NAD v. Harvard University & MIT (2015–2020)
Background & Claims:
In February 2015, NAD filed class-action suits against Harvard and MIT for failing to
caption publicly available video and audio content, alleging ADA and Section 504 violations.
Court Proceedings:
Harvard and MIT initially sought dismissal. After DOJ backed NAD, courts declined
dismissal. Litigation and a year of settlement negotiations continued.
Outcome & Impact:
Harvard settled by February 2020, committing to full captioning and quality standards; MIT
reached similar compliance terms. These cases underscored ADA’s reach over online
educational content and set standards for video captioning and institutional practice.