If your scheduling form requires a mouse, sighted assistance, or workarounds, it is not accessible.
For many prospective students, scheduling a campus visit is the first hands-on interaction with a college. It is a key moment that shapes whether they apply, enroll, or recommend your institution to others.
This post zooms in on one moment from our ADA Title II Compliance Guide for Higher Education. I am Michael Taylor, a blind screen reader user, and I am sharing my experience with what happens when a campus visit form is not built with accessibility in mind. The guide provides the complete remediation plan and governance steps.
The Roadblock I Hit
For blind users like me, this experience often begins with a barrier. On one university website, the date picker for scheduling a tour was entirely visual. I was unable to type a date or navigate with the keyboard. The site would not let me proceed until I selected a date, which I was unable to do without sighted assistance.
Even if I had cleared that step, the final screen presented a CAPTCHA with no audio option. That made the entire form unusable.
What Makes Scheduling Forms Inaccessible?
Scheduling platforms are often criticized for their accessibility issues. Even when a site looks modern, the underlying components often rely on features that block assistive technology.
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Visual-only calendars that require mouse clicks
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CAPTCHA without audio or non-visual alternatives
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Unlabeled form fields that confuse screen readers
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Dynamic content that is not announced properly
These are not minor bugs. They are barriers. When your digital form does not work with a screen reader, you send a message, intentional or not, that blind students are not part of the community you want to welcome. It also shifts the burden to disability support offices or family members to complete basic tasks, such as tour registration.
Calendar Grids Make Choosing a Date Harder Than It Should Be
When I open the visit scheduler, the calendar looks simple. With a screen reader, it is not.
Focus lands on the entire grid and I hear a single rushed stream: “Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 30 31 1 2 3 4 5…” There is no way to pinpoint a specific day. On other sites, I can move cell by cell, but only left to right. If the date I want is near the end of the month, it takes dozens of keystrokes. A sighted friend clicks once. I either keep pressing the arrow keys or give up.
What Works
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Provide a text field to enter the date
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Make each date cell focusable and labeled with the full date
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Support vertical and horizontal movement, not one direction only
I cannot Tell Which Times Are Available
On many sites, the time list looks accessible. I can hear each option clearly. The problem is that unavailable times appear only “grayed out.” My screen reader reads them the same as the available ones.
I select a time, press Continue, and hope. If nothing happens, I picked a blocked slot. What should take two minutes becomes trial and error for ten or fifteen minutes.
What Works
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Announce the state in the name, such as “10:30 AM, unavailable”
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Use real disabled semantics so unavailable items are not selectable.
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Provide an inline status message when a time is chosen or blocked
Areas of Interest Tiles Look Nice, but I Cannot Select Confidently
Old versions used simple checkboxes and worked. New versions show circular images with a program name underneath. The image has no alt text, and the control is announced as “Image” or “Button, Graphic.” I cannot confirm if I chose Biology or Business. I backed out, hoping I didn't mislabel my visit.
What Works
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Keep a visible text label as part of the interactive control.
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Treat decorative images as decorative or add concise alt text.
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Use a checkbox or button with a selected state that is announced
The guide covers the basics of image and control labeling, as well as why Title II documentation should include them.
How to Make Campus Visit Scheduling More Accessible
A student should not need a workaround to plan a visit. A more inclusive approach includes the following:
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Keyboard-friendly date selection with a text-input option
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ARIA labels and clear field instructions that screen readers can announce
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Accessible CAPTCHA alternatives such as email verification or logic questions
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Clear, text-based error messages rather than color only
When these elements are in place, students can complete the process independently. That builds confidence and reduces friction for both applicants and admissions staff.
Want expert help identifying and fixing form barriers? Run a test with UsableNet AQA to find issues that impact real users.
For a step-by-step remediation plan, refer to the Title II Guide, specifically Chapter 2 — Key Milestones and Chapter 5 — Accessibility Throughout the Student Journey.
Why This Matters for Your Institution
Today’s prospective students, including those with disabilities, expect seamless digital experiences and often evaluate colleges online. If your campus visit form is inaccessible, you risk a poor experience, and you may lose qualified applicants.
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Many students cite the website as their top resource when evaluating colleges.
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One in four U.S. adults has a disability, and many use assistive technologies.
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Reputation matters; accessibility gaps can lead to complaints, negative word of mouth, or legal exposure.
Accessibility also supports your inclusion goals. It ensures that prospective students can explore your campus with the same ease as everyone else.
You Do Not Have to Overhaul Everything
Many teams want to improve accessibility but are not sure where to start. That is where we can help.
Struggling With Inaccessible Forms and Calendars? UsableNet Assistive provides expert remediation and testing, so prospective students do not hit a dead end. Book a 15-Minute Demo
FAQ
Do We Need a Custom Date Picker to Be Accessible?
Not necessarily. Many teams pair a simple text input with a calendar grid that has proper roles, labels, and two-axis keyboard navigation. What matters most is operability, labeling, and precise error handling.
Is reCAPTCHA Compatible with Screen Readers?
It depends on the configuration. Always provide an accessible alternative, such as email or SMS verification, or a simple logic question that is announced to assistive technology.
What Should We Document for Title II?
Keep a concise record of patterns used, exceptions, third-party integrations tested, and dates of AQA and manual testing, including issues resolved. This helps demonstrate ongoing compliance efforts.
Related Resources
ADA Title II Compliance Guide for Higher Education. Deep dive into patterns, governance, and timelines.
Resource Hub on Digital Accessibility for Public Sector and Higher Education. Guidance and services for public sector and higher-ed teams, including Title II readiness, WCAG-aligned testing, remediation support, and training
Title II FAQs. Answers to common questions about scope, standards, and documentation
