Office of the Provost

Federal digital accessibility deadline extended

April 24, 2026

Dear Stony Brook Faculty and Staff, 

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a one‑year extension for the ADA Title II Digital Accessibility Rule. The new compliance deadline has moved from April 24, 2026, to April 26, 2027. 

Our obligation to provide fully accessible programs and services remains unchanged under the ADA, federal regulations tied to funding, and New York State law. 

While this extension reduces some of the immediate pressure, it’s not a reason to alter our focus.

This extension is an opportunity: time to close remaining gaps, strengthen our practices, and continue building the skills needed to create accessible content from the start. It is also a chance for us to continue the conversations and address questions about how we can work together to support full digital accessibility. 

We encourage you to continue to enhance the resources already available to support our efforts to comply with the ADA Title II Digital Accessibility Rule including:

Additional questions should be directed to the Office of Equity and Access.

Important Exception

Please be aware that this DOJ extension does not apply to entities that receive federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. At this time, Stony Brook Medicine, broadly defined to include the clinical and educational components, remains subject to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, with a compliance deadline of May 11, 2026. Further information about this deadline will be shared with those who fall under this requirement. 

We appreciate all that you have done to get us where we are. And we welcome your ongoing feedback and questions on what lies ahead. 

Sincerely,

Carl and Bill

Carl W. Lejuez
Executive Vice President and Provost

William Wertheim
Executive Vice President for Stony Brook Medicine