Procedure for Storing Archived Course Content


1. Purpose   

Ensure that archived digital course content is accurately classified and clearly identified as being archived, in conformance with the rule on digital accessibility under Americans with Disability Act (ADA).   

2. Scope   

This procedure applies to:  

3. References   

4. Definitions  

Web Content 

Web content means the information and sensory experience to be communicated to the user by means of a user agent, including code or markup that defines the content's structure, presentation, and interactions. Examples of web content include text, images, sounds, videos, controls, animations, and conventional electronic documents. (ADA Title II Rule 

Web content may be published on a variety of platforms such as websites, learning management systems, or other applications.   

Digital Course Content 

Web content that is used for instructional purposes in courses offered to students by the university.  

Archived Digital Course Content 

Archived digital course content means digital course content that—  

  1. Was created before April 24, 2026 or reproduces the contents of other physical media created before that date;
  2. Is retained exclusively for reference, research, or recordkeeping;
  3. Is not altered or updated after the date of archiving; and 
  4. Is organized and stored in a dedicated area or areas clearly identified as being archived. 

5. Roles and Responsibilities  

Roles and Responsibilities in two columns

Role 

Responsibility 

Compliance and Risk Services, Civil Rights Compliance (CRC) 

  • Publishes guidance on ADA Title II requirements for Archived Digital Course Content 

Instructors  

  • Ensure that archived digital course content is not required to participate in an active course, activity, program, or service
  • If digital content from a course in Canvas offered before April 24, 2026 is required for continued use by students after that date, instructors will remove the "Archived:" tag from the course. 

IT, Student & Educational Technology Services (UWIT SETS) 

  • Applies “Archived:” label to course titles in Canvas for digital courses offered Winter 2026 and earlier
  • Publishes guidance for how Archiving is implemented and used in Canvas 

 

6. Procedure Steps 

Timeline for archiving courses  

  • Before the start of Spring 2026 quarter, courses from the Winter 2026 quarter and earlier will be considered archived. 

Identifying archived courses 

  • In Canvas, UWIT Student & Educational Technology Services (UWIT SETS) will: 
    • Add “Archived:” to the title of archived courses 
    • Make archived courses read-only for students
  • Outside of Canvas, Instructors must: 
    • Add an “Archived:” label to the titles of archived courses 

Using digital course content in archived courses 

  • Students and Instructors may view digital course content in an archived course for research or reference
  • To use archived digital course content in an active course, instructors must: 
    • Copy content from the archived course to the new course  
    • Ensure content meets digital accessibility guidelines before publishing
  • Instructors must not alter or update digital course content in an archived course
  • Instructors must not assign digital course content from an archived course 
  • For students completing an incomplete course:
    • Instructors must not assign digital course content from an archived course in Canvas
    • Instructors may provide assigned content directly to a student outside of Canvas (e.g., share materials to an individual via email)
    • Instructors may choose to remove their course from archived status 

Removing a course from Archived status 

  • Digital course content is no longer archived if an Instructor
    • Removes the “Archived:” label from a course
    • Alters or updates the content
    • Assigns or otherwise requires the content for a class, program, or service
  • Digital course content that is not archived must conform with the Minimum Digital Accessibility Standard  

7. Exceptions 

Limited exceptions may apply. Exceptions are granted through the Exception Procedure.   

8. Compliance and Enforcement 

Compliance will be monitored and enforced according to the Compliance Monitoring procedure.  

 9. Revision History 

Version 

Date 

Author 

Description 

1.0 

 02/11/2026

Marcus Hirsch

Beth Somerfield 

Initial release