Levels

Contact the Accessible Text Coordinator

Jennifer Brown
Accessible Text Coordinator

Assistive Technology Initiative
MS: 6A11
Voice: 703-993-4329
Fax: 703-993-4743
[email protected]

Structure in textbook file makes it easier for screen readers and other assistive technologies to read and navigate a document. The following Accessibility Levels are provided by ATI based on quality of files provided by the publishers, individual scanned materials and individual accessibility needs.

NS: Not Structured

  • Bookmarks
  • Linked TOC
  • Page numbers

AL1 – Accessibility Level 1

  • Auto Tags
  • OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
  • Bookmarks
  • Page Numbers

AL2 – Accessibility Level 2

  • In addition to Level 1, AL2 documents include the following:
    • Structured Headings

AL3 – Accessibility Level 3

  • In addition to Level 1 and Level 2, AL3 documents include the following:
    • Alternative text for all meaningful images
    • Structured lists and tables
    • Descriptions for complex images (as needed)
    • Accessible Math (as needed)