Asm. Santabarbara leads push for inclusive education with new law for accessible materials – WRGB

New York State Enacts Legislation to Enhance Educational Accessibility for Students with Disabilities

Report on Legislative Act A7442 (Chapter 231 of 2025)

New York State has enacted legislation (A7442, Chapter 231 of 2025) mandating that publishers and manufacturers of printed instructional materials provide accessible versions for college students with disabilities. The legislation, co-sponsored by Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, Chair of the New York State Assembly Committee on People with Disabilities, represents a significant advancement in creating inclusive educational environments and aligns directly with several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 4: Quality Education

This legislation is a direct implementation of the principles outlined in SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. By mandating accessible materials, the law works to:

• Eliminate disparities in education by providing students with disabilities equal access to the core materials required for academic success.
• Upgrade education facilities to be disability-sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive, and effective learning environments for all.
• Ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in higher education, thereby promoting sustainable development.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The law fundamentally addresses SDG 10 by working to reduce inequality within and among countries by empowering and promoting the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of disability.

1. Promoting Inclusion: The legislation ensures that students with disabilities are not marginalized or disadvantaged due to inaccessible learning formats.
2. Adopting Protective Policies: It is a concrete policy that advances the principle of equal opportunity and removes discriminatory barriers in the educational sector.
3. Ensuring Equity: As stated by Assemblyman Santabarbara, the law is fundamentally about equity, ensuring a student’s educational journey is not an “afterthought.”

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The enactment of A7442 strengthens institutional frameworks to be more accountable and inclusive, a core target of SDG 16. It demonstrates a commitment to building effective institutions that serve all citizens.

• The law establishes a clear, enforceable standard for publishers and educational institutions, reinforcing the state’s commitment to non-discriminatory policies.
• It ensures that as educational technology evolves, accessibility standards remain a priority, creating resilient and forward-thinking institutional practices.

Key Provisions and Impact of the Legislation

Mandates for Publishers and Manufacturers

The new law requires providers of instructional materials to:

1. Supply materials in electronic formats that are accessible to students with visual, learning, or other disabilities.
2. Support a range of alternative formats, including audio, large print, and screen reader-compatible digital files.
3. Keep pace with technological advancements in digital textbooks and learning platforms to ensure continued accessibility.

Projected Outcomes

The legislation is expected to create a more equitable higher education landscape where all students have the necessary tools to achieve their full potential. It empowers institutions to better support their student populations and reaffirms New York’s commitment to building a fully inclusive state.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article directly addresses SDG 4 by focusing on a new law aimed at ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education. The legislation’s goal is to provide students with disabilities “equal access to the materials they need to succeed in higher education,” which is a core principle of this SDG.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article connects to SDG 10 by highlighting efforts to reduce inequalities faced by a specific vulnerable group—people with disabilities. Assemblyman Santabarbara explicitly states the law is “about equity” and ensuring “No student should be left behind,” which aligns with the goal of empowering and promoting the inclusion of all, irrespective of disability.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This SDG is relevant because the article discusses the creation and enforcement of effective and non-discriminatory legislation. The “enactment of legislation… (A7442, Chapter 231 of 2025)” demonstrates the role of strong institutions (the New York State Assembly) in promoting justice and inclusion through lawmaking.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 4.5: Ensure equal access to all levels of education for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities.

   The article is centered on this target. The new law requires publishers to provide accessible materials specifically to “ensure that students with disabilities have equal access” to succeed in “higher education.”

2. Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.

   While not about physical facilities, the law directly supports the creation of “inclusive and effective learning environments.” By ensuring access to instructional materials, it provides the necessary tools for an inclusive educational experience, as the law “reaffirms our commitment to inclusive education.”

3. Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… disability.

   The legislation is a clear action to promote the social and educational inclusion of students with disabilities. The article emphasizes that the goal is to help every student “reach their full potential,” directly contributing to their empowerment and inclusion.

4. Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory… policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation.

   The article describes the law (A7442) as “appropriate legislation” designed to eliminate a discriminatory barrier—the lack of accessible educational materials. This action is intended to ensure “equal opportunity” for students with disabilities.

5. Target 16.b: Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development.

   The law itself is a “non-discriminatory law” that is now “enforceable across New York’s college campuses.” Its enactment and enforcement, as described in the article, are a direct fulfillment of this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Availability of accessible instructional materials

  The primary indicator implied in the article is the availability of educational materials in accessible formats. The text specifies the need for “electronic formats accessible to students with visual, learning, or other disabilities” and gives concrete examples like “audio, large print, or screen reader–compatible digital files.” Progress can be measured by the proportion of instructional materials made available in these formats by publishers and manufacturers.

• Enactment and enforcement of non-discriminatory legislation

  The article explicitly mentions the indicator of a policy being in place. It names the specific law, “(A7442, Chapter 231 of 2025),” which serves as a concrete indicator of progress. The statement that the law is “enforceable across New York’s college campuses” implies that enforcement is a key metric for measuring success.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators’ to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: cbs6albany.com