UCR is committed to providing a digital environment that is accessible to everyone. As a form of digital content, surveys produced and managed by UCR members must be accessible to support inclusive data collection and also to meet legal and institutional requirements. These guidelines are intended to help ensure that all surveys meet this standard.

Background

• Federal Law (Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II Compliance): A final rule published by the Department of Justice in April 2024 mandates that all web content and mobile apps provided by state and local government entities, including public universities, must conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA by the deadline of April 24, 2026.
   
• Systemwide UC Policy: The University of California is currently updating its Information Technology Accessibility Policy to align with these federal standards, shifting from the older WCAG 2.0 to WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
   
• UCR Policy: In a January 2026 announcement, Chancellor Hu and Provost Watkins reminded campus that all faculty and staff are responsible for adhering to the new standards and supporting IT Accessibility Policy Program efforts. Guidance can be found on the UCR Digital Accessibility website.  
   
• UCR Qualtrics Policy: Beginning March 24, 2026, Qualtrics’ Check Survey Accessibility tool will be turned on and required. As a result, users will be unable to publish surveys that do not pass the accessibility check. To comply with the new legal requirements, surveys published prior to March 24, 2026, must either be remediated before distributing or retired. This is the responsibility of the survey creator.  

Overview of WCAG 2.1 AA

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is an international standard that provides recommendations for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities. Structured around four core principles of accessibility–that digital contents should be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust–WCAG has evolved over time. WCAG 2.1 AA compliance is a widely recognized standard that covers both basic level A requirements and more comprehensive, intermediate, and well-rounded accessibility improvements–the technical standard for state and local governments’ web content and mobile apps.

Overview of Qualtrics’ Check Survey Accessibility Tool

Qualtrics provides a robust suite of tools designed to help users reach WCAG and Section 508 compliance. While the platform automates much of the diagnostic process, accessibility is a shared responsibility between the software and the survey creator.

The Check Survey Accessibility tool acts as a digital auditor for your project by performing the following:

• Diagnosis: It identifies inaccessible question types and provides specific recommendations to improve screen-reader compatibility.
• Direct navigation: Clicking a suggestion in the report automatically jumps you to the specific question, Survey Option, or "Look and Feel" setting that requires adjustment.
• Enforcement: A survey cannot be published or distributed until all flagged issues are resolved.

Accessible vs. Inaccessible Questions

Not all data collection methods are readable by screen-readers like JAWS. Use the table below as a quick reference:

Accessible Question Types in Qualtrics:

• Descriptive text
• Multiple choice (all types)
• Net promoter score (NPS)
• Matrix (must be set to mobile friendly and limited to rank order, constant sum, text entry, and profile only)
• Text entry (all types)
• Form field
• Rank order (limited to text box, graphic, and radio button subtypes only)
• Side by side
• Constant sum (limited to choices, a.k.a text entry, only)
• Drill down
• Timing (the auto advance option is not accessible)
• Meta info
• CAPTCHA verification (V2)
• Slider (Stars subtype with discrete star interaction only)
• File upload

Inaccessible Question Types in Qualtrics:

• Matrix (likert, bipolar, MaxDiff, carousel, and any table that is drag-and-drop)
• Rank order (drag-and-drop and select box)
• Constant sum (sliders and bars)
• Pick, group, and rank
• Hot spot
• Heat map
• Graphic slider
• Signature
• Highlight
• Video response
• Organizational hierarchy (EX)

Best Practices for Creating Accessible Surveys

• Alternative Text (alt-text): Provide descriptive alt-text for any images or charts included in the survey.
• Contrast and Color: Ensure there is high contrast between text and background colors. Do not use color alone to convey meaning.
• Clear Instructions: Provide explicit instructions for how to complete the survey.
• Keyboard Accessibility: Some users navigate surveys using only a keyboard or alternative input devices. A WCAG compliant survey must be fully operable without a mouse.
• Accessible Survey Questions: Certain types of questions are more accessible than others. To achieve WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, you should use more accessible survey question types ando avoid using inaccessible survey question types. 

Recommendations

When choosing your survey layout in the Look and Feel menu, use the Qualtrics New Survey Taking Experience (NSTE). Be aware that some complex question types are not currently supported by NSTE. You can also quickly review your survey’s accessibility in terms of how the questions look or feel, by using the Survey Accessibility Tool or ExpertReview feature in Qualtrics.

Key Takeaway

Ultimately, you are responsible for verifying your survey's accessibility and compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA. Find more information about Digital Accessibility at UCR at accessibility.ucr.edu/digital-accessibility.