# No, It's Not Just You: Why Reporting Accessibility Issues Matters If you spend enough time on university websites, apps, or online tools, you'll eventually run into something that just does not work as expected for accessibility. A button that can't be reached by keyboard. A video with no captions. A form that won't cooperate with your screen reader. Maybe a PDF that can't be navigated with assistive technology, or a page that looks fine visually but is a jumbled mess for someone using the keyboard to get around. This is frustrating for anyone, and when it's connected to a disability or the use of assistive technology, it can be a genuine barrier to academic and campus life. Whatever the barrier, we want to know about it. Here's how to tell us and why it matters. May 29, 2026 [ Kyle Shachmut ](/people/kyle-shachmut) ## What counts as an accessibility barrier? A web accessibility barrier is anything that prevents or significantly hinders someone from accessing digital content or completing a task online. Common examples include: - Pages or forms that cannot be navigated by keyboard alone - Images with no descriptive alternative text - Videos without captions or transcripts - Poor color contrast that makes text hard to read - Unlabeled buttons or links that screen readers cannot interpret Not sure whether what you experienced counts? Report it anyway. We would rather look into something minor than miss a real barrier. ## How to report a concern On most Harvard websites, look for a "digital accessibility" link in the page footer or help section. That link takes you to the [Digital Accessibility Policy page](/digital-accessibility-policy "Harvard University Digital Accessibility Policy"), which includes a link to the [Report a Web Accessibility Concern form](https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0PrAhzDswr9Z3z7), a short form where you can describe what went wrong. Using this form ensures the concern will get routed to the most appropriate place to address it; more on that later. ![Report a Web Accessibility Concern form with URL input focused.](/sites/g/files/omnuum12446/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/2026-05/RWAC-form-url-input-focused-grey-border.png?itok=ff-mQM96) [Report a Web Accessibility Concern form](https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0PrAhzDswr9Z3z7)A useful report includes: - Where the issue was found: the full URL of the page, or the name of the app and which screen you were on - What happened: be specific like "The submit button can't be reached with a keyboard" or "This video has no captions" - What you were trying to do: for example, "I was registering for a symposium" or "I was scheduling an advising appointment" - Your technology: device, operating system, browser, and any assistive technology you use (such as which screen reader). This helps us reproduce and troubleshoot the issue - Your contact information: optional, but preferred and helpful for follow-up, offering work arounds, and confirming when an issue is resolved ## A consideration regarding anonymity Reporting anonymously is always an option. We understand that power dynamics–between students and faculty, or staff and supervisors–can make it uncomfortable to put your name to a concern. Any contact information you do share is kept confidential to the extent feasible and used only to help resolve your specific report. ## Why your report matters ![abstract interface elements on a web page that shows error alerts and a flag, symbolizing reporting of the accessibility issue.](/sites/g/files/omnuum12446/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-05/RWAC%20blog1%20concept1b_flagged_interface_1-no-bg_0.png?itok=PKlkPdi5) Filing a report does more than fix one broken page. It makes accessibility real for website, application, and content owners. Reading a policy is one thing. Learning that a real person could not effectively read a piece of content, complete a health form, or register for an event is quite another. That direct feedback tends to reinforce training concepts and move things forward in ways abstract requirements simply do not. It also helps us identify patterns. Repeated issues from the same platform, department, or type of content are a signal. It can help drive better training, better tools, and process changes that benefit everyone who uses those sites after you. Additionally, it gives a voice to others. Not everyone feels comfortable speaking up. When you file a report that impacts you or someone else, you are also amplifying the concern for people who may come across the same barrier and not report it. To be clear: reporting is not a substitute for building accessible sites or testing to find issues in the first place. Our Digital Accessibility Policy sets that expectation, and we work proactively to catch issues through testing and regular monitoring. But no process catches everything. When something slips through, your report is the feedback loop that keeps us accountable and drives continuous improvement. If you run into a barrier on any university site, please tell us. Our goal is that you never have to, but when you do, it makes a real difference. **Further reading:** [Contacting Organizations about Inaccessible Websites](https://www.w3.org/WAI/teach-advocate/contact-inaccessible-websites/) - W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Curious what happens after you submit the report? Read our follow-up post: [Someone Found an Accessibility Issue. Now What?](/news/2026/06/someone-found-accessibility-issue-now-what "Someone Found an Accessibility Issue. Now What?") ## More Blog Posts [### Someone Found an Accessibility Issue. Now What? ](/news/2026/06/someone-found-accessibility-issue-now-what) June 10, 2026 If you've ever filed a web accessibility concern or are thinking about it, you might wonder: does anyone actually read these? Who gets involved? What does a "fix" even look like, and how long does it take? Your report does not disappear into a black hole... ![Universal access symbol with a circle around the figure broken up into segments with arrows flowing in a circle.](/sites/g/files/omnuum12446/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/RWAC%20blog2%20concept_5a_multicolor_loop-16x9.png?itok=Q7WOCFRY) [### A Deep Dive into Contrast Themes ](/news/2026/05/deep-dive-contrast-themes) May 20, 2026 People use Contrast Themes to improve their experience of sites by radically changing their visual display to enhance perception and access. Site designs often don't need to account for them but it's worth checking whether there are barriers present or... ![Windows 11 Contrast themes settings, Dusk enabled.](/sites/g/files/omnuum12446/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-04/Windows%2011%20Contrast%20themes%2C%20Dusk%20enabled%2016x9.png?itok=mxuGudi3) [### In Digital Accessibility, We All Start Somewhere ](/news/2026/05/we-all-start-somewhere) May 14, 2026 A suggestion to help make accessibility something you can truly care about, and not just something you’ve been told you need to care about, is to discover your own, personal connection to it. ![illustration of a dotted line extending across a flat surface and up a mountain with a red flag on top, colored dots are at different points on the line.](/sites/g/files/omnuum12446/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/be1956f6-2315-4bf4-afd5-6e61903a47ab-image_gen_oai_img_magpovvc3lDR-T6iDn5HU_0.png?itok=SYETDLrd) [ View All Posts arrow\_circle\_right ](/das-blog-all-posts) See also:- [ Accessibility Basics ](/das-blog/accessibility-basics)