PHOENIX – October 30, 2026 -- Kelly Hermann, vice president of Accessibility and Student Affairs at University of Phoenix, co-presented two sessions at the WCET Annual Conference, focusing on audit-ready accessibility documentation and cross-functional governance in digital learning.

WCET, the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies, covers practice, policy and advocacy for digital learning in higher education. The three-day conference ran Oct. 14-16.

Preconference workshop targets defensible accessibility records

Hermann co-presented "Making Accessibility Defensible: What to Document and Why," which examined how institutions can build programs that support governance, audit readiness and consistent decision-making across digital learning environments, course materials and support services.

Attendees reviewed the documentation institutions commonly use: Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs), procurement records, review workflows, remediation plans, compliance plans and institutional policies. The workshop also covered how to integrate accessibility evidence into instructional design and digital learning operations.

"Accessibility is an ongoing commitment," Hermann said, adding that institutions need to pair sustainable practices with collaboration across academic, instructional design and technology teams.

Second session draws on cross-functional team experience

Hermann also co-presented "Accessibility: Lessons Learned and Experiences Shared," which highlighted cross-functional teams running accessibility initiatives at higher education institutions. Participants exchanged experiences, discussed challenges and explored strategies for making digital content accessible to all users.

Hermann oversees remediation and student support units at Phoenix

At University of Phoenix, Hermann oversees accessibility initiatives, including evaluation and remediation of curricular resources, the Center for Access, Resources, Engagement and Support Services (CARES) and the Office of Collaborative Learning and Educational Engagement. She co-authored an accessibility chapter in Leading the eLearning Transformation of Higher Education and has contributed to publications and resources from Anthology, D2L, WCET and the Online Learning Consortium.